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USC builds stronger links with South Africa
The fanfare of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa might be over, but the Sunshine Coast’s focus on the African nation looks set to continue well into the future.
The University of the Sunshine Coast is currently hosting two key personnel from South African National Parks (SANParks) with an eye to developing greater environmental research and education links.
These links will provide opportunities for USC students and staff to work, study and conduct research in flora and fauna conservation areas of South Africa, which are home to lions, elephants, giraffes, leopards and rhinos.
SANParks Conservation Awareness manager Kevin Moore and Kruger National Park interpretive officer Kirsty Redman are spending nine days with USC staff, including three days at the University’s environmental education camp on Fraser Island this week.
On Monday 26 July, Mr Moore and Ms Redman will deliver a public lecture at the University of the Sunshine Coast about the work of SANParks.
The lecture, from noon to 1pm, will address conservation and environmental education efforts across a wide range of national parks in South Africa.
Dr Sheila Peake of USC International said SANParks was responsible for areas that ranged from arid desert to savannah grasslands, and from mountainous and riverine parks to coastal marine parks.
Dr Peake was instrumental in negotiating new partnership with SANParks when she visited South Africa last year.
This has so far led to work opportunities in South Africa for USC students Jennifer Castell, 24, of Buderim, and Patrick Walsh, 29, of Nambour who have received funding support from USC’s award-winning Global Opportunities (GO) Program.
Honours student Jennifer has already embarked on a six-week appointment at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, where she will assist leading environmental education expert Professor Rob O’Donoghue.
And Patrick will spend a month from September with SANParks at Kruger National Park – one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions – developing website pages, posters and brochures for a native plant nursery.
— Terry Walsh