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Programme Day 01

09:00

Check in 

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09:15

Opening and Welcome

Dave Richardson

09:40

Ground rules/resources

Sarah Davies

09:45

Student session 1. “Getting inside invaders”

Chair: Josie South

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Tumeka Mbobo, Anthony Mapaura, Phikolomzi Matikinca, Siphosenkosi Mbonani, Anneke Schoeman, Carla Wagener

10:20

Live Q&A

Chair: Josie South

10:35

Student session 2. “Impacts of invasive species”

Chair: Heidi Hirsch

Thandeka Mahlobo, Asekho Mantintsilili, Lindelwa Msweli, Dewidine van der Colff

11:10

Live Q&A

Chair: Heidi Hirsch

11:25

Close of session

  

14:00

Keynote address: Urs Schaffner, CABI Switzerland

“Integrating ecological and socio-economic impacts of Prosopis juliflora in Eastern Africa to inform management"

Urs Schaffner

14:30

Live Q & A

Chair: Dave Richardson

14:40

Panel discussion. “Establishing an African network for invasive species research and management”

Moderator: John Measey

Solomon Nawete, Arne Witt, Griffin Shanungu, Maria Loreto Castillo, Joice Ndlovu

15:20

Student session 3. “Ecological Interactions”

Chair: James Baxter-Gilbert

Melissa Ewels, Henrika Bosua, Samuel Peta, Cavin Shivambu, Nicole Vorster-Martin, Takalani Nelufule

15:55

Live Q&A

Chair: James Baxter-Gilbert

16:10

Informal discussion time

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 See information on the choice of room below

16:30

Close of session

  

 

Programme Day 02

09:00

Student session 4. “Restoration: Problems and Perspectives”

Chair: Jan-Hendrik Keet

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Tshepiso Seboko, Uviwe Bolosha, Aneesa Du Plessis, Tevan Lehman, Duduzile Ngwenya, Monique Van Zitters

09:35

Live Q&A

Chair: Jan-Hendrik Keet

09:50

Student session 5. “Regulating and Controlling Invasions”

Chair: Tainã Loureiro

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Alekzandra Szewczuk, Kyle Boast, Ndivhuwo Maligana-Shivambu, Chelsey Matthys, Sinazo Ntsonge, Asive Qikwa

10:25

Live Q&A

Chair: Tainã Loureiro

10:40

Student session 6. “South Africa and its invasive species - a multi-faceted dance.”

Chair: Anandi Bierman

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Tshililo Kharivha, Amy Collop, Emily Jones, Bhongolethu Mtengwana , Phuluso Mudau, Mmatsawela Ramahlo

11:15

Live Q&A

Chair: Anandi Bierman

11:30

Informal discussion time

  

12:00

12:30

Close of session

Core team breakaway session

  

15:00

Panel discussion. “Discussion on The International Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)”

Moderator: Dave Richardson

Anibal Pauchard, Ryan Blanchard, Helen Roy, Laura Meyerson, Sebataolo Rahlao

15:45

Student presentation awards and closing

  

16:15

End of meeting

  

 

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Keynote Speakers

Prof Dave Richardson

Prof. Richardson has been the Director of the Centre for Invasion Biology since 2012 and is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Botany & Zoology at Stellenbosch University. His research focuses on the ecology and management of plant invasions and on principles in invasion science. Dave is author/co-author of over 450 peer-reviewed journal papers and book chapters. He has edited/co-edited eight books, including Biological invasions in South Africa and Plant invasions: the role of biotic interactions (both 2020).

Dr Urs Schaffner
Head of Ecosystems Management, CABI Switzerland 

Urs Schaffner’s research focuses on soil-plant-herbivore interactions, with particular emphasis on biological invasions, biological control of weeds and grassland restoration. He has been and is involved in a number of research projects in Europe, North America, Asia and Africa. Currently he leads a multi-partner project on assessing the environmental and socio-economic effects of invasive trees in Eastern Africa and implementing management strategies that mitigate their negative impacts.

Establishing an African network for invasive species research and management

Mr Griffin Kaize Shanungu
Zambia Cranes and Wetlands Conservation Programme, International Crane Foundation/Endangered Wildlife Trust partnership

Mr Shanungu’s work explores the interactions between wetland vegetation, threatened wetland birds and large mammalian herbivores in relation to environmental conditions in Zambian freshwater wetlands. These environmental conditions include aspects of hydrology, nutrient cycling, and exotic plant invasions (and their management), such as the spread of Mimosa pigra.

