PRESENCE Workshop builds momentum

Baviaanskloof (SA): The first PRESENCE* workshop was held between the 11th-13th November in the Baviaanskloof, South Africa. The event brought together a motivated group of partners, collaborators, expert advisors and implementers to discuss PRESENCE priorities.

“Planting PRESENCE: the seed phase”: The workshop identified expertise and current knowledge gaps in developing a future research-implementation proposal to support landscape restoration as an ecologically and socio-economically sustainable land-use.

The workshop was the culmination of work commencing late 2006 to identify opportunities for ‘up-scaling’ landscape restoration through national and international research collaboration. The results of the workshop will be used by the PRESENCE Group to formulate a strategic research-implementation plan and provide the springboard for launching the subsequent ‘growth’ phase in 2008.

EarthCollective is very grateful for the positive feedback with various participants reflecting on the workshop as being: “superbly run”, “professional…with an eye for detail” “well-organised and productive”, “very well executed” “generated a lot positive momentum” and a “truly enjoyable experience”.

The workshop was jointly financed through Wageningen University & Research Centre’s Interdisciplinary Research & Education Fund (WUR-INREF) and by the South African Department of Water Affairs & Forestry (DWAF).

*PRESENCE: P articipatory R estoration of E cosystem SE rvices and N atural C apital in the E astern Cape (SA)