The Science of Conservation

7-18 March 2025

Northern Drakensberg, South-Africa

Scope

The science of conservation is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the study and application of principles, methods and practices aimed at strategies to preserve natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystems. The relevance of this research field has increased significantly due to the consequences of changes in land use and climate, with dire consequences for the natural environment and the biodiversity that are declining rapidly. It has been thought that the repercussions of these losses will be enormous for both the functioning of ecosystems as well as the livelihoods of people. At the same time, many local initiatives to protect remaining natural areas and to rewild previous agricultural lands are set up to counter biodiversity loss.

Rewilding is a complex process that involves ecological and socio-economic aspects and processes, involving an array of stakeholders. Although rewilding can be seen as a positive development for nature, the ecosystem services and sustainability of the landscape, it also creates challenges. For example, wildlife entering areas where people live, possible loss of farm labour, land rights and an increasing disease transmission between wildlife and domestic animals. Hence, before we can develop rewilding strategies, we need to understand the complexity of human-nature interactions using natural and social sciences. The question how can we better understand interactions between humans and nature to support conservation strategies?

This course addresses the principles of sustainable conservation and conservation strategies where we will focus on rewilding.

In the course we aim to:

• Present a theoretical perspective and have a practical assignment. We address the question: what is conservation science? And work on its scientific grounding, whereby it is more than applied ecology, it should have knowledge questions in itself.
• Identify cross-cutting themes, whereby we shouldn’t focus on solutions. Instead we focus on exploration to help understand the complexity of local conservation by analyzing the situation.
• Identify the key concepts and work towards a paper that describes the complexity of the local area network, in the context of what is conservation science is.

Location

The course is held in the Northern Drakensberg (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) which is renowned for its dramatic landscapes. Here a group of 11 land owners have decided to rewild their farmland and transfer it to a nature reserve of 6500 ha. This grassland dominated nature reserve was gazetted April 2024. It adds to a conservation corridor connecting the adjacent uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park in KwaZulu-Natal to the Sterkfontein Nature Reserve in the Free State. The nature reserve will be managed by the Northern Drakensberg Landowners Association where the management plan focusses on sustainability of the conservation effort benefitting both people and nature. 

In South Africa (natural) grasslands are poorly protected with under 3% under formal conservation. Yet, grasslands are of significant importance of biodiversity, water storage and livestock/pastoral economies. The new nature reserve falls within the Northern Drakensberg Strategic Water Source Area and hence also contributes significantly to South Africa’s water security.

For detailed information see: www.wwf.org.za

Course set-up

The course is composed of a series of lectures and discussions, field work and presentations. During the course, the theory of rewilding is covered in a variety of lectures by Dutch, local and international ecological scientists, social scientists, but also the side of the local residents, municipality and of course area owners is highlighted. In addition to the theory, we will also work in groups on applied case studies. Each group will have its own case study for which the group members will make a plan of action, carry it out by means of a number of field visits and the results will be presented to the whole group and area owners. This course gives, therefore, a good insight into the complexity of rewilding as a means of nature conservation.

Preliminary Programme

• Friday 7 March - Arrival and getting to know each other
• Saturday 8 March - Introduction to the course and group work
• Sunday 9 March - Excursion
• Monday 10 March - Lectures and group work
• Tuesday 11 March - Lectures and group work
• Wednesday 12 March - Lectures and group work
• Thursday 13 - Saturday 16 March - Group work
• Sunday 16 March - Free day
• Monday 17 March - Group work
• Tuesday 18 March - Group presentations
• Wednesday 19 March - Travel back to Johannesburg

Lecturers/organisers

• Arash Ghoddousi (Wageningen University, The Netherlands)
• Kirsten Oliver (Invasive species scientist, South Africa)
• Shaun Vorster (Chair of Northern Drakensberg Nature Reserve (NDNR), South Africa)
• Melissa Felipe Cadillo (University of Oxford, United Kingdom)
• Frank van Langevelde (Wageningen University, The Netherlands)
• Liesbeth Bakker (Netherlands Institute of Ecology, The Netherlands)
• Gilian van Duijvendijk (Graduate School PE&RC, Wageningen University, The Netherlands)
• Claudius van de Vijver (Graduate School PE&RC, Wageningen University, The Netherlands)

General information

Fees ¹

¹ The course fee includes accommodation, all meals, course materials and coffee/tea. It does not include beverages in the bar.
² The Early-Bird Fee applies to anyone who REGISTERS ON OR BEFORE 7 January 2025
³ PE&RC PhD participants are entitled to an air travel subsidy of 50% of the ticket cost up to a max of  € 350,-

Note:

• The Early-Bird policy is such that the moment of REGISTRATION (and not payment) is leading for determining the fee that applies to you.
• Please make sure that your payment is arranged within two weeks after your registration or after you've received your requested invoice.
• It is the participant's responsibility to make sure that payment is in time.

PE&RC Cancellation Conditions

IMPORTANT: ALWAYS read the Cancellation conditions for PE&RC courses and activities.

Note: If you would like to cancel your registration, ALWAYS inform us. By NOT paying the participation fee, your registration is NOT automatically cancelled (and do note that you will be kept to the cancellation conditions)

More information

Gilian van Duijvendijk (PE&RC)
Email: gilian.vanduijvendijk@wur.nl

Registration

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