Select Committee Briefing 20 May 2008 SANBI Strategic Plan

Overview 1.Revised vision, mission and goals 2.Revised structures 3.SANBI way 4.Strategic objectives and outputs 5.Areas requiring special support

SANBI Vision Biodiversity richness for all South Africans

SANBI Mission To champion the exploration, conservation, sustainable use, appreciation and enjoyment of South Africa’s exceptionally rich biodiversity for all people.

SANBI Goals By the year 2011 SANBI will: 1.Have effective frameworks, networks and leadership for generating, managing and disseminating biodiversity knowledge. 2.Be the leader for coordinating and communicating the country’s response to the bio-impacts of climate change. 3.Be a leader in the development of co- operative, integrated biodiversity programmes, best practice models and conservation estate management. 4.Be a vibrant and transformed biodiversity employer of choice. 5.Be the recognised strategic partner in human capital development for biodiversity science.

Foundation - Research Models and Mainstreaming Pilots / Testing / Demo’s Value Chain Perspective Products / Outputs / Goods / Services Knowledge Systems Monitoring Networks Reports Information Economics: Tourism / Horticulture Business Impact Policy: Support Advice Information Guidelines Etc.

SANBI approach Towards a Managed Network : SANBI Identifies research priorities with DEAT Sets broad Bio Research framework with close public entities Harnesses national biodiversity research capacity Gives focus of effort for public, academic institutions & NGOs Leads, publicizes, raises funds etc, for identified research and With resources and scientific support, fosters a network of SA institutions, builds a strong biodiversity knowledge network, strengthens institutional capacity and increases human capital formation in our sector –particularly young black scientists.

Tool for ‘managed network’ from species perspective PlantsMammalsBirdsFishMolluscs Reptiles & Amphibians Marine Insects & Arachnids Research SANBI Curate & Preservation SANBI Manage DATA SANBI SABIF Disseminate Info & Advise SANBI Monitoring & Reporting SANBI MolecularSANBI Tissue ??? Genetics ??? Set Standard for Curation SANBI

A tool to communicate bioregional/ecosystem work Coastal Marine Riverside Freshwater, Wetland DESERT MOPANE SAVANNAH SAVANNAH SUCCULENT KAROO FYNBOS NAMA KAROO GRASSLAND SUB TROPICAL WOODLAND THICKET

Applied Biodiversity Research National Biodiversity Research Strategy GMO Research Programme established Scientific Authority operating in terms of NEMBA Assessment of species utilisation – Sustainable Use Programme

Climate Change & Bio-adaptation 2 nd National communications programme to UNFCCC Strengthening of a bio-adaptation research programme

Biosystematics & Collections Initiate animal taxonomy programme Develop national strategy for natural history collections (i.e. museums & herbaria) Significantly progress floristic inventories of the Succulent Karoo, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State Complete Angolan checklist for plants Collaborate in network to compile electronic identification manual for African Plants

Biodiversity Planning & Mainstreaming Identification of ecosystems under threat Launch of the National Grasslands Programme Initiation of Freshwater & Marine programmes Costing analyses for the implementation of National Protected Area Expansion Strategy Law enforcement decision support tool for CITES implementation Poverty & biodiversity phase 1- project completed Implementation of Municipal Biodiversity Programme in partnership with DPLG

Municipal capacity building

Municipal planning capacity building [PMG note:photo’s have been removed]

State of Biodiversity First ‘State of Biodiversity Report’ developed Red List project for fish initiated Red list project for reptiles completed

Rehabilitation of threatened ecosystems Working for Wetlands EPWP: 95 wetlands rehabilitated 1,800 temporary jobs 210 SMMEs employed

Policy Development Support Support implementation of Bioregional Plans Development of list of Threatened Ecosystems Invasive alien species regulations – technical support to redrafting process Treasury environmental fiscal reform – incentives for biodiversity management

Knowledge & Information Management Expansion of online access to biodiversity data Hosting of ‘virtual museums’ Expansion of BGIS – Biodiversity Geographical Information System

Conservation Gardens & Tourism Planned expansion of NBGs to the Eastern Cape and Limpopo Provinces by 2012 Possible expansion of Harold Porter NBG and Walter Sisulu NBG to adjacent natural areas Gardens promoted as ‘embassies of biodiversity, education and culture’. Tourism destinations Ex situ (off site) conservation of plants & climate change

Biodiversity Education and Empowerment Outreach Greening – (National Lotteries funded): Greening of 240 schools in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Free State Environmental Education – (National Lotteries): Sponsoring learners to get to the botanical gardens for curriculum-linked EE programmes Greening of the Nation – (DEAT & EPWP funded): Greening of over 200 schools; developing community parks and community nurseries for educational purposes; training and capacity building through internships, academic and experiential training; job creation and environmental education of people from all walks of life.

Biodiversity Education and Empowerment & Human Capital Development New approach to Environmental Education going forward Old approach hasn’t worked since few HDI’s participate in the mainstream of this sector Based on human capital development strategy for the biodiversity sector

Areas of challenge Increase numbers of black participation in biodiversity (as employees, consultants, scientists, in managed network institutions, visitors, etc.) Unfunded mandate – MTEF via DEAT does not cover the demands on SANBI from the NEMBA & NBSAP/F Making gardens more accessible to the majority of our people – think about locations, concessions, disabled, niche marketing and increase black family visits to gardens

Immediate actions Reshape organigram & refocus strategy Break down silo working Appoint high level key staff including Marketing & Communications Lobby for more MTEF support (for Climate Change, our NEMBA, NBSAP & NBF commitments)

Areas requiring special support Climate Change Marine Biodiversity Programme New Gardens in Eastern Cape & Limpopo Neighbourhood Greening Municipal biodiversity planning support

Thank you