SAEON now fires on all cylinders

One of the new nodes will focus on forests, the lungs of our planet (Picture: Mitzi du Plessis) Wetlands are essential in an arid, water-scarce country such as South Africa, yet an estimated 50% of South Africa’s wetlands have been destroyed or converted (Picture: Mitzi du Plessis) The offices for SAEON’s Node for Arid Lands were constructed just outside Kimberley in the Northern Cape (Picture: Johan Pauw) The Arid Lands Node focuses on the Nama Karoo and Succulent Karoo Biomes (Picture: Mitzi du Plessis)

SAEON’s timing was impeccable – the new nodes came on board just before World Wetlands Day and the announcement that 2011 had been declared the UN International Year of the Forests.

The Grasslands-Forests-Wetlands Node in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal is hosted by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. The node focuses on the Grassland and Forest Biomes as well as on wetlands. Two Field Technicians - Basanda Nondlazi and Danne Joubert - joined Sue early this month.

Node contact details: Tel (+27) 33 347 5201/ 5851/2269/5119; Email sue@saeon.ac.za

Arid Lands Node

Based in Kimberley in the Northern Cape, the Arid Lands Node is hosted by South African National Parks (SANParks) and focuses on the Nama Karoo and Succulent Karoo Biomes. Two Field Technicians, Iain Olivier and Tshililo Ramaswiela were appointed to assist Node Coordinator Yolandi Els. Node contact details: P.O. Box 110040, Hadison Park, Kimberley 8306; Tel: (+27) 53 831 3751; Fax: (+27) 53 831 3750; Email yolandi@saeon.ac.za

The other four nodes in SAEON’s portfolio are:

• SAEON Ndlovu Node at Phalaborwa, hosted by SANParks. The node focuses on the Savanna Biome.
• SAEON Elwandle Node in Grahamstown, hosted by the South African Institute for Aqautic Biodiversity. The node focuses on coastal-inshore systems.
• SAEON Egagasini Node in Cape Town, hosted by the Department of Environmental Affairs. The node focuses on marine-offshore systems.
• SAEON Fynbos Node, in Cape Town, hosted by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. The node focuses on the mediterranean Cape Floral Kingdom.

SAEON performs environmental monitoring and research via strategically located nodes. The nodes also provide research support to collaborators. Nodes are geographically distributed across South Africa in order to proved good coverage of biomes or subsets thereof.