PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Conservation organisation Nature's Valley Trust (NVT) will soon have a new director - one with a host of experience and knowledge.
The team announced this week that Professor Hendri Coetzee, of the North-West University, will be joining them at the end of April to take over the role as director.
Former director Duncan Hay stepped down in July last year and NVT conservation scientist Brittany Arendse took over in an acting position.
The NVT team said that Coetzee brought to the role a wealth of aca-demic and practical knowledge in areas of conservation and community enagement.
"He has worked on numerous conservation projects across South Africa and other parts of Africa which also includes a year as visiting professor at the University of Cairo.
"He is passionate about the interface between humans and nature and brings to the NVT a deep understanding of conservation and social-environmental issues, natural-resource management, human-wildlife conflict and a passion for botany and ornithology," the team said.
Coetzee also holds a PhD in environmental sciences, an MA in research psychology and a BA (Hons) in psychology. He has published a number of scientific articles and two books - one on birds and the other on community development.
"We welcome Professor Coetzee, together with his wife Nicolette and their two daughters, Hannah and Sune, to the NVT and Nature's Valley and we hope that they will be very happy in their new environment," the organisation said.
NVT will hold its annual general meeting (AGM) on 23 March at 17:00 via Zoom. More details will be released shortly.
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