For years in a row CSAG staff, together with staff and students from Pennsylvania State University, Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, University of Fort Hare and Walter Sisulu University travelled to the Dwesa Cwebe Nature Reserve in the Eastern Cape to undertake combined field exercises on local meteorology, hydrology, and the interface of society with the environment.

The WCLL, a project vision by the Applied Centre for Climate and Earth System Science (ACCESS), was an exercise to promote multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary and integrative research that advances our knowledge of natural and human systems under conditions of environmental and social change, demonstrates the linkages and interactions between these systems, provides educational and outreach opportunities that improve the livelihood opportunities of local populations, and promotes human capacity building in the sciences in South Africa. The east coast region was ideal for this in that is has strong spatial gradients of economy, land use, culture, climate, and characterised by notable vulnerability.

Time frames: February 2011 to February 2014

Funder: Vice-Chancellor Strategic Fund

Partners: Pennsylvania State University, the Applied Centre for Climate and Earth System Science (ACCESS), Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, Walter Sisulu University and the University of Fort Hare

For further details: Contact Kate Kloppers