ACTIVITIES

Dr Assumpta Onyeagoziri and Dr Petra Holden working on the TES NbS project and Dr Toby Marthews from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), recently spearheaded a webinar and workshop introducing state-of-the-art land surface modelling methodologies and their relevance to nature-based solutions. The events aimed to elucidate the complex methodologies involved in land surface modelling and how they can be effectively utilized in the realm of nature-based solutions. 

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During the inaugural scientific network meeting for South African Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and Nature-based Solutions (NbS) researchers hosted by SANBI (South African National Biodiversity Institute), TES NbS project lead Petra Holden presented her take on social (in)equity in nature based solutions.

The network meeting aimed to foster scientific alliances of researchers (including research-focused practitioners) engaged in the field of EbA or NbS research in support of policy development and project implementation.

Click here to view the presentation

Glynis Humphrey was recently invited to participate in a dialogue titled, "Fundamental controversies of nature-based solutions" organised by the TRAJECTS project. The dialogue discussed the novelty of NbS and its effectiveness in addressing the multiple socio-environmental crises of our time. This dialogue brought proponents and opponents of NbS projects in Colombia, South Africa, Kenya and the Dominican Republic into dialogue to discuss the impacts and sustainability of these projects at the local level. 

Glynis spoke to the TES NbS storybook - Stories of social (in)equity in nature-based solutions.

Watch the discussion here OR view the presentation here

Glynis Humphrey has recently returned from a TES NbS project field work data collection trip that was carried out in June and July 2023 in a village called Eretsha situated on the border of the Okavango Delta in north-western Botswana, Ngamiland. The purpose of the field trip was to collate interview data for an identified case study site implementing an NbS activity that is directly linked to local communities and their livelihoods with a core focus on sustainable rangeland NbS actions. In this instance, a case study was identified that is implementing the Herding 4 Health (H4H) Programme that involves the rehabilitation of rangelands, livestock herding practice's and training in animal health, in combination with predator conservation. This has important consequences for people’s livelihoods, wildlife and conservation under a changing climate.

Questions were centered on understanding the local people perspectives of the programme and questions were asked around benefits and possible disadvantages related to the H4H initiatives in the area. Glynis interviewed local communities as well as project stakeholders that have participated in the livestock herding programme currently being implemented by Communities Living Among Wildlife Sustainably (CLAWS) who supported the establishment of the first communal herd in Botswana in 2018.

Recently Petra Holden contributed to a short course run through ARUA-CD as part of the Supporting Partnerships and Networking (SPaN) project. The free, open access course, titled, Multistakeholder collaboration for equitable and climate-resilient landscapes, responds to the real needs of early-career researchers working in landscape management and governance. Petra's lesson focused on social equity and its consideration in the design, planning and implementation of nature-based solutions.

Watch the lesson here

Read more about the course and how to access the full lesson plan

How can Nature-based solutions help reduce climate risk in developing regions? And can these solutions be equitable for the communities involved? A research team at EfD South Africa and the Natural Capital (NatCap) collaborative have are collaborating with TES NbS to look into this question.

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On the 7 – 8th of March, Dr Glynis Humphrey attended the Tsitsa Project Indaba in King Williams Town (officially known as Qonce), which is in proximity to the UMzimvubu catchment area, a TES NbS case study project site situated in the Eastern Cape. Glynis presented the preliminary project stakeholder findings from data collected in 2022 based on in-depth interviews as part of her work on the TES NbS work package 3, which is aimed at understanding the socio-economic benefits/disbenefits of NbS to social equity at the local level. Interest in the outcomes from the research was generated by the community and the Traditional Leaders requested to share these findings back home with their communities in the UMzimvubu catchment.

The workshop was attended by Traditional Leaders, field teams (e.g. Eco-champions: local people that work very closely with the communities that involve NbS activities), project implementers, and both government and academic project stakeholders. The purpose of the workshop was to reflect and share learnings over the Tsitsa project’s lifetime of eight years (2014 – 2023). This involved building a common understanding of key outcomes from work done across the Tsitsa Project (including external work informed by the Tsitsa Approach) among project participants and stakeholders; producing further shareable records of work conducted and influenced by the Tsitsa Project; eliciting critical insights into the work conducted and ideas for scaling the work beyond the Tsitsa River catchment; and to provide an opportunity for participants to create new, and strengthen existing, relationships for ongoing and future collaboration.

