The South Coast Tourism and Investment Enterprise (SCTIE) has announced that it has been given the honour of hosting this year’s Conservation Symposium in Scottburgh.
Scottburgh is a coastal resort in the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal situated at the mouth of the Mpambanyoni River.
This year’s symposium will be a hybrid event of participants in person and online and a platform to facilitate the sharing of ideas and lessons, including the co-creation of solutions to contemporary conservation issues in Africa.
Over 140 speakers from across the globe will spend six days at the beautiful Premier Resort’s Cutty Sark and the Dream Hotel’s Blue Marlin hotels.
The event will serve as a bridge between conservation practitioners, scientists and policymakers in a conducive environment to solve real-world problems.
According to SCTIE, the symposium returns after two years of conducting the symposium online due to Covid-19 restrictions.
SCTIE CEO, Phelisa Mangcu, said that this will serve to showcase the KZN South Coast as a key business events destination while celebrating the amazing conservation efforts and environmental significance of the region.
“From our six Blue Flag beaches and three Marine Protected Areas through to endless nature reserves and wildlife habitats, the region is vital to the local and global ecosystem while offering incredible tourism activities,” Mangcu said.
The SCTIE said that emerging or ongoing issues identified by the conservation sector are tackled through a carefully constructed programme, including a selection of leading international keynote speakers, presentation of synthesis papers, and facilitated discussions.
The symposium also provides a platform for horizon scanning and exploration of new policy directions.
Keynote speakers include Deborah Vorhies of African Wildlife Economy Institute; Sue Stolton of Equilibrium Research; Dr Eddie Riddell of SANParks’ Kruger National Park; Prof Joseph Mbaiwa of the University of Botswana’s Okavango Research Institute; Prof Ndeke Musee of the University of Pretoria; and Dr Erin O’Donnell of the University of Melbourne.
The Conservation Symposium is hosted by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife together with its valued partners: WildTrust, CapeNature, Endangered Wildlife Trust, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Environmental Law Association, and Nature, Environment and Wildlife Filmmakers.
It will cover a vast range of topics relevant to the conservation community with key areas including conservation law, the African wildlife economy, considerations for freshwater ecosystems, protected area management effectiveness, the science of funding, and a post-symposium workshop on biodiversity offsets.
Registration for the Conservation Symposium closes on October 25, both virtual and live attendees need to register before this date.
Registrations, full programme and accommodation options can be found on www.conservationsymposium.com.
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