WHERE TRAIL RUNNING MEETS PURPOSE
At the heart of the Cederberg Backyard Ultra lies a vision to help foster thriving local communities while contributing to the long-term sustainability and conservation of the Cederberg.
Our mission is to spotlight the unique environment and people of this extraordinary region, using trail running as a powerful mechanism for ecotourism and environmental awareness. By engaging meaningfully with local communities, we aim to create opportunities that extend far beyond race day - empowering youth, supporting local initiatives, and building a shared sense of custodianship for the natural world.
Through partnerships with organizations like Sustainable Cedar, we promote sustainability via ecotourism initiatives, educational workshops, and responsible trail maintenance. Every loop run here is more than a test of endurance - it’s a step toward protecting the Cederberg and ensuring its wild beauty thrives for generations to come.
Mission
To spotlight the unique environment and communities of the Cederberg by:
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Using trail running as a mechanism for ecotourism and environmental awareness.
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Encouraging participation from both local residents and visiting runners.
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Empowering youth to become future custodians of the natural world through education and active involvement.
Vision
To foster thriving local communities and contribute to the long-term sustainability and conservation of the Cederberg.
We aim to:
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Engage meaningfully with local communities and the broader Cederberg region.
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Promote sustainability through ecotourism initiatives and educational workshops in partnership with our environmental collaborator, Sustainable Cedar.
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Support the upkeep and preservation of the Cederberg through responsible trail maintenance
- driven by the power of trail running.
2026 workshop details coming soon
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIP WITH SUSTAINABLE CEDER
At Cederberg Backyard Ultra, we believe every step we run should also help heal the land beneath our feet. That’s why we are proud to partner with Sustainable Ceder, a nonprofit established in 2023, based in the heart of the Cederberg, devoted to conserving and revitalising the critically endangered Clanwilliam cedar and restoring the natural ecosystems of the region.
As part of this partnership:
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A portion of every race ticket will go directly to Sustainable Ceder’s Cedar Tree Nursery and their tree-planting programmes. Each loop run, each ticket sold, becomes not just a test of endurance but a contribution to the restoration of the land we run on.
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We will co-host workshops led by Sustainable Ceder during the event or in the lead-up. These will focus on environmental education, awareness of local flora and fauna, and the fragile ecology of the Cederberg, helping runners, supporters, and visitors understand what makes this place unique.
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A portion from each ticket sales earmarked for Sustainable Ceder will be fully accounted for, transparent, and used specifically for nursery expansion, planting of cedars, and ongoing monitoring and maintenance of planted trees.
Through this collaboration, we aim not only to challenge the limits of human endurance, but also to nurture the resilience of the land. We run knowing we are contributing to something greater - protecting and growing the Clanwilliam cedar, supporting local communities, and ensuring that the wild beauty of the Cederberg continues to thrive long after the finish line.
KEEPING IT WILD
The 2025 Keeping It Wild weekend was, true to its name, wild in every sense.
The wind howled, tents flapped, and rain came down sideways - but that’s the Cederberg. It draws together the kind of people who’ll sit through storms for a story, plant trees in the mud, and hike into the clouds just to pick up trash.
From 9–11 May, we joined Keeping It Wild, hosted by Love Our Trails and Sustainable Ceder. The weekend brought together runners, conservationists, and locals to celebrate and protect the landscapes that shape us.
Between the rain and the firelight, we spoke about trails and ecosystems, cedars and leopards, and were reminded why we keep coming back - it’s not just about running here, but about showing up for the land, the communities, and each other.
2026 workshop details coming soon
