GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - South African National Parks (SANParks) hosted a successful sixth annual Garden Route Interface and Networking (GRIN) meeting from 1 to 3 October.
The event brought together a global mix of researchers and practitioners at Villa Castollini in Knysna.
They shared insights on protected areas, inclusive conservation, and sustainability.
"Deliberations were consistent with the SANParks Vision 2040 and current global approach which advocates for conservation of a future that is inclusive and deliberate in ensuring local economic growth and communal beneficiation," said JP Louw, spokesperson for SANParks.
The 2024 edition of GRIN featured about 50 presentations and posters spanning a wide array of themes.
These included climate change adaptation, human-wildlife coexistence, community and citizen engagement, and transformative conservation across landscapes, seascapes, and urban environments.
The presentations and discussions also addressed the intersection of nature and society, addressing topics such as nature-based tourism, the human-nature connection, and pathways toward equitable, resilient, and socially just conservation futures.
"There were thought-provoking discussions that complemented poster sessions, fostering an atmosphere of collaboration and intellectual and experiential exchange.
"The successful 2024 edition of GRIN bodes well and laid a solid foundation for the next gathering in 2025," said Louw.
The 2024 event was made possible through a partnership of SANParks with the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Nelson Mandela University's Sustainability Research Unit (SRU), the International Reconciling Ecological and Human Adaptations for a Biosphere-based Sustainability (Rehabs) research laboratory, and Southern African Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society (Sapecs).
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