We want to work with universities, colleges and other tertiary institutions. We’re excited to host and facilitate research projects here.

We already work closely with the Universities of the Western Cape, Cape Town, Stellenbosch, the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Cape Peninsula University of Technology and many more.

The list of potential research topics is endless. But here are some ideas:

• Understanding the impact of the reintroduction of the hippo on the Nuwejaars wetlands and peat rehydration;
• The threatened Nuwejaars Redfin Minnow – threats and conservation opportunities;
• The relationship between invasive alien plants and birds of prey;
• The African Marsh Harrier: are numbers increasing due to the invasive alien clearing?
• The impact of floods on the Nuwejaars River and its tributaries;
• The impact on water flow following the invasive alien clearing programme.
• Spur-winged Goose demographics and impacts on farmers in the Overberg.
• Southern Black Korhaan population demographics in the Overberg (including conservation management guidelines).
• Finding the environmental corridors in the NWSMA, and the costs to rehabilitate these (desktop study).

Much research has already taken place here. Here are some examples:

>> The synchronized, flightless moult of Blue Cranes on the Agulhas Plain, Overberg.

>> Observing the Distribution of Woody Alien Vegetation and Its Effects on Channel Morphology, Pietersielieskloof River, South Africa.

>> The demography of the Egyptian Goose, its impacts on cereal crop agriculture on the Agulhas Plain, and measure to mitigate damage to crops by geese.

The conservation team monitors the biodiversity of the NWSMA, compiling data records; while we also contribute to citizen science programmes:

Monitoring that we undertake includes: Bontebok population demography monitoring; Veld monitoring; Hottentot Buttonquail transect monitoring; Camera Trap monitoring (for species presence and absence). We’re also developing a monitoring protocol for the Southern Black Korhaan, working with Birdlife SA.

We contribute to the Coordinated Waterbird Counts (CWAC) records. We carry out a bi-annual water bird census and submit the data to CWAC.

>> Our Voëlvlei results

>> Our CWAC results for Langpan

>> Contributing to the Southern African Bird Atlas Project by atlassing pentads within the NWSMA

>> Bird list for the Agulhas Plain