The Long Walk to 'EDEN'

1
The Long Walk to 'EDEN'
University of Durban-Westville Senate
Chamber DURBAN 13 August 2002 at 0830
2
DEBATES
1
Does environmental science do enough For
sustainable development? The speaker will be Ms
Maa Njobe, Chairperson of the Parliamentary
Portfolio Committee on Arts, Culture, Science
and Technology and she will aim to express
societys perception of the value
of environmental science and to what degree it
fulfills its social contract. The lecture is to
include constructive criticism of the national
environmental sciences infrastructure and its
delivery on its promise.
2
Economical and ecological trade-offs Can we
afford to protect biodiversity? Anthony Leiman,
Environmental Economist of the University of
Cape Town, will argue around the tough choices
that South Africa has to make on the road to
international economic competitiveness.
3
Social Science Natural Science Bastard
Science? The intention is to highlight the
challenges and successful approaches generally
applicable to the integration of Social and
Natural Sciences as required by research
programmes in support of environmental
sustainability. The title alludes to the
negative perceptions that many a
natural scientist has regarding this type
of interdisciplinary research programme. It may
however, be turned into a positive statement if
the view that a hybrid is often
more robust/vigorous than any of the two parents
is taken! by Charles Breen
3
PROGRAMME
0830 TEA Registration 0900 First
Debate 1000 TEA 1015 Second
Debate 1130 Third Debate 1230 Debate /
Floor discussion 1300 LUNCH 1430 FIELD
TRIPS
4
FIELD TRIPS
Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve
This Nature Reserve was proclaimed on 12 May
1977 and is 76 ha in extent. The reserve, which
is a National Monument, consists of mangrove
swamp forest and an important estuarine habitat,
and is situated at the mouth of the Umgeni River
in Durban. The trail in the reserve, offers an
opportunity to explore the animal and plant life
in the Mangrove forest.
5
Palmiet Nature Reserve
The history of the reserve has been, in a sense,
a long walk to Eden, for it is a community
managed, local authority Nature Reserve,
established 30 years ago. Nevertheless there is
reason to be proud of the achievements of the
Municipal officials and staff the volunteers
who have been involved with this small Eden.
Over 80 ha in extent, it is located in the
spectacular Palmiet River valley with cliffs,
forests and grasslands in the heart of a
residential suburb of Metropolitan Durban
adjacent to the University of Durban-Westville.
It offers recreational, solitude, educational
and research opportunities with its diverse
ecological wildlife habitats.
Programme
1430 Welcome 1450 A short walk to
Eden 1550 TEA 1620 Discussion
groups 1640 Report back 1700 Closure
6
TAKE THE STEP WALK THE WALK ...
RSVP Denise Ristow NRF Tel. No. 27(012)
481-4031 denise_at_nrf.ac.za before 20 July
2002