KNYSNA NEWS - Researchers and practitioners in conservation, tourism, agriculture, forestry, coastal and catchment management are becoming progressively more aware of the interdependence of social and ecological systems.
Many practitioners and researchers are seeking novel ways to study and manage social-ecological systems and wish to learn more about the interface: the meeting point of different land uses, academic disciplines, methods, world views and cultures.
There is also a growing need to look into new ways to monitor long-term change in social-ecological systems, using natural laboratories such as the Garden Route.
The first Garden Route Interface meeting is being organised to further explore these challenges and opportunities.
Themes of the 2017 meeting:
The overall aim of the meeting is to connect research and practice to co-learn about, and promote effective management of, social-ecological systems and people-nature interactions.
Based on a call for abstracts, approximately 30 presentations (oral and poster) have been included in the programme along the following themes:
• Bridging the science-policy-practice divide
• Learning about people-nature connections
• Mapping ecosystem services and benefit flows
• Establishing long term social-ecological research and monitoring sites and networks
• Experiences from social-ecological systems research
• Development, resource use and transitions in social-ecological systems. The meeting will be facilitated to maximize opportunities for dialogue, critical discussions and co-learning between researchers and practitioners.
Registration and accommodation:
A registration fee of R700 (payable by August 31) includes attendance, teas and lunches for both days of the meeting at Pine Lake Marina, Sedgefield on September 19 and 20, as well as the symposium dinner on the first night.
Please contact Jackey Deacon at dot@mpu.co.za for registration and payment details. Various accommodation options are available at 10% discount for delegates – please contact Jeanne 044 349 2200 for details. More info: www.pinelakemarina.co.za/accommodation
'We bring you the latest Knysna, Garden Route news'
