Page 47 - Thetha Issue 7
P. 47
SUSTAINABILITY
20 000+
plant species are
found in South Africa
Nelson Mandela University has
one of South Africa’s two oldest
forestry training institutes –
and a groundbreaking project
is set to build on its historic
foundation with a firmly 21st-
century focus on sustainability
and entrepreneurship.
Heather Dugmore reports.
Jobs and Opportunities in
Climate Smart Forestry
T he €1-million Forest21 Stellenbosch University have the University and the Faculty of Science,
and
University
Mandela
project, titled 21st Century
with the George Campus serving as a
sustainability hub,” explains Director
Forestry
oldest forestry training institutes in
Climate-Smart
Education for Livelihood
and Sustainability in South Africa and South Africa, dating back to 1932. The of the School of Natural Resource
Science & Management and Forest21
three other local institutions involved
funded by the Erasmus+ programme in the project are University of Venda, coordinator, Professor Josua Louw.
of the European Union, aims to Fort Cox Agriculture and Forestry “The School introduced a new
advance the quality of education in Institute and The Tshwane University BSc (Hons) programme in 2023, with
the field of sustainable forestry and of Technology. a first intake of 25 students. It’s the
entrepreneurship through problem- From Finland, the participating main platform for experimenting with
based learning (PBL) in South African universities are Häme University of PBL as a more holistic approach to
higher education. Applied Sciences (HAMK) and Aalto multi-disciplinarity in the academic
Nelson Mandela University and University, with Norway represented environment.”
four other South African higher by Inland Norway University of
education institutions that teach Applied Sciences. Double benefit
forestry have joined three Finnish and “Forest21 is very much part of the The South African forestry sector
Norwegian universities on the project. sustainability vision of Nelson Mandela is in a strong position to boost
2023 |www. mandela.ac.za | 45
