DEVELOPMENT OF A PROPOSAL FOR A MARINE & COASTAL LONG TERM

							DEVELOPMENT OF A PROPOSAL FOR A MARINE & COASTAL LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH (LTER) NODE AS PART OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK (SAEON)
Introduction The need for established long-term environmental measurement and experimentation has long been recognized as important, but has received comparatively little attention in South Africa. While some environmental monitoring has extended over longer period, most environmental research is restricted to the duration of a PhD study, i.e. a time span of no more than 2-3 years. A consequence of this is that research has tended to focus on small-scale rather than large scale phenomena, a fact that has limited our ability to detect, predict and react to environmental change. The South Africa Environmental Observatory Network (SAEON) is a research facility that is currently being developed to address the need for establishing long-term environmental measurement and experimentation practices. Once it is fully operation, SAEON is envisioned to comprise two components: an institutional “backbone” coupled to research activities. As a start, the backbone infrastructure is seen to consist of a central network office plus three site offices with connections to an unspecified number of (mainly existing) auxiliary sites. The South African Network for Coastal and Oceanographic Research ( SANCOR) have taken on the task of establishing marine and coastal node(s) for the SAEON programme. SANCOR have appointed an independent consultant, Dr Barry Clark, to undertake a consultative process to obtain broad consensus from the marine science community in South Africa on issues relating to the development of this/these node(s) such as core sites, research questions, regional coverage, data management, etc. This process will culminate in the development a proposal from the marine science community in South Africa that specifies the approach for the development of such a node(s). This document outlines the proposed approach and work plan for the consultation process, and for the development of a proposal. It is the first opportunity for members of the marine science community in South Africa to provide input into this process and also details other opportunities for input during the process. Comments on this proposal can be submitted directly to: Dr Barry Clark on email: bclark@botzoo.uct.za.za or tel/fax: 021-6853400. Further details on the SAEON initiative can be found at following website: www.nrf.ac.za/saeon/. Proposed Approach to the Development of a Proposal for Marine & Coastal SAEON Node Consultation with the South African marine science community will be conducted primarily through three regional workshops, through correspondence (tel/fax/email) with the marine science community, and through one-on-one consultation with key stakeholders as required. The proposed approach is described briefly below and presented schematically in Fig. 1. The consultation process will start with a series of regional w orkshops to be held in Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town to solicit primary input from as wide a range of stakeholders as possible. Dates of the workshops are as follows: • Cape Town: 24 February 2005 • Port Elizabeth: 2 March 2005 • Durban: 4 March 2005 Each of the workshops will address a number of key issues: 1. What should the primary foci for long-term marine and coastal environmental monitoring and research be in South Africa? 2. Where and how should such monitoring and research be undertaken? 3. To what extent do existing structures/programmes cater for the identified priorities? 4. How should historic data be dealt with/incorporated into the programme?

5. How should data from the marine and coastal SAEON node(s) be archived and managed? 6. Where should the core and satellite marine and coastal SAEON nodes be located?

Discussion at each of the regional workshop will be documented and used together with other inputs received, as the basis for preparing a draft proposal for the development of (a) Marine and Coastal SAEON node(s) in South Africa. Additional, follow-up discussions with key stakeholders on specific issues raised at the workshops may be required before during the preparation of the draft proposal. Once complete, the draft proposal will be circulated to all workshop participants and other stakeholders for comment. A final draft proposal will then be prepared, circulated to the marine science community, and presented to the SAEON Steering Committee in March 2005. The final proposal will also be presented to the marine science community at the Southern African Marine Science Symposium (SAMSS) in July 2005.

ACTIVITY CT PE Regional Workshops Workshops
Follow-up consultation and discussion

TIMING DUR
MAR 2005

MAR-APR 2005

Draft Proposal circulated for comment

MAY 2005

Revision of Draft Proposal

JUN 2005

Present revised Draft Proposal to SAEON Steering Committee and circulate to the marine science community

JUN 2005

Present final proposal to the marine science community at SAMSS

JUL 2005

Fig. 1. Schematic representation of the consultation process for the development of a Marine & Coastal SAEON node

Comments on this proposal or on the development of Marine & Coastal Long Term Environmental Research (LTER) node(s) should be submitted to Dr Barry Clark on email: bclark@botzoo.uct.c.za, fax: 021-6853400, or tel: 021-6853400