The Fynbos Forum is an affiliation of national and international researchers, planners, managers, landowners and a range of other stakeholders that meets annually to discuss management issues and research results, and to formulate priorities for future research and conservation management actions required to ensure the conservation and sustainability of fynbos ecosystems. In order to achieve this goal, the national Fynbos Forum undertakes to assess biological resources, ensure institutional capacity and consider socio-economic issues.
The Foundation for Research and Development (FRD) established this forum in the late 1970s (then known as the Fynbos Biome Project) to research fire and alien management in the Cape Floristic Region. In the late 1980s the FRD committed to supporting an annual research forum meeting, and the Fynbos Forum was born. Since then it has grown from a research-focused forum, to a forum with a strong balance between research and implementation, allowing conservation managers and researchers to meet to share lessons and test new approaches and ideas. The forum is now sponsored by the National Research Foundation (NRF) in Pretoria.
Vernon Gibbs-Halls, committee member of the Fynbos Forum explains that the annual forum provides a platform where participants exchange ideas through paper and poster presentations, workshops and discussions. Each year, the forum is held in a different area within the Cape Floristic Region to allow for broad geographic participation.
Field trips form part of the forum to allow the investigation of issues of concern and interest in the field. It also provides students with the opportunity of preparing and presenting their work and gaining experience in conference participation (student participation is subsidised). Networking with others who are interested in and working on fynbos related matters is one of the forum’s major benefits. In addition to the annual conference, the forum's activities include workshops and working groups on key conservation issues, and an information dissemination service (ie job adverts, funding opportunities etc).
From time to time the forum adopts resolutions on key issues. Key milestones include the resolutions:
* To demonstrate the effect of alien plants on both water run-off and biodiversity (and the potential socio-economic consequences of this) which contributed to the inception of the Working for Water programme;
* To set up an international initiative to focus on the biodiversity of the CFR as an internationally recognised hotspot, which contributed to the inception of Cape Action for People and the Environment (CAPE).
* To compile Fynbos Forum Ecosystems Guidelines for Environmental Assessment in the Western Cape.
The committee members who organise the Fynbos Forum, represent a broad spectrum of professional organisations, NGOs and others involved with conservation issues in fynbos. The committee comprises members from the FFA NPC (relating to integrated fire management), CapeNature, City of Cape Town, CAPE, Table Mountain Fund (TMF), University of Stellenbosch and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), with others nominated each year at the forum.
Knysna Municipal Manager Lauren Waring expressed her delight and excitement that the two events taking place in Knysna and the opportunities and benefits this will offer the people of Knysna.
It was recently announced that the Knysna Municipality will host the National Fynbos Forum in August next year. Happy about the event are (from left) Julia Wood (Cape Metro), Vernon Gibbs-Halls (Eden District Municipality), Knysna executive mayor, Georlene Wolmarans and National Fynbos Forum chairperson, Tessa Oliver and Knysna municipal manager, Lauren Waring.
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