ELTOSA: Southern Africa unites to serve a common purpose

The third general meeting of the Environmental Long-Term Observatories of Southern Africa (ELTOSA) was held at the Boadzulu Lodge in Mangochi on the shores of lake Malawi between 29 August and 1 September.

Johan Pauw attended the meeting in his capacity as SAEON team leader, ELTOSA Vice-Chair and incoming ELTOSA Chair. He was accompanied by Dr Dave Balfour, manager of the SAEON Ndlovu Node and Mr Barney Kgope, environmental change researcher based at the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), the designated host of the SAEON Fynbos Node.

The meeting was an appropriate forum to forge links with SAEON’s southern African counterparts. It also gave SAEON the opportunity to present the work and advances of SAEON to other ELTOSA members. Each of the three SAEON delegates presented papers and formed part of the discussions about ELTOSA’s strategic direction and constitution.

There were presentations by high-level delegates such as the Malawian Minister of Mining and the Environment, the Executive of the United Nations LEAD programme, the Principal of the University of Malawi , the Executive Coordinator of ILTER (International Long-Term Environmental Research) and the ELTOSA Chair. The Minister pledged his government’s support for a Malawi LTER network.

As part of a strong drive for Malawi to become a member state, there were presentations by young scientists, many of which came from Malawi. The presentations reflected an understanding of the need for long-term environmental research in the country, and the fact that there are already a few related projects in place. Malawian scientists very seldom have the opportunity to attend and present at a conference, and the fact that this conference was held in their own country was viewed as a unique opportunity for them to participate.

The scientific programme was strengthened by additional presentations made by visiting scientists from the USA and South Africa. Presentations on data management and climate change in particular were at a high level. Each of the ELTOSA and ILTER member states (RSA, Zambia , Mozambique , Namibia and Botswana) presented progress reports. The ensuing discussions benefited from the participation of the ILTER Executive Coordinator, as well as the USA and SA scientists.

A draft strategic plan for ELTOSA, which was drafted by Johan Pauw in response to a request by the SAEON Technical Steering Committee, was discussed and finalised. A draft constitution, also formulated by Johan Pauw in collaboration with Joh Henschel in his capacity as the previous Chair, was further developed and finalised. Both these documents are fundamental to the future of ELTOSA and were unanimously accepted by the ELTOSA Annual General Meeting. Johan Pauw was handed the Chairmanship of ELTOSA at the conclusion of the General Meeting.

The rest of the programme entailed ELTOSA business and site visits. Site visits to Liwonde National Park and Lake Malawi highlighted the pressures put on the environment by the struggling people of Malawi. Liwonde stands in great contrast to its surrounding areas where people have to make do with minimal resources. Lake Malawi is severely affected by siltation caused by the rampant erosion in the catchments where cultivation has to be performed on steep slopes. Overfishing is clearly leading to a drop in the size of the catch and the specimens caught. A worrying side-effect is a concomitant drop in tourism.

As an exercise in promoting professional relationships between representatives of member states, the conference was a great success. In addition, the conference enthused the Malawian environmental science and governance community and led to a demonstration of the resolve of the Malawians as well as the extent of the external support for their bid to become a member of ELTOSA. The mix of young and old also contributed to the overall success of the conference.

The participation of the ILTER Executive Coordinator Holly Kaufman will have beneficial consequences as she begins to craft a strategic plan for the ILTER to be presented at an ILTER meeting later this year. In order to reinforce her commitment to Africa , she spent the week following the conference visiting the SAEON Ndlovu Node in the Lowveld and the Gobabeb Research and Training Institute in Namibia. As ILTER is currently considering making a special effort to support ELTOSA countries, the strategic value of her understanding of the African environment and socio-economic issues will do much to promote the ELTOSA cause.

According to Dave Balfour he benefited most from the networking opportunities. He said that he was enthused by the levels of commitment and common sense of purpose that were expressed at the meeting. “I hope to make Ndlovu Node an example for others to follow and learn from either by example or through reciprocal visits by staff and students,” he said.