The Conservation Services Division comprises a number of units including Scientific Services which conducts the bulk of SANParks’ research and monitoring in the biophysical and social sciences across the parks.
The knowledge generated by scientists and supporting staff within the division and in collaboration with external associates informs park management and promotes the conservation of biodiversity, landscapes and associated heritage assets across SANParks’ network of protected areas.
Between the 2nd and 4th of March 2026, teams from SANParks, French Biodiversity Agency (OFB) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) came together to support Namaqua National Park MPA’s journey towards archiving Green List status. The week brought together SANParks’ management and science teams, the recently appointed park manager and section rangers…
Along much of South Africa’s coastline lie small, dynamic water bodies known as temporarily open/closed estuaries (TOCEs). To the untrained eye, these systems can appear “problematic” when their mouths are close to the sea, with water level, chemistry, and aesthetic changes being noted. Yet decades of research show that this opening and closing is not…
From 6 – 10 October, teams from SANParks and the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB) met at the Iroise Marine Nature Park, in France, for a collaborative workshop that was focused on improving the design and use of indicators in the management of protected areas. The workshop took a comparative and interactive format where the two…
13 October 2026 – 15 October 2026
Villa Castollini, Knysna
The Garden Route Interface and Networking (GRIN) Meeting is an annual event taking place in the Garden Route of South Africa, providing a forum for researchers and practitioners (from anywhere in the world) interested in better understanding and managing (or navigating) social-ecological systems and their complex interactions and feedbacks.
Based primarily out of Kimberley, the Arid Research Unit has a long history within SANParks. Established more than 3 decades ago, primarily focused on plant-herbivore-carnivore interactions, the unit has seen considerable flux over time. Currently, the Arid Research Unit supports research and monitoring in parks in both the Arid and Frontier region of SANParks.
The Cape Research Centre (CRC) was established in 2008. It is situated in the Tokai section of Table Mountain National Park on land that was formerly under plantation but is currently being restored to fynbos. The CRC was established to develop internal scientific capacity to serve the socio-ecological research needs…
Garden Route Scientific Services was established to develop internal scientific capacity to serve the Garden Route National Park (GRNP), which includes the previously proclaimed Tsitsikamma and Wilderness National Parks, State Forests and mountain catchment areas, as well as the Knysna National Lake Area…
Formal in-house scientific research in SANParks has its roots in Kruger National Park (KNP) where the first staffed research station was established in the 1950s. Today the Savanna & Grassland Research Unit is responsible for managing research and monitoring activities across several national parks…