Dear Fynbos Forum Participants

Fynbos Forum workshop: ‘Proteaceae: Research and Management Priorities in a Changing World”   SA-Germany Year of Science Celebration of Proteaceae

Call for Students and Interns to apply for funding to attend the Fynbos Forum 

The Fynbos Forum Committee, in collaboration with Stellenbosch University (Karen Esler), Potsdam University (Frank Schurr) and SAEON have been awarded funding under the SA-Germany Bilateral Programme (SA-Germany Year of Science Celebrations).
To this end, we will hold a workshop and special session at the Forum (17- 20 July, Cape St Francis).  The workshop title is: ‘Proteaceae: Research and Management Priorities in a Changing World” 

The purpose of the workshop is to expose South African researchers, students, land managers, conservationists, NGOs and environmental educationists to ongoing research on South African Proteaceae by German and South African collaborators and other
researchers.  The workshop will be facilitated in such a way that the implications
for biodiversity management in the context of climate change are highlighted.  In addition, land managers will be able to raise issues in management that may guide further research by the German-South African research partnership. A round table discussion will be held between South Africans and German researchers at the conclusion of the workshop to map the way forward for new research collaboration driven by needs expressed by the South African implementers of land management.  A special session on Proteaceae will be
held in addition to the workshop, and interested parties are welcome to submit
abstracts (not limited to German / SA participants).

 To this end, South African Students with an interest in Fynbos or interns are encouraged to apply to have their registration and accommodation covered to attend the workshop and participate in the Forum (13 x R1900 fellowships are available).  Limited funds are available for transport on application (shared transport of
own vehicles encouraged).  Please send a short letter of motivation to Karen Esler (KJE@sun.ac.za), preferably by the deadline below.    In addition, please include the
following information: degree/internship, name of academic institution or hosting
organisation, name of supervisor(s), title of thesis or project if applicable.  We would encourage participants to submit a paper or poster (it need not be on the Proteaceae theme).  NOTE the tight deadline for abstract submission – 26 April, 2012.

The NRF, DST and BMBF are gratefully acknowledged for their funding.

Prof Karen J Esler

Stellenbosch University

Department of Conservation Ecology & Entomology