The Kruger National Park (KNP) is hosting a large number of scientists and researchers from around the world at the 20th annual Savanna Science Network Meeting taking place from March 5 to 9 in Skukuza.
The meeting brings together 214 delegates representing 84 different institutions from most continents.
The programme explores about 150 presentations, covering a wide range of topics and research conducted in all savanna national parks and protected areas. Sessions are being streamed live as well on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@savannasciencelivestream335) in order to keep up with the new hybrid conferencing format.
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Many topical issues in ecological and social sciences are covered during the four days in the form of presentations and posters. There is a range of sessions covering various topics including:
• 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),
• presentations on cultural heritage, tourism and human wildlife conflict and co-existence reflecting the incorporation of expertise from diverse fields of expertise to assist in attaining conservation goals.
SANParks general manager for the Savanna Research Unit, Dr Danny Govender said, “In order to provide a sound scientific platform from which to address the knowledge needed 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.
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“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 pro-active, 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,” she said.
The idea for the Savanna Science Network 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.
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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 the collective understanding and seeding future research collaborations and projects to fill key knowledge gaps.
For more information including the programme on the Science Network Meeting, visit: https://www.sanparks.org/scientific-services/events/savanna-science-network-meeting-2023
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