Dr Joice Ndlovu (TBC)

Dr Ndlovu is an alumnus of the Centre for Invasion Biology at Stellenbosch University. Currently, she is a Senior Lecturer at Chinhoyi University of Technology in Zimbabwe. Dr Ndlovu has worked on Cactus Invasions in Zimbabwe. She is also interested in the phylogenetics and phylogeography of invasive plants. She is also interested in using molecular genetics data to trace the origins of invasions and also predict the spread of invasions.

Dr Arne Witt
Regional IAS Coordinator (Africa, Asia, Caribbean), CABI

The main focus of Dr Witt’s work has been on policy development, awareness creation, capacity building, and development and implementation of best management practices, particularly biological control of invasive plants. 

Dr Solomon Newete
Agricultural Research Council-Institute for Soil, Climate and Water 

Dr Newete is a senior researcher at the Agricultural Research Council and an Honorary Researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand with research interest in invasive alien plant, biological control, environmental restoration and Remote Sensing. Dr Newete conducted his post-doc at the Centre for invasion biology at Wits University.

Dr María Loreto Castillo
Researcher and IPBES Fellow 

Dr Castillo has a PhD in Botany from Stellenbosch University, South Africa. She is interested in the eco-evolutionary aspects of biological invasions as their management. Her work in Africa includes the study of ecological and evolutionary dynamics that enable the introduction and establishment of Prosopis species in East Africa (Kenya and Ethiopia). This study formed part of an international project “Woody invasive alien species in Eastern Africa: assessing and mitigating their negative impact on ecosystem services and rural livelihoods” under the auspices of the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI). María is also a IPBES fellow for the Global Assessment of Invasive Alien Species and their Control. Dr Castillo is an alumnus of the Centre for Invasion Biology at Stellenbosch University.

Discussion on The International Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

Prof. Anibal Pauchard
University of Concepción, Chile
Co-Chair IPBES

Prof. Pauchard is Professor at the Faculty of Forestry Sciences in the University of Concepción. He is the founder and director of the Laboratory of Biological Invasions (LIB). His research is focused on biological invasions ecology and the impacts they cause on biodiversity and ecosystems functions. Through the use of multi-scale approaches, based on field observations and experiments, he has studied the synergies that exist between global change agents and plant invasions in mountain ecosystems. Anibal is co-chair of the IPBES assessment on Invasive Alien Species and their Control.

Dr Ryan Blanchard
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research

Dr Blanchard is a Senior Researcher and acting Research Group Leader for the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Research Group at the CSIR. He is a research associate at the Centre for Invasion Biology. His research focuses on various drivers of change such as biofuels, invasive alien species and climate change and their impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Ryan is currently a lead author on the chapter addressing direct and indirect drivers of biological invasions in the IPBES assessment on invasive species and their control. Dr Blanchard is an alumnus of the Centre for Invasion Biology at Stellenbosch University.

Dr Sebataolo Rahlao
South African National Biodiversity Institute

Dr. Rahlao is Director of Biological Invasions at SANBI. He leads a programme of work that generates knowledge and evidence for policy and legislative decision-making on invasive alien species in South Africa. This includes detection, eradication planning and coordination of emerging invasive alien species, research relating to invasives taxonomy and risk analyses. He is also co-leading the chapter on trends and status of biological invasions for the forthcoming IPBES IAS assessment. Dr Rahlao is an alumnus of the C∙I∙B at Stellenbosch University.

Prof. Helen Roy
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Oxfordshire, UK  
Co-Chair IPBES

Professor Roy MBE is an ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. Her research focuses on the effects of environmental change on insect populations and communities. She is particularly interested in the dynamics of invasive alien species and their effects on biodiversity and ecosystems. She is one of the co-chairs for the IPBES global thematic assessment on invasive species and their control. Helen also enjoys science communication and public engagement with research which led to her interest in citizen science.

Prof. Laura Meyerson
University of Rhode Island

Prof. Meyerson is a Professor at the University of Rhode Island, USA where she serves on the faculty senate, directs both the Restoration Ecology and Environmental Science minors and conducts research on biological invasions. She is the Associate Editor-in-Chief for the journal Biological Invasions and an Associate Editor for Neobiota. She is an International Science Advisor for the Center for Invasion Biology and is currently co-leading a chapter on trends in biological invasions for the forthcoming IPBES report on invasive species.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR INFORMAL DISCUSSION BREAKOUT ROOMS

Thursday 16:10

  • Room 1: Getting inside invaders
  • Room 2: Impacts of invasive species
  • Room 3: Ecological interactions
  • Room 4: Establishing an African network for invasive species research and management

 

Friday 11:30

  • Room 1: Restoration: problems and perspectives
  • Room 2: Regulating and controlling invasions
  • Room 3: South Africa and its invasive species – a multi-faceted dance