Abstracts and Powerpoints

Deadline for submission of abstracts for papers, posters etc – strictly  -            22nd August 2024

The conference secretariat will mail accepting no later than                      -            26th August 2024

Deadline for receipt of powerpoint presentations                                             -            21st October 2024

Registration Dates and Deadlines

Registration Opens on                                                                                                      -            16th July 2024

Early bird and Presenter registration deadline                                                  -            13th September 2024

Standard Registration Deadline                                                                                  -           5th September 2024

Late Registration Deadline                                                                                            -            30th September 2024

National Wetlands Indaba 2024 – Call for abstracts

The National Wetlands Indaba, first held in 1996, attracts an increasingly large audience, reflecting the growing interest and awareness of the importance of wetlands in the environment. The Indaba serves as a platform to discuss and exchange information and give feedback on numerous projects, research and policy relating to wetland use, management and protection. It is one of various initiatives designed to promote cooperation around the management of natural resources, a central part of South Africa's obligations as a member of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

The Eastern Cape Wetland Forum together with a number of partners is hosting the National Wetlands Indaba 2024, from the 21st -25th October 2024. We are very excited to be able to offer this as an in-person event, scheduled to take place in the stunning Cape St Francis, a breath-taking location within the Sarah Baartman Region in the Eastern Cape Province. As an annual event, the Indaba plays a pivotal role in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among dedicated professionals focused on the conservation and sustainable management of South Africa's precious wetland resources.

The following sub-themes have been identified for the Indaba:

1.     Wetlands in a changing environment (urban wetlands, artificial wetlands, climate change, pollution and degradation, mining, industries, emerging technologies, dissemination and research)

2.     Wetlands and people (traditional knowledge and perceptions, community engagement and co-management of resources, youth capacity development, sustainable resource use)

3.     Wetland biodiversity, functioning and conservation (incl. rehabilitation and restoration invasive alien species)

4.     Wetlands in catchments – from source to sea (RAMSAR sites, protection, strategic water resource areas, estuaries, wetland mapping and delineation, land use, catchment management and changes, surface/groundwater interaction, pollution)

5.     Partnerships, collaboration and governance (public-private partnerships, collaborative governance across sectors, private sector and government collaboration, governance and legislation)

Abstracts of 250 to 300 words can be submitted via the 2024 Wetlands Indaba website for consideration and should indicate the sub-theme under which it is being submitted. Applications for posters can also be submitted via the website, indicating the sub-theme to which it is applicable and a 250 – 300 word summary of the poster display.

Please contact Margaret Lowies (mlowies@dffe.gov.za) for any queries.

Accommodation is available primarily at the Cape St Francis Resort. However, other options for bed & breakfast are also available in the local area.

BOOK YOUR FIELD TRIPS HERE​

The trip will start at the Churchill Dam with a visit to the dam wall and walkthrough of the water treatment works. The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will also have a representative who will give a technical talk about the history of the dam and the current operations. The Churchill Dam is a multi-arch type dam located at the Kromme River, near Kareedouw, Eastern Cape. The Kromme River and its catchment which feeds the dam have been a focal point for both the Working for Wetlands and Working for Water Programmes for several implementation cycles

NB: The visit to the Churchill Dam is restricted to 50 people (as arranged with the NMBM), so please ensure you register early if you are interested. The visit is arranged from 13H30 to 14H30.

From the Churchill Dam, the trip will proceed into the Langkloof and Kromme system with visits to some of the Working for Wetland Structures as well as the portion of palmiet wetland which burned down in February 2024.

While the visit to the Churchill Dam takes place there will be a talk by South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity regarding the aquatic biodiversity features and fish species found in the Kromme River system. This will be to accommodate those which can't attend the visit to the Churchill Dam.

This trip will focus on the Kouga Dam, which is operated and maintained by the Gamtoos Irrigation Board. The Kouga Dam is an arch dam on the Kouga River about 21 km west of Patensie in Kouga Local Municipality, Eastern Cape. It supplies irrigation water to the Kouga and Gamtoos valleys as well as drinking water to the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro area via the Loerie Balancing Dam. It was constructed between 1957 and 1969. The Kouga Dam is supplied by the Kouga River which runs through the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve and World Heritage Site. It has also been the focus of the Working for Wetlands and Working for Water Programmes with emphasis on the clearing of alien invasive species in the catchment area.

The visit will include a tour of the inside of the dam wall, which is quite spectacular and a privilege to see. This trip is best suited for people interested in a shorter fieldtrip and who have seen the Kromme system already.

NB: The trip is dependent on interest with a minimum of ten people required.