Petra Holden presents research findings to landowners in Groot Winterhoek

Petra Holden, PhD candidate at the Plant Conservation Unit, recently visited her study area in Groot Winterhoek to share the findings of her research with landowners living and farming in the area. Petra prioritized attending and presenting at the local landowner conservancy AGM (~16 landowners) despite current pressures to submit her thesis. This is because she feels strongly about linking research to society and especially at a local place base level. The landowners were extremely grateful for her contribution with many indicating, "this is the most we have learnt about socio-ecological change in the area since the establishment of the conservancy in 1998". This is despite there being a specific fauna and flora conservancy portfolio. Petra is now focusing on completing her PhD to submit within the next two months...phew! No doubt she will continue to share her findings as well as determine the relevance of her findings for the people living and working in her study area.

~ Article and images supplied by Petra Holden