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GRIN 2025

  • Date: 30 September 2025 – 02 October 2025
  • Location: Villa Castollini, Brenton-on-Sea Road, Knysna

7th Garden Route Interface and Networking (GRIN) Meeting

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. Three types of interfaces are of particular interest to GRIN deliberations: human-nature (social-ecological systems), theory-practice (scientists and managers), and social-natural (sciences).

Final Programme

View/Download the GRIN 2025 Final Programme

Book of Abstracts

View/Download the GRIN 2025 Book of Abstracts

Themes for GRIN 2025

Topics and session themes vary somewhat from year to year, based on the interest and expertise of the participating community, but adhering to an overall focus on social-ecological systems. Themes that have proven popular to date include:

  • Facilitating knowledge exchange at the science, policy and practice interfaces;
  • Human–nature connections (benefits and conflicts) and their implications for sustainability;
  • The evolving role of conservation systems, from protected areas to multi-use landscapes;
  • Equity, justice, and inclusivity in conservation systems;
  • Environmental governance and stewardship in the Anthropocene;
  • Lessons from co-learning initiatives, engagement forums, and multi-stakeholder collaborations;
  • Responding to climate change and other drivers of environmental change;
  • Monitoring and evaluation approaches for social-ecological systems;
  • Innovative methods / approaches for studying social-ecological systems.

Venue

The venue for GRIN 2025 is Villa Castollini, a luxury guesthouse and venue, in Knysna. This Tuscan styled Villa overlooks the Knysna Estuary, majestic mountains, forests and the town of Knysna from high up on the western head of the famous Knysna Heads. Perfectly positioned with north facing views over Knysna and five minutes’ drive to Brenton-on-Sea beach, Villa Castollini offers a truly GRIN-like ambience.

Accommodation

Delegates are responsible for making their own accommodation arrangements.

Limited options are available at Villa Castollini (mention that your booking is for attending GRIN 2025).

Close-by accommodation options:

  • Brenton on sea Cottages, Brenton-on-Sea – 061 546 0484
  • Brenton Haven, Brenton-on-Sea – 044 381 0040
  • Bay View Apartments, Brenton-on-Sea – 044 381 0559 / 081 376 0575
  • Brenton on Sea Cottages, Brenton-on-Sea – 044 381 0083
  • Forever view Accommodation – 076 395 1040
  • Brenton Breakers – 010 786 0094
  • Brenton Beach House – 044 381 0175
  • Belvidere Manor, Belvidere – 044 873 1055
  • Brenton on Rocks Guesthouse, Brenton-on-Sea – 044 381 0489 / 083 249 3644
  • Rexford Manor, Knysna – 044 384 0597 / 081 527 3682

Organising Committee

  • Nerina Kruger – SANParks
  • Alta De Vos – SAPECS & CST
  • Herve Fritz – CNRS & REHABS
  • Chloe Guerbois – SRU, REHABS
  • Jessica Hayes – SANParks
  • Stef Freitag-Ronaldson – SANParks
  • Dirk Roux – SANParks
  • George Sekonya – SRU, NMU
  • Izak Smit – SANParks
  • Caroline Wallington – SAPECS & CST
  • Victor Mokoena – SANParks
  • Nelsiwe Mpapane – SANParks

Hosting Organisations

South African National ParksSouth African National Parks is the agency responsible for managing the 19 national parks in South Africa. The agency depends on scientific research to promote evidence-based decisions and effective conservation management. It supports hundreds of research projects across its parks, conducted by both external academics and its own researchers. Traditional strengths in ecological research is increasingly complemented by social and also social-ecological studies.
CNRSThe CNRS is involved through its Institute for Ecology and Environment (CNRS-INEE), that runs the French Long-Term Social Ecological Research Network (Zones Ateliers). The CNRS-INEE coordinates the Hwange LTSER in Zimbabwe. It supports SES research at Nelson Mandela University (George Campus), now through a Mixed International Research Unit (CNRS/NMU) aimed at promoting long-term social-ecological research in southern Africa. The CNRS-INEE hosts the French component of the Future Earth programme.
SRUA locally and internationally relevant centre for ecosystems and society, the Sustainability Research Unit (SRU) at the Nelson Mandela University collaborates in user inspired research, teaching and learning, and community engagement. The unit is home to a community of critical thinkers who recognise the need to cross the boundaries of the social and ecological disciplines in order to promote sustainable management of social-ecological systems.