GFW Collaboration

Collaboration is a central ethos in the South African Environmental Observation Network. A particular approach of the GFW node is designing its monitoring network to address a suite of critical interrelated variables that span several key disciplines linked to global change. While these are initially set up as discrete observation projects, the intention is to collaborate with specialists in each field to improve component understanding in each field and work towards integrating outcomes across disciplines to approximate a system level approach to understanding global change dynamics. A major step forward in this approach was the first Cathedral peak Mini Symposium in November 2013. The Mini Symposium brought together current and potential collaborators. This opportunity allowed the researchers to share their work and discuss the way forward building a coherent integrated vision. In addition to academic partners, the GFW node collaborates closely with other government departments, (DWAF, DAE), Education institutions (WESSA, MMEP), land custodians (iSimangaliso Wetland Park, EKZNW), and the Water Research Commission (WRC).