World scientists will be spending several days in the Kruger National Park, sharing ideas and working to support global conservation efforts.
Mpumalanga, South Africa (28 February 2024) – Kruger National Park (KNP) will once again host world scientists, researchers and Protected Area Managers at the 21st Annual Savanna Science Network Meeting, which will take place from 3 – 7 March 2024 in Skukuza.
“The park will host 208 delegates representing 80 different scientific and conservation organisations from 25 countries. 99 of the delegates will be from South Africa, representing 30 institutions ranging from national and provincial government departments, academic institutions, research, NGOs and conservation agencies. The meeting will also be streamed live on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@savannasciencelivestream335” for those who would like to take part online; said SANParks Acting GM: Savanna Research Unit, Cathy Greaver.
Many topical issues in ecological and social sciences will be covered during the four days’ presentations and posters. There is a range of sessions covering various topics and these include:
- Classic ecological themes like studying ecological patterns (e.g., animal space-use patterns, large-scale biodiversity patterns),
- Understanding ecological processes (e.g., erosion, predation, plant recruitment, herbivory, fire, disease, decomposition)
This year’s program includes presentations on cultural heritage, tourism, human-wildlife conflict and co-existence, as well as the Wildlife Economy and Wildlife Crime. Presentations on cultural heritage, tourism, human-wildlife conflict and co-existence. This reflects the incorporation of expertise from diverse fields to assist in attaining conservation goals.
In order to provide a sound scientific platform from which to address the knowledge needs to manage biodiversity and protected areas in a changing world, SANParks scientists engage and collaborate with a wide range of national and international scientists, research partners and funders. A mix of basic and applied research, spanning the biophysical and social domains, strengthens research and monitoring efforts and builds stronger and deeper knowledge of the savanna systems. The close interactions between academics and park authorities facilitated by this meeting are key to promoting proactive evidence-based decision-making and directing research to address priority conservation management needs. The meeting has always valued capacity building, and as such students share the platform with world-renowned savanna scientists from across the globe.
“The idea for the Savanna Science meeting came about when a small group of scientists working on river related issues in KNP, reflecting on the impacts of the 2000 floods, started thinking that a small meeting held annually to share research findings with management, might be very useful. The scope and participation of these meetings grew quickly to include Savanna related research and delegates from many countries and organisations. This meeting is now considered the premier international savanna science conference covering socio-ecological research taking place in savannas across the globe. The conference format allows for dialogue and discussion on ecological science and conservation matters, both formally and informally in a spectacular venue, shaping our collective understanding and seeding future research collaborations and projects to fill key knowledge gaps”; concluded Greaver.
Information on the SANParks Scientific Services is found on the link below: https://www.sanparks.org/conservation/scientific_new/
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