National Biodiversity Stewardship Conference 2017

SANBI in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), funded by the Biodiversity and Land Use project convened an inaugural National Biodiversity Stewardship Conference at the Salt Rock Hotel in the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal. The purpose of such a conference was to provide a platform for high level engagement to understand the benefits and obstacles with implementing biodiversity stewardship. The outcomes that the conferences was hoping to achieve include, understanding the benefits and obstacles relating to biodiversity stewardship implementation; pathways to unlocking Wildlife Economy opportunities through Biodiversity Stewardship; Declaration of commitment addressing key challenges to ensure adequately resources biodiversity stewardship programmes, supported by DEA and SANBI, enhances Non-Government Organization support, Land Reform opportunities, improved and incentives supported and sufficiently understood; commitment to the recommendations and opportunities from Business Case for Biodiversity Stewardship and enable sustainable financing mechanisms for biodiversity stewardship.

Presentations and resources shared over the two days can be accessed in the table below:

 PRESENTER  ORGANISATION  PRESENTATION
Shonisani Munzhedzi DEA Biodiversity Stewardship In South Africa: the story so far
Magezi Mhlanga DRDLR Exploring linkages between land reform, rural development spatial planning & biodiversity stewardship
 Mandy Driver SANBI The Business Case for Biodiversity Stewardship
Xola Mkefe DEA Biodiversity Economy: Wildlife
Angus Burns WWF-SA Biodiversity Stewardship Benefits & Partnerships
Caiphus Ernest Khumalo DEA People and parks programme:  ‘conservation for the people with the people, by the   people’
Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler Land Conservation Network How stewardship contributes to securing biodiversity: an international perspective
Nandipha Thobela Ezemvelo  KZN Wildlife Biodiversity Stewardship in KwaZulu-Natal
Sinegugu Zukulu CSA UCPP stewardship approach
Malaika Koali-Lebona ECPTA Biodiversity Stewardship in the Eastern Cape
Kevin McCann Conservation Outcomes Case studies of Biodiversity Stewardship Implementation
Candice Stevens Birdlife South Africa South Africa’s first biodiversity tax incentive
Kerry Maree Table Mountain Fund The Table Mountain Fund and its contribution towards growing the Protected Area network of the CFR
Willeen Olivier DEA Making the wildlife sector sustainable
Conference poster SANBI & DEA This conference is convened by the Biodiversity and Land Use Project, a project funded by the Global Environmental Facility through the UNDP