Launch of freshwater and terrestrial environmental research platform

The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) invite the media to the official launch of the Expanded Freshwater and Terrestrial Environmental Observation Network (EFTEON) in Winterton, KwaZulu-Natal, on Thursday, 21 November.

EFTEON is a research initiative addressing critical issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, water resource management and extreme weather events. It aims to provide essential insights into how these challenges affect both ecosystems and communities.

The launch will take place at Spioenkop Nature Reserve, located in the Northern Drakensberg Landscape, and including the Tugela River. This region, part of the Maluti-Drakensberg escarpment, is of high ecological significance and is marked by complex socio-environmental challenges.

EFTEON is one of thirteen initiatives under the South African Research Infrastructure Roadmap (SARIR) and one of three managed by the NRF’s South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON). The network encompasses six research sites across the country’s diverse biomes, including Northern Drakensberg, the Lowveld, Kimberley, Maputaland, Greater Cape Town and the Garden Route.

Each site is equipped with a system of environmental observation instruments, representing ecosystems such as urban areas and croplands, all with by a central coordination and data management facility and a network of supporting sites.

At the launch event, EFTEON will demonstrate the high-tech tools that are being deployed to monitor interconnected ecological and social systems. These include advanced instruments for measuring carbon flux, water cycles, meteorology and air quality, enabling researchers to collect critical data for South Africa’s environmental resilience.

The event will also feature local community members who will share their experiences of collaborating with SAEON on this project. Participating learners and postgraduate students will also discuss how their involvement in EFTEON has enriched their education and research skills.

DETAILS OF THE EVENT

DATE:            21 November 2024

VENUE:         Spioenkop Nature Reserve, Winterton, KwaZulu-Natal

TIME:              13:00 – 15:00 (Tour of the EFTEON Research Infrastructure

VENUE:         18:00 – 19:30 (Cathedral Peak)

Issued by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the National Research Foundation.

For media queries contact Pontsho Mantlhakga at 072 346 5219 or Pontsho.Mantlhakga@dsti.gov.za or Bongani Nkosi at 061 477 3064 or b.nkosi@nrf.ac.za