UFS Centre for Environmental Management

17/06/2026

🌍 World Desertification and Drought Day | 17 June

This striking landscape serves as a reminder of the growing challenges posed by land degradation and drought. As climate change intensifies and pressure on natural resources increases, the need to protect, restore, and sustainably manage our land has never been greater.

Healthy land supports food security, biodiversity, livelihoods, and resilient communities. On this World Desertification and Drought Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to restoring degraded ecosystems and building a more sustainable future for all.

🌱 Restore the land. Sustain the future.

📸 Source: Danita Hohne, CEM PhD Candidate

11/06/2026

Looking back on a special day as we celebrated the achievements of our 2025 graduates from the Centre for Environmental Management. 🎓✨

Their hard work, dedication, and perseverance made this milestone possible, and we are proud to have been part of their academic journey.

Congratulations once again to our graduates. We wish you continued success in all your future endeavours.

28/05/2026

We are all very proud of you! You are an inspiration. 💡💡

𝗨𝗙𝗦 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗔𝗦𝗔 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁

Researchers from the University of the Free State Centre for Environmental Management have been recognised as part of the international BioSCape team that received a prestigious NASA Group Achievement Award.
Petri Oberholster, Dr Piet-Louis Grundling, and Dr Anthea Grundling contributed to NASA’s first biodiversity-focused airborne and field campaign in South Africa’s Greater Cape Floristic Region. Their work supports critical research into biodiversity, blue carbon, wetlands, and climate change impacts.
The project brought together more than 150 scientists from more than 40 institutions worldwide to advance global ecosystem monitoring and conservation efforts.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞: https://ufsweb.co/49mmZio

21/04/2026

APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN.
Applications for 2027 are now open and will close on 30 September.
Visit www.ufs.ac.za/cem for more information.
2027 application links:
🎓 Postgraduate Diploma in Integrated Water Management: https://bit.ly/3YTENuV
🎓 MSc in Environmental Management AND MSc in Integrated Water Management: https://bit.ly/3YTENuV
| | |

08/04/2026

The National Biodiversity Assessment team is currently hosting a webinar series showcasing key findings from the National Biodiversity Assessment (NBA) 2025. The sessions cover terrestrial, freshwater, estuarine, coastal and marine ecosystems, as well as how the NBA informs planning and decision-making.

The full schedule, webinar links and additional information are available on the SANBI website:
https://www.sanbi.org/news/nba-webinar-series-begins-with-overview-of-key-findings/

23/09/2025

Boost your future with a bursary! 🎓
A limited number of bursaries are available for eligible students—don't miss out, apply today!
🚨 APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN for 2026 🚨
Deadline: 30 September 2025
Start your journey with:
🎓 Postgraduate Diploma in Integrated Water Management
🔗 https://bit.ly/3YTENuV
🎓 MSc in Environmental Management & MSc in Integrated Water Management
🔗 https://bit.ly/3YTENuV
🎓MSc in Integrated Water Management
https://bit.ly/3KgHqnd
For more info, visit:
🌐 www.ufs.ac.za/cem

03/09/2025

03/09/2025

𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺

This SLP aims to capacitate (and teach) disaster management practitioners with the necessary skills to conduct a scientific disaster risk assessment utilising the geographic information systems, as prescribed by National Disaster Management Framework of 2005 (Key Performance Area (KPA) 2.

𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐰: https://bit.ly/3Xrpc5V
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭: Dr Tlou Raphela-Masuku, [email protected] +27 (0) 51 401 2036

17/07/2025

“Abandoned, Lost and Otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear harms marine life long after its initial use through entangling wildlife and damaging sensitive habitats like coral reefs,” said one Technical Paper during 🇿🇦