Indibano 2015

Indibano means "gathering" in isiXhosa, and this year it was quite a unique gathering. Delegates hailing from 11 of South Africa's universities, including SAEON's very own students, were hosted by SAEON's Arid Lands Node in Kimberley.

The Indibano provided an excellent opportunity for the students to network with their peers as well as with established scientists, and equipped them with valuable statistical and data management skills. Furthermore, the SAEON GSN committee unveiled the winning T-shirt design, as voted for by GSN members.

Long-term environmental monitoring for the benefit of society

The presentations covered a range of topics; from biological invasions to hydrology to geomorphology, all the way to taxonomy and biodiversity.

One central theme was common across all fields – long-term environmental research for the benefit of society. The theme was well incorporated within all the talks and the main outcome from the discussions was the importance of reporting research findings to the communities, societies, government agencies and private sector organisations involved.

The Indibano kicked off with a keynote address by Dr Joh Henschel, Manager of SAEON's Arid Lands Node. The talk was an interesting account of the impressive natural wonders of the arid lands and the desert. It highlighted the role SAEON's Arid Lands Node plays in researching these natural assets as well as the opportunities available for students. Most importantly, the talk highlighted the great significance of long-term environmental monitoring for understudied regions such as the Northern Cape, especially with the current interest in "fracking" and other developments occurring in the region.