Celebrating the achievers of 2022!
Scientific Services consists of an array of diverse skills, job functions and individuals, with many projects and outcomes depending on teamwork and interaction of these components and people. Recognition of those that consistently go above and beyond hard work, and valuing exceptional individual and team accomplishments and contributions, expresses appreciation and celebrates outstanding achievements. This year, in response to a call for nominations for the annual Kudu Awards, thought and reflection went into identifying and articulating 12 exceptional achievements across the research nodes, highlighted below.
Chief Executive Awards
SANParks, supported by Total Energies and First National Bank, recognised deserving conservationists at the Kudu Awards ceremony held at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand on 24 November 2022. The evening included over 30 Chief Executive Awards that recognise dedication and selfless efforts of employees towards achieving SANParks’ vision and mandate. A number of Scientific Services colleagues were nominated for prestigious recognition, with four Chief Executive Awards scooped:
Portia Chake, research assistant based in Addo, consistently goes above and beyond expectations and was awarded for excellent service in the workplace. Portia has been invaluable in rhino notching, carnivore darting and elephant contraception operations and data capture in Addo. Across the Frontier parks, she manages 35 satellite collars deployed on lions, cheetahs, elephants, and spotted hyenas. Portia represented SANParks at Rhodes University’s Earth System Sciences Workshop, including guiding and educating students on terrestrial systems and the MPA on the Addo field trip. Portia has done all this with a smile, absolute professionalism and great efficiency, also sharing her passions and inspiring interns stationed at Addo.
Sam Ferreira’s award for excellent service in the workplace emphasised his work in science capacity development, informing enabling policy, and making science accessible (and fun) in and beyond South Africa. Sam has participated in many ministerial and country delegations, including at CITES, and has inputted to numerous national enquiries and policy processes. Sam’s work ensures that decision-making is informed by best available science, which brings a high level of credibility and robustness and contributing to the recognition of SANParks as a leading science-based conservation organisation in the world.
Melanie De Morney received an award for outstanding service in the workplace for consistently going above and beyond her job functions, taking on additional responsibilities with excellence and commitment. Mel is passionate about insects, making a difference for conservation outcomes, and making a difference in people’s lives. She engages communities in citizen science, encourages children to pursue careers in conservation, is a role model for young girls and a shining ambassador for SANParks. Through her strong social and societal engagement, Mel also continues her animal welfare passion outside of working hours.
Cathy Greaver, Chenay Simms, Mbali Mthombeni and Sandra Snelling (Kruger Ranger Services) received a team effort award for their research initiatives and innovation. The team leads Kruger’s effort to digitise the wealth of biodiversity monitoring information generated by rangers so that it can be used for decision-making. The team led an assessment into challenges and barriers (finances, connectivity, personalities), followed by a participatory approach with end users to overcoming these and developing a functional monitoring system that meets multiple needs.
Outstanding achievements within Scientific Services
We celebrate six exceptional, innovative and/or outstanding contributions and achievements within Scientific Services:
Trevor Adams for literally holding the Cape Research Centre together through turbulent COVID-times, both as compliance officer and by facilitating essential and emergency maintenance to infrastructure through floods and droughts. Trevor’s real passion is plants and he is an inspiration in the field, readily sharing his expansive botanical knowledge. He assists with plant identifications for police matters, trying to grow poached plants, bolstering populations of concern and training interested people. Trevor enthusiastically supports conservation and engages everyone from students to specialist researchers with his knowledge of Cape parks, from plant identification to vegetation type identification, soil sampling and SASS monitoring.
Alison Kock for outstanding research, initiatives, and innovation in the conservation of SANParks’ marine protected areas and species, through local, national and international leadership, supervising students, outstanding monitoring and research, representing SANParks in multiple policy areas, widespread and high-profile communication with the public and science communities. Alison supports park staff, the CRC marine team, the public, DFFE, as well as stranded whales, sick penguins, starving seals and endangered seabirds. We recognise excellence and Alison’s tireless dedication as an ambassador for marine conservation and SANParks.
