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Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF)
June 8, 2021 @ 10:25 am - June 9, 2021 @ 6:00 pm
Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF)
Annual Garden Route Fire Commemoration Event and Climate Change Indaba
Invitation to participate in the Garden Route Environmental Forum’s Annual Fire Commemoration Event and Climate Change Indaba Hosted by the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) and the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF) The Annual Garden Route Fire Commemoration Event and Climate Change Indaba will be taking place in George on Tuesday 8 June. The event is a collaborative effort by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP), the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF), Knysna Municipality and George Municipality.
Format of the event: Face-to-Face and Virtual
Guest speakers and facilitators: 20 people | Attendees/guests: 30 people
Please RSVP by latest Friday 4 June 2021
SPECIAL DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
**Requests for vegan, vegetarian and other special dietary requirements to please inform the GREF Secretariat of such.
INDABA DATE: 8 June 2021 TIME: 08:25 – 16:00 VENUE: The Garden Route District Municipality Council Chambers & Loerie Room, 54 York Street, George Virtual attendance – Zoom Webinar Link
FIELD VISIT DATE: 9 June 2021 TIME: 09:00 – 16:00 VENUE: Garden Route Trail Park GPS Co-ordinates: S33.55.01 • E22.51.46 Dormehl Farms 6580 Barrington, Western Cape, South Africa https://www.gardenroutetrailpark.com/find-us (60 km from George)
Draft Programme
** Note to Guest Speakers: Speakers are urged to stay within the allocated timeframes.
08:20 Registration & Coffee/Tea
SESSION 1
|
TIME |
ITEM |
RESPONSIBILITY |
|
08:55 |
Introduction by the Programme Director |
Mr Cobus Meiring, Chairperson of the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF) |
|
09:05 |
Welcome address, “Towards a climate-ready environment” |
Councillor Memory Booysen, Executive Mayor, Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) |
|
09:30 |
Keynote address |
Ms Makhotso Magdaline Sotyu, Deputy Minister of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) |
|
10:00 |
Reflecting on the Knysna wildfires and preparing the region towards a climate-ready environment (presentation title to be confirmed) |
Mr Elrick van Aswegen, Executive Mayor of Knysna Municipality (To be confirmed) |
|
|
Brief mention of biomass projects in the Karatara River and a national study: Developing a Strategic Framework for an Alien and Invasive Biomass Economy in South Africa |
Ms Pamela Booth, Environmental Manager, Knysna Municipality/Mr Cobus Meiring, SCLI |
Break (10:30 – 10:45)
SESSION 2 Facilitator Cobus Meiring, Chairperson of the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF)
|
TIME |
ITEM |
RESPONSIBILITY |
|
10:45 |
National Disaster Management (presentation title to be confirmed) |
Ms Ané Bruwer, Executive Manager at the National Disaster Management Centre, South Africa |
|
11:05 |
The long-term and unanticipated impacts of the 2006 storm event |
Dr. Jackie Dabrowski, Managing Director: Confluent Environmental; Research Associate: Nelson Mandela University and Extraordinary Lecturer: University of Pretoria |
| 11:20 | Water Resource Management | Dr Fanie Botha, Water Specialist and Consultant, Water Hunters |
|
11:50 |
Update on global change research in the Garden Route: connecting the dots using a systems approach |
Professor Christo Fabricius, Lead, CARMa-Afrika: Capacity for African Resource Management at Nelson Mandela University (NMU) & Professor Hervé Fritz, Director of the ECO REHABS International Research Lab, CNRS France, and Nelson Mandela University |
|
12:20 |
Message from the Principal of the George Campus of Nelson Mandela University (NMU) |
Ms Kaluke Mawila, Principal of the George Campus of Nelson Mandela University (NMU) |
|
12:35 |
Eco-nomics – is this the way towards a sustainable future? |
Professor Eugene Cloete, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies |
Lunch (13:05 – 13:40)
SESSION 3 Facilitator Mr Japie Buckle, Garden Route Biosphere Reserve (GRBR)
|
TIME |
ITEM |
RESPONSIBILITY |
|
13:40 |
Message of support: Department of Forestry, Fisheries & Environment |
Mr Potlako Khati, Coastal Planning and Spatial Information, Department of Environmental Affairs (DFFE), Western Cape |
|
13:50 |
Sea-level rise and its impact on coastal infrastructure along Mossel Bay Coastline |
Ms Mushfiqah Abrahams, Conservation Officer – Environmental Management, Mossel Bay Municipality |
|
14:00 |
Realities of managing national parks in the face of climate change |
Dr Stefanie Freitag-Ronaldson, General Manager, Garden Route and Frontier Research Unit, SANParks |
|
14:30 |
Climate change and IAS in Africa |
Dr Arné Witt, Invasive Alien Plant Specialist and Regional (African, Asia and Caribbean) IAS Coordinator for CABI |
|
15:00 |
Green infrastructure for disaster risk reduction: the role of wetlands in the Garden Route |
Ms Debbie Fordham, Freshwater Ecologist, SES Environmental Services |
|
15:30 |
Environmental sustainability of the healthcare sector: Response from George Hospital |
Dr Michael Vonk, Chief Executive Officer, George Hospital |
|
15:40 |
Closure and way forward: Relevance of climate change decisions and IDP implementation |
Mr Gerhard Otto, Head of Disaster Management, Garden Route District Municipality |
RSVP BEFORE OR ON TUESDAY 4 JUNE 2021
About the Garden Route Environmental Forum:
A regional forum for collaboration in conservation, environmental adaptation and community interaction. The confluence of regional governance and civil society, the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF) is a public platform and think tank for national, regional and local government, conservation bodies, academics, the media, landowners and land managers, active in the full spectrum of environmental matters in the region. Your participation will be highly appreciated.
Louise Maré: louisamare@gmail.com