WHY?

Understanding is the foundation of effective management. In an era where natural environments, ecosystems, and species face growing and unprecedented threats, our research aims to uncover how these systems function and how they are impacted. By generating data-driven insights, we help develop practical, economically viable solutions for conservation challenges.

Our research provides evidence-based tools for decision-makers—ensuring that policies and management practices are grounded in science and produce the greatest possible positive impact.

WHAT?

Our research focuses on how ecosystems respond to different land-use and management strategies. We:

• Investigate the ecological impacts of human activities
• Explore effective methods for reducing human-wildlife conflict
• Test tools and approaches for expanding conservation beyond protected areas
• Develop and promote ethical and sustainable land-use practices

Ultimately, our work informs best practices for biodiversity conservation on both private and public lands.

WHERE?

We work across more than 7 million hectares of South Africa’s most diverse and threatened landscapes.
Our fieldwork spans the thicket systems of the Eastern Cape, the semi-arid regions of the Northern Cape, and the remnant Afromontane forests and expansive fynbos mountains of the Western Cape.

Only around 9% of South Africa is formally protected, which is insufficient to meaningfully conserve ecosystems or sustain viable wildlife populations. As a result, our efforts focus across working landscapes beyond protected areas, where conservation outcomes depend on how land is managed.



This broad geographic reach allows us to study biodiversity across multiple ecosystems, land uses, and conservation contexts — making our research both comprehensive and directly applicable to real-world management.