Nature Connects’ Conservation Partnership Facilitator, Lynette Munro, recently facilitated a International Mediterranean Ecosystems Conference (MEDECOS) pre-conference field trip on Sunday, 4 September.

MEDECOS, is held semi-regularly and rotates among Mediterranean-climate countries. Each summit brings together ecologists and resource managers from around the world to seek to advance our understanding of these fragile and well-loved landscapes. This year we had the privilege of having the conference in the Western Cape in Mykonos, Langebaan.

The meeting was organised in conjunction with the FYNBOS FORUM, a local group of researchers, managers, and other stakeholders that meets annually to discuss the biology, conservation, and management of fynbos ecosystems. The theme of this year’s meeting was Partnerships for Global Change.

During the field trip, delegates saw fossils of bears, sabre-tooth cats, short-necked giraffes, and other animals that inhabited the West coast some 5 million years ago.

They also saw the ecological restoration of about 650 hectares that used to be a phosphate mine.

The spring flowering season of the West Coast vegetation showed off colourful fields of showy flowers. Inputs from Deon van Eeden, Vula environmental, and Pippa Haarhof, West Coast Fossil Park Director were invaluable. The weather held, and all enjoyed a wonderful day out.