Kevin Kirkman is Professor of Grassland Science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and one of the partners in the REPAiR project. Kevin’s research covers many aspects of grassland ecology and management, including research on grazing, fire and restoration. In this episode, Kevin discusses what makes grasses and grasslands fascinating, what is special about the context of South Africa, and the challenges of bringing together ecological science with other kinds of knowledge.

Links:

Kevin Kirkman’s profile (UKZN website)

Understanding rangelands and grasslands (REPAiR)

Ruan de Wet is a technical director at Meat Naturally Africa and one of the partners in the REPAiR project. Meat Naturally is a social enterprise that supports livestock farmers in rangeland restoration in Southern Africa.

Meat Naturally supports farmers in a number of ways to help look after the landscape, as we discuss in the episode, and also supports them collectively to get access to markets to sell their produce. We discuss the myths and misunderstandings around rangelands, the historical context in South Africa, and how planned grazing and controlled fires can help landscapes, animals and people to thrive. We also talk about the challenges of bringing together ecological science and other kinds of knowledge.

Links

REPAiR project

Meat Naturally Africa