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The Fynbos Forum Secretariat is currently based at the Cape Conservation Unit.

Fynbos Forum

Mission

The Fynbos Forum is an affiliation of researchers, planners, managers, landowners and a range of other stake-holders that meets annually to discuss management issues and research results, and to formulate priorities for future research and conservation management actions required to ensure the conservation and sustainability of Fynbos ecosystems. In order to achieve this goal, we undertake to assess biological resources, ensure institutional capacity and consider socio-economic issues.

Background

The Foundation for Research and Development (FRD) established this forum in the late 1970's (then known as the Fynbos Biome Project) to research fire and alien management in the Cape Floristic Region. In the late 1980's the FRD committed to supporting an annual research forum meeting, and the Fynbos Forum was born. Since then it has grown from a research-focused forum, to a forum with a strong balance between research and implementation where conservation managers and researchers meet to share lessons, test new approaches and ideas. The Forum is now sponsored by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Pretoria.

Activities

An annual forum is held where participants exchange ideas through paper and poster presentations, workshops and discussions. Each year the forum is held in a different region within the Cape Floristic Region to allow for broad geographic participation. Field trips are very much part of the forum where issues of concern and interest are investigated in the field. It also provides students with the opportunity of preparing and presenting their work and gaining experience in conference participation (student participation is subsidized). Networking with others who are interested in and working on Fynbos related matters is one of the forum's major benefits. In addition to the annual conference, our activities include workshops and working groups on key conservation issues, and an information dissemination service (i.e. job adverts, funding opportunities etc). From time to time the Forum adopts resolutions on key issues. Key milestones include the resolutions:

  1. to demonstrate the effect of alien plants on both water run-off and biodiversity (and the potential socio-economic consequences of this) which contributed to the inception of the Working for Water Programme;
  2. to set up an international initiative to focus on biodiversity of the CFR as an internationally recognized hotspot which contributed to the inception of Cape Action for People and the Environment (C.A.P.E.).
  3. to compile Fynbos Forum Ecosystems Guidelines for Environmental Assessment in the Western Cape."

The forum is represented on the C.A.P.E. implementation committee as well as the Table Mountain Fund Board of Trustees. The Fynbos Forum Committee comprises representatives from a broad spectrum of organisations involved with Fynbos conservation issues, including the Botanical Society of South Africa, Western Cape Nature Conservation Board, SanParks, WESSA, E. Cape, City of Cape Town, Working for Water, Table Mountain Fund (TMF), SAPPEX, University of Stellenbosch, and the private sector.

For further details, please contact the Fynbos Forum Secretariat at the Conservation Unit: Wendy Paisley Ph: 021-799 8824 Fax: 021-761 5983 Email: paisley@botanicalsociety.org.za

Fynbos Forum Innovation Scholarship

Information (Adobe pdf  264 KB)
Application form (Adobe pdf  66KB)

Fynbos Forum 2008

In 2008  there will be a combined meeting of the Arid Zone Ecology Forum and the Fynbos Forum called "Interfaces 2008" taking place in Oudtshoorn, 3-7 August. The aim of the meeting is to facilitate cooperation and sharing of ideas across biome boundaries.

Interfaces 2008 website

Fynbos Forum 2007

Fynbos Forum 2006

Special Offers on books

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