During February 2023 TES NbS PI, Petra Holden, was invited to present her perspectives at the UNESCO Training Workshop for Young Professionals. Petra's insights spoke to South Africa’s experience on nature-based solutions i) to reduce climate change impact on drought and ii) framework for social equity.

The workshop invited young environmental professionals from across the continent for a one-day online training workshop aiming to strengthen their knowledge about Nature-based solutions concepts, in particular their efficacy for reducing disaster risks. The training represents a unique opportunity for young professionals and researchers to receive interactive feedback on their current work from international experts and enlarge their professional network.

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Congratulations to Andrea Campbell, a TES NbS masters student, who in December 2022 graduated from the University of Cape Town with a MPhil in Climate Change and Sustainable Development. Her thesis, titled "Social equity and sustainability considerations in the planning of Nature-based soultions in Southern African Water Towers", plays a vital role in the TES NbS project.

When asked to comment on her time at TES NbS Andrea stated, “I have learnt a huge amount and so enjoyed being part of the broader TES NbS team”.

Click here to read Andrea's full thesis

In the months of September and October 2022, Glynis Humphrey (WP3 lead) carried out the first part of field work which involved gathering survey data through interviewing project stakeholders and community members who have been involved in nature-based solution activities (NbS) (e.g., alien-plant clearing, grazing associations, and spring rehabilitation etc.), in the Umzimvubu Catchment in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. This work entailed working out of two towns, namely Matatiele and Maclear where there have been several long-term investments in conservation and partnerships and research related projects in the greater catchment area with vested interests in people and their livelihoods in the landscape, alongside the conservation of biodiversity and resilience in response to climate change. 

Glynis used both in-depth interviews and focus group meetings to determine how people were benefiting and/or perhaps being disadvantaged by activities ongoing in the catchment area. In total 6 focus group meetings and seventy-one interviews were carried out in the Umzimvubu Catchment. The collation of this qualitative data is being used to derive an understanding of the social and economic benefits and or disbenefits, and to explore the constraints and opportunities of different NbS activities to achieving social equity in the Global South.

Dr Assumpta Onyeagoziri (WP2 lead) recently visited the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) as part of a collaboration between the TES NbS (Towards Equitable and Sustainable Nature-based Solutions in Southern Africa’s Water Towers) and Hydro-JULES projects. Assumpta presented her research under TES NbS which is focused on modelling carbon sequestration and water supply trade-offs and synergies in Water Towers using JULES. During her time at UKCEH, Assumpta had the opportunity to attend the Annual Jules Science Meeting providing the opportunity to learn from and meet up with other colleagues using JULES.

"My time spent at UKCEH with Dr Toby Marthews has been very useful in refining a set of JULES model configurations for the Southern African region and instrumental in the evaluation of these model configurations using the International Land Model Benchmarking (ILAMB) evaluation system. The outcome of this work will ultimately lead to an improved representation of the Southern Africa region in JULES but also an understanding of priorities for future research in this area," explains Assumpta

The Global Landscape Forum highlights the Towards Equitable and Sustainable Nature-based Solutions (TES NbS) project and the importance of social equity and context when working with nature-based solutions.

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Nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation have evolved as an innovative yet essential tool to address this challenge. If appropriately implemented, these solutions can expedite progression towards a low carbon, equitable, gender-inclusive, greener and positive future. Through the On-Air for Gender-Inclusive Nature-based Solutions Project, Farm Radio International will work with 200 radio stations across Africa to share stories of rural communities adapting to climate change by partnering with nature. 

TES NbS principle investigator, Petra Holden, joins the advisory panel for this exciting project.

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Petra Holden, joins panel discussion focused on the weather, water and climate information needed to support nature-based solutions (NbS) to reduce flood and drought risks, bringing together NBS practitioners, policy advisors, meteorologists, and hydrologists.

Watch the discussion here

Workshop Summary (3 page summary and NbS and Equity framework)

Together with policy makers, researchers and implementers from across Southern Africa, the TES NbS team explored and reflected on what is needed to ensure equitable nature-based solutions (NbS) in the region. The workshop focued on presenting initial research findings on equity and NbS for the region as well as hearing reflections from inspiring thought leaders in research, policy and practice across the region.

Read more about the workshop and deliverables