Fire and Policy: Glynis Humphrey attends a National Fire Management Conference in Windhoek, Namibia, 28-29 November 2016

Glynis Humphrey, a PhD candidate supervised by Assoc. Prof Lindsey Gillson at the Plant Conservation Unit was invited to present her social research findings at a national fire management conference held in Windhoek in Namibia on 28 and 29 November 2016. The conference was hosted by Namibia’s Forested Lands (NAFOLA) programme, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MWAF) and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) of Namibia. The Government of Namibia recognises that there are a number of other stakeholders involved in fire management in Namibia, and welcomed contributions in sight of the review and developing fire management policy. The conference was attended by over 60 participants representing Namibia’s Ministry policy makers, National Park managers, ‘Working on Fire’ specialists from South Africa, and fire science academics. The central objective of the event was to exchange information, and bring together fire science and the policy environment in Namibia. Participants had the opportunity to discuss and share experiences around fire management, including the identification of the key causes of savanna and forest fires, assess current fire management practises, and identify research gaps and future scope. Stimulating and diverse presentations were delivered that included information on fire in protected and commercial areas, communal lands, transboundary wild fires, including the management of fires in the urban settings of Windhoek. The event provided a unique platform for government members, fire practitioners, and fire scientists to share and further their understanding of fire in the country.

Glynis presented a talk titled, ‘The role of indigenous fire knowledge in Bwabwata National Park, in north east Namibia'. Glynis’s research involves merging the social fire history and present-day park applied fire management strategies with an understanding of the ecological aspects driving the fire regime in the savanna-woodlands of her project site. Overall her research is aimed at unravelling how the social-ecological dynamics affect peoples’ livelihoods, conservation practice, policy development, and fire occurrence in the area of interest. It was a therefore a great privilege for her to attend the conference, and share her finding’s, and engage with Namibian students and stakeholders on matters significantly relevant to her PhD.

Article & image supplied by Glynis Humphrey.