SANParks is pleased to announce the availability of MSc grants for student research on addressing climate change impacts in South African National Parks. This should focus on conservation of biodiversity, cultural heritage, and/or the services they provide to people. Research should have significant scientific value and produce results that are directly relevant to management of…
For some of us that work for SANParks, doing our jobs and following the mandate of the Organization can lead to criticism from members of the public on social media and in other forums. Some colleagues have even landed in court because of differing public opinion regarding certain conservation interventions. To protect biodiversity, SANParks has…
Groundwater, the hidden underground cousin of aboveground water occurring in rivers and dams, is out of sight, so usually out of mind too. It is only once the above-ground rivers run dry, such as during drought, that people start exploring below their feet. This was particularly true in the Western Cape during the 2016-2018 drought,…
The South African Scoring System (SASS 5) is a biomonitoring tool that uses freshwater macroinvertebrates to assess the ecological state of rivers. The Krom, Silvermine and Disa Rivers historically had SASS 5 data collected by various researchers since the early 1990s. However, regular monitoring by other agencies ceased in 2016 due to capacity constraints. Scientific…
When you experience a crisis first hand, it sticks with you. On Wednesday the 8th of March, staff from the Cape Research Centre potted up many confiscated plants that were illegally collected from the dry interior of South Africa. Due to limited space and resources, many such uprooted plants have been waiting for a year…
Building rocky cairns or rock stacks on the rocky shore or in wilderness areas may seem harmless, but it can negatively affect the environment, wildlife and sense of place. Rock cairns are small piles of stones or rocks, often stacked on top of each other to create a tower-like structure. They are commonly found outdoors…
After four years of studying, I left Cape Town at the beginning of 2018 with two qualifications, a dream, and high hopes of kickstarting my journey as an Environmentalist. However, with high unemployment rates in South Africa and many graduates looking for work, finding a job after completing an Honours degree in Geography and Environmental…
I was thrilled to learn that I was among ten applicants selected as SAPRI (South African Polar Research Institute) trainees to participate in the SCALE (Southern oCean seAsonaL Experiment) Winter research cruise in 2022. The opportunity for SAPRI trainees was made available by the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), funded by the Department of…
Five project staff have now been hired on the new project funded by the JRS Biodiversity Foundation. This project focusses on modernising SANParks’ biodiversity data management systems and mobilising data for management and policy use. This blog introduces the JRS project team, who are based at the four Scientific Services nodes and will be collating…
‘Ecological infrastructure’ (EI) refers to naturally functioning ecosystems that deliver valuable services to people. Examples of EI include mountain catchments, wetlands, riparian zones, coastal dunes, kelp beds and spawning grounds. EI is the nature-based equivalent of built infrastructure. However, unlike built infrastructure, EI already exists – we don’t have to build it. Like built infrastructure,…
With a little bit of research, any Knysna seahorse enthusiast will find out that there is a display tank with Knysna seahorses at the SANParks office on Thesen Islands. This educational display tank, generously donated by the SANParks Honorary Rangers, serves to provide locals and visitors alike a first-hand experience with these cryptic fish while…
Hannibal Smith (The A-Team) is not the only person who ‘Loves it when a plan comes together”, most scientists I know do too. It is gratifying when a long awaited project not only finally begins but then begins well. This was the case on the 26th October 2022 when three scientists and three volunteers met…