Scientific Services

I was going about my day when I got a message on Facebook, from a young lady who attended two consecutive years of SANParks outreach programmes. She told me she is in Matric and is now considering a career in Environmental Sciences & Geography after being inspired by our ‘Scientist for a day’ as well as the then People & Conservation department’s “Take a girl to work” day program. This is the kind of impact and relationships we want to build in society. It is especially close to my heart because I am also a product of outreach programs conducted by SANParks – Daniëlle Seymour

We as SANParks Scientific Services have journeyed far in the course of practicing science and sharing it effectively with the greater society. What began in 2014 with a 2-man team assisting People & Conservation (now Social Economic Transformation) with school group visits during SANParks week has expanded to much more elaborate, carefully planned and executed educational outdoor experiences. Now in 2020, the SANParks vision of being “A world class system of sustainable national parks reconnecting and inspiring society” is very much in line with the goals of the outreach program that is growing within the Garden Route.

People and protected areas (PAs) have never seemed as disconnected as in current times. Yet the fate of many PAs is tied to human-mediated or induced pressures, such as habitat change or resource exploitation. How well we connect to society therefore has important implications for biodiversity conservation in PAs. Communication forms a key part of that, in addition, how well information is received is determined by how well it is shared.

In our attempt to share our passion and knowledge about conservation, some of the Garden Route Scientific Services team have been involved in various environmental education initiatives over the past few years. We have, through our lessons and outdoor field trips, created a space for everybody to learn, engage, participate and embrace their full potential while learning about science and biodiversity.   Many of the groups we interact with come from less fortunate backgrounds, some are place-bound and often have had limited nature experiences and science exposure. Research has found that limited nature-interactions can lead to fear or negative perceptions of the environment, which often leads to bad choices and destructive actions. Through our lessons, we aim to create positive and meaningful experiences to help develop pro-environmental attitudes, motivate careers in science and of course have fun. It is about creating two-way information sharing opportunities where all involved are learning and are influenced to make wiser, more conscious choices going forward and creating an inspired society.

The current pandemic has however held our outreach plans hostage, but it has also given us the opportunity to reflect on our journey (see video below) and probe ‘out of the box’ thinking. This lockdown has also given us the opportunity to assess how effective the program has been over the years, to affirm realities (and deny others) and to ultimately see the opportunities ahead in difficult situations. We hope to continue impacting communities and societies through what we love and believe in, and to foster a transformed and empowered society that believes in coexisting with their natural environment.