Inge Kotze:
BWI Coordinator
Inge has twelve years of experience in the fields of biodiversity research, conservation planning and environmental management.
After graduating with distinction, from the University of Stellenbosch in 1997 with a Masters degree in Environmental Sciences and GIS, Inge spent 10 years working as an Environmental Researcher at the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) in the Biodiversity Research Group. Key skills include high level project management and coordination for large-scale collaborative projects, strategy formulation, and integrative writing for large integrative biodiversity conservation projects. Research expertise includes the management of invasive alien plant species, developing methodologies for assessing of cumulative effects within a strategic environmental assessment process, freshwater conservation planning and wetland prioritisation. Key projects worked on include a developing a conservation plan for the Expansion of the Greater Addo Elephant National Park, Eastern Cape, South Africa, a strategy for the development of the Cape Action Plan for the Environment and the People (CAPE programme), part of the scientific advisory team for the Working for Water Programme, South Africa’s alien invasive plant control programme.
In January 2007, Inge was employed by the Botanical Society of South Africa, and now more recently by WWF-SA Living Lands Unit, to coordinate the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI). This initiative is a partnership between the conservation sector and the South African Wine Industry, which aims to minimise the further loss of threatened habitat and contribute to sustainable wine production to benefit both biodiversity conservation and the wine industry. This work has included the coordination and training of conservation, agricultural and wine industry partners in the application of stewardship on private land and developing policy options and incentive mechanisms to promote the conservation of biodiversity in the Cape winelands. Other interests include the development of sustainable agricultural practices across the agricultural sector, adopting a catchment management focus for stewardship, developing alternative land trusts options, direct payment for environmental services and biodiversity offsets from large developments.
After graduating with distinction, from the University of Stellenbosch in 1997 with a Masters degree in Environmental Sciences and GIS, Inge spent 10 years working as an Environmental Researcher at the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) in the Biodiversity Research Group. Key skills include high level project management and coordination for large-scale collaborative projects, strategy formulation, and integrative writing for large integrative biodiversity conservation projects. Research expertise includes the management of invasive alien plant species, developing methodologies for assessing of cumulative effects within a strategic environmental assessment process, freshwater conservation planning and wetland prioritisation. Key projects worked on include a developing a conservation plan for the Expansion of the Greater Addo Elephant National Park, Eastern Cape, South Africa, a strategy for the development of the Cape Action Plan for the Environment and the People (CAPE programme), part of the scientific advisory team for the Working for Water Programme, South Africa’s alien invasive plant control programme.
In January 2007, Inge was employed by the Botanical Society of South Africa, and now more recently by WWF-SA Living Lands Unit, to coordinate the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI). This initiative is a partnership between the conservation sector and the South African Wine Industry, which aims to minimise the further loss of threatened habitat and contribute to sustainable wine production to benefit both biodiversity conservation and the wine industry. This work has included the coordination and training of conservation, agricultural and wine industry partners in the application of stewardship on private land and developing policy options and incentive mechanisms to promote the conservation of biodiversity in the Cape winelands. Other interests include the development of sustainable agricultural practices across the agricultural sector, adopting a catchment management focus for stewardship, developing alternative land trusts options, direct payment for environmental services and biodiversity offsets from large developments.