Louise Swemmer (below left) for constituency building through her work as a deeply passionate and productive social-ecological scientist. She works closely with various departments, including SET, and through Kruger’s sustainable resource use programme has been part of bringing meaningful benefits to people living adjacent to the park. During the pandemic, Louise worked with >3000 traditional healers to supply masks and sanitiser for their ongoing engagement with people, and found creative ways for the local, sustainable and responsible sourcing of materials for Kruger conferencing. Louise is recognised for her dedication and commitment to meaningful, just and inclusive conservation practices, with and for people. She has shown, through many projects that change starts small and building relationships enables incremental growth through actions.
Nerina Kruger is a pivotal member of the Garden Route & Frontier Research Unit who unfalteringly takes on coordination of the often-unseen admin support functions on top of her ‘actual’ science liaison and GIS analytical support functions. She also unselfishly invests significant energy into building and maintaining social capital within the group and beyond. Above this, Nerina is a key member of the editorial committee responsible for producing the annual Research Reports. Nerina does everything with meticulous attention to detail and super-human efficiency, providing a basis for the achievements of many in the unit.
Charlene Bissett (below right) went beyond her job functions to successfully source, secure and implement the IUCN-SOS funded project in support of critical black rhino monitoring across the frontier parks. The complete project was implemented over only 11 months with a clean IUCN audit on expenditures and deliverables worth over € 72,000 – an enormous feat for a big project under very tight timeframes. Charlene secured and managed essential COVID-relief funding to support critical activities in these parks which would otherwise not have been possible under the financial climate.
Izak Smit in recognition of his cross-cutting research outputs in diverse areas of organisational importance and influence, bringing rigour and scientific credibility to SANParks. Izak published almost 20 papers in 2.5 years, has 2 honorary academic affiliations, collaborated widely with 172 unique co-authors across 11 countries, serves science (diverse editorial and reviewing functions, teaching and supervising post-graduate students) and works on the application and influence of his research (through science communication and meaningful relationships with key stakeholders, including academic institutions and park management). His innovative approach to scientific enquiry, research excellence and service to science are an inspiration.
Best scientific paper(s) published in 2021/22
Peer-reviewed publications are one metric of scientific output. They enable rigorous consolidation of personal and organizational learning, contribute credibility to information underpinning management decisions and policy, and ensure availability of findings to wider science and conservation communities. ‘Best scientific paper’ acknowledges the value of outstanding peer-reviewed articles first-authored by current SANParks staff and published in the 2021/2022 financial year. Ten qualifying papers were sent to two independent external reviewers familiar with SANParks’ mandate and scientific publication for evaluation based on scientific novelty, scientific contribution, value to SANParks and value to conservation more broadly. Two papers were nominated for joint ‘Best Scientific Paper’ published in 2021/22 for their contribution to the scientific body of evidence in different yet important ways – high relevance to SANParks, novel approaches, significant national and international relevance.
Wigley-Coetsee C, Strydom T, Govender D, Thompson DI, Govender N, Botha J, Simms C, Manganyi A, Kruger L, Venter J, Greaver C & Smit IPJ. 2022. Reflecting on research produced after more than 60 years of exclosures in the Kruger National Park. Koedoe, 64(1), https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/1674.
Evaluator comments: This paper is novel because it reviews an unusually large dataset from an important protected area. It contributes to the scientific knowledge base by providing in one place a succinct summary of widely scattered findings. It is highly relevant to SANParks because it provides a sound foundation for evidence-based management decisions. Finally, it will be of wider relevance beyond SANParks by providing a teaching tool and practical generalizations for savanna ecosystems in Africa and beyond.
Smit IPJ, Joubert M, Smith K, van Wilgen N, Strydom T, Baard J. & Herbst M. 2021. Fire as friend or foe: The role of scientists in balancing media coverage of fires in National Parks. African Journal of Range & Forage Science, 136-147. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/10220119.2021.1991473.
Evaluator comments: This is a truly transdisciplinary paper which is grounded in good empirical evidence yet contains practicable advice. It provides a novel and interesting approach which touches on an important new dimension to understanding acceptability of conservation practices through assessing the role of the media in shaping public opinion. It further highlights the important role of including and providing scientific voices.
As we celebrate these achievements, we acknowledge that many colleagues played critical roles, fulfilled diverse functions and/or made exceptional contributions in the past year. Much like the African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child, we also recognise the crucial enabling support and collaborations of colleagues for individuals to shine.
This article was originally published in the 2022/2023 Research Report.
