The hybrid event combined in-person sessions in George with virtual meetings, offering early career researchers a platform to build skills, networks, and collaborations on real-world conservation challenges.
“Having 30 outstanding researchers selected from nearly 200 applicants was inspiring,” said Dr Tim Kuiper, Senior Lecturer and one of the organisers. “The partnerships and ideas formed here will have lasting impact.”
Participants represented Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Peru, India, Nepal, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, the UK, and South Africa.
Three themes, one goal: building a more just and inclusive future for conservation
ICN 2025 explored three key themes:
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Exploring inclusive conservation through intersectionality – understanding how gender, culture, power and identity shape conservation outcomes and developing equitable, community-centred solutions.
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Navigating conflicts in area-based conservation – addressing tensions between conservation and community land rights and developing equitable, community-centred solutions.
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Just conservation – promoting equity, diversity, and lower-carbon working and collaboration in conservation careers and challenging barriers limiting access to opportunities.
Interdisciplinary teams developed joint research outputs, including opinion pieces and journal papers, aimed at influencing global conservation policy.
A local hub with global reach
Hosting ICN 2025 positioned George Campus and the wider Garden Route as key contributors to global conservation research.
“This was about showing that world-class, impactful research can be led from here,” the organisers said. The workshop reinforced Nelson Mandela University’s commitment to inclusive, collaborative, and globally relevant conservation science.