The third PRESENCE workshop was recently held on the 19th and 20th of May at the Baviaanskloof World Heritage Interpretative Centre. Almost 80 people joined the workshop and some of these participants were newcomers within the network. The workshop focused on the achievements and future direction of restoration across the Baviaanskloof Mega-Reserve and the role of the PRESENCE Network within this process. The collaborative approach of the workshop gave the freedom to the participants to discuss the topics they found important. The participants were enthusiastic and played an active role during the workshop. “I was really fascinated by the enthusiasm from all the participants” (workshop participant).
The open space concept of the workshop allowed the participants to get what they wanted out of the workshop. The participants took the responsibility to make this workshop a success. Most of the participants had a desire to learn from others, share their own knowledge and experience and make new contacts. “I want to know other people’s perspectives, this will also help my own research” (workshop participant).
The workshop started on Thursday morning with the presentations of keynote speakers Dr. Dolf de Groot and Dr. James Aronson. Dolf de Groot is based at the Wageningen University and focuses on the assessment and valuation of ecosystem functions, goods and services. James Aronson has worked extensively on projects and programs related to the restoration and rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems. Based on these presentations, the workshop participants came up with topics that were discussed during the open space of the workshop. On the second day, locally relevant action plans were discussed. It is now up to the participants to maintain momentum and bring these action plans to life.
Prior to the PRESENCE workshop other events where organized. On Monday evening John Liu, an educational documentary and filmmaker, participated in a discussion evening with staff and students of the PRESENCE Learning Village about the movies that he has produced about restoration projects around the world. John Liu showed his movie Hope in a Changing Climate and other footage and discussed the errors in our current economic system. John advocates a paradigm shift in economics whereby “the ecosystem function is vastly more valuable than the production and consumption of goods and services”.
On Tuesday and Wednesday keynote speakers Dolf de Groot, James Aronson and John Liu were taken on a fieldtrip through the Kromme and Baviaanskloof catchment. Wetland ecologist Japie Buckle showed the group around the Kromme catchment including current issues such as the alien invasive species like the Black Wattle. The key speakers also visited some of the retaining structures used to restore the wetland presence in the catchment.
After the tour with Japie Buckle, the key speakers were flown by helicopter to the Baviaanskloof. On Wednesday they were shown around in the ‘kloof’ (the western section of the Baviaanskloof).
This PRESENCE Workshop 2011 was a success according to the reactions after the workshop. The presentations were highly valued for “setting the scene of the workshop”. The presence of different professions made this workshop informative. For some participants all the information led to a shift in thinking. “This workshop also changed my perspective… on conservation issues and how we should go about in addressing it” (workshop participant). Now it’s up to the participants to continue working on the foundations established during the workshop!
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