Page 33 - Thetha Issue 6
P. 33
SUSTAINABILITY
New BSc Honours
programme from 2023
Prof Josua Louw, Director of
the School of Natural Resource
Management, was instrumental
students are encouraged to clothing and blanket to victims of in the development of the new
participate in the food gardens. They gender-based violence at Phambili BSc Honours programme in
take back the skills they learn to their Women’s Shelter. Natural Resource Management
communities, and the knowledge in the Faculty of Science.
network grows. Nurturing eco-warriorship Over 60 applications had
Through the Nelson Mandela This year, campus staff and students been received by the end of
University Hubs of Convergence, from a range of disciplines are July 2022 for the first enrolment
the George Campus is also involved participating in a new “hacking at the beginning of next year.
in an initiative to provide food, programme” coordinated by the The academic programmes
Director of the School of Natural and research focus in the
Rapid growth in Resource Management, Professor School of Natural Resource
postgrad numbers Josua Louw, in collaboration with the Management and the
Department of Horticulture. Sustainability Research Unit
Our burgeoning contingent They are tackling alien (SRU) on the George Campus,
of postgraduate students tree invasion and regrowth on address the sustainable
increasingly undertake inter- campus grounds and surrounding management of natural
and transdisciplinary research communities as part of a landscape- resources in the conservation,
at the interface between wide programme to reduce alien forestry and agricultural
science and society. tree infestation, which is a major sectors.
Subjects include: the environmental and fire hazard for the The honours programme
relationships between Cape Garden Route. Alien trees also take will include the following
gannets and fisheries; mammal up vast amounts of water, which a modules:
diversity in production water-short country like South Africa • Principles of Sustainability
landscapes; indigenous cannot afford. (the aim is to also offer
knowledge and conservation The 2018 Garden Route fire this as a service module to
narrative; inclusive sharply highlighted our need to honours students beyond the
conservation practices; be proactive in disaster response Faculty of Science)
soil health and pastoral training, emergency management • Statistical Techniques
management; landscape protocols and water sustainability. A • Research Project
fragmentation and pollination; one megalitre water storage facility • Electives:
decision-framing for invasive has been installed specifically – Forest Management
alien clearing and deliberate for firefighting. Sustainability is – Agricultural Management
fire and sustainable forestry a priority here, as the cost and – Conservation Management
plantation. devastation of a fire on campus – Social-Ecological Systems.
must be prevented.
2022 | mandela.ac.za | 33
