The past year in quotes

On taking care of the environment:
“We cannot pursue progress in a wasteland. The achievement of enviable human capital and sustainable national wealth must take place within the context of a protected natural capital.”  - Dr Khotso Mokhele, President of the National Research Foundation

On SAEON being the winners of the prestigious PRISA (Institute for Public Relations and Communication Management - Southern Africa) Prism Awards for excellence in communication and public relations during the launch of the SAEON Ndlovu Node in Phalaborwa:
“SAEON displayed innovation in coming up with a strategy that really talked to their audiences, and went beyond the traditional way of doing things. The entry reflected a thorough understanding of the complexities and challenges faced within the South African marketing and communication environment.”  - Panel of judges for the PRISA Prism Awards

On SAEON’s support for the South African Graduate Student Network:
“With SAEON as a platform we can do so much. At the graduate student LTER symposium in the USA we truly felt the welcoming arms of international acceptance. It was an historic moment in South Africa when SAEON was established to keep in line with the international trend of doing Long-Term Ecological Research.
“As young graduate researchers, we would like to ensure that there is always an influx of LTER scientists into SAEON, generation after generation. We believe that setting up a South African Graduate Student Network will ensure that influx, and we hope to gain the support of all SA students concerned.
“The graduate students of today will no doubt become the LTER scientists of tomorrow, and, by having their research integrated, aligned and coordinated, and their data captured by a central management body like SAEON, they can be secure in the knowledge that their efforts will pave the way to better management policies and protection of our environment for future generations.”  - Dr Silvia Mecenero, SAEON post-doctoral student in long-term environmental data sets and environmental information systems

On the role of SAEON:
“SAEON is the interface between government departments, and in this respect will have to engage in ongoing dialogue with researchers and research users.”  - Dr Bob Scholes, CSIR and Member of the SAEON Technical Steering Committee

On the launch of the SAEON nodes for the coastal-inshore zone and the marine-offshore ecosystems: 
“The initiative by SAEON to provide a home for all marine science data is widely hailed by the marine science community as important and timely, as much data is in danger of being lost due to individuals leaving the system, or not having been digitised or not being supported by adequate metadata.”  - Prof Paul Skelton, Managing Director of SAIAB

On the performance of the Vuxeni Drama Group at the NRF President’s Awards Function (the learners the NRF adopted at the launch of the SAEON Ndlovu Node in Phalaborwa): 
“That was really fantastic, particularly the kids from Phalaborwa.”  - Murunwa Makwarela, Reseach Leader: Genebanks, ARC-VOPI

“Congratulations on an excellent function. Comments from a seasoned function-goer in the private sector: ‘This is an absolutely rare experience - it’s combined excellent music, superb food, fabulous dance and theatre and intellectual stimulation.’ “  - Dr Tessa Marcus, Executive Director - Knowledge Fields Development, National Research Foundation

On the launch of the SAEON e-Newsletter: 
“My first reaction is - WOW ! This looks wonderful and so appropriate & much needed! I really am most delighted & impressed by what I have seen of SAEON!”  - David Parry-Davis, Editor: The Enviropaedia

“Just a quick note to congratulate you on your newsletter! It is WOW!!”!  – Denise Ristow, Innovation Fund, NRF

“Baie geluk met die nuusbrief. Ek dink dit is baie belangrik om die boodskap uit te kry.”  – Prof Albert van Jaarsveld, Chairman, SAEON Board

“Just wanted to say congratulations on the newsletter. It looks good and certainly does SAEON proud.”  – Beverley Damonse, Executive Director, South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA)

“Congratulations to the SAEON team on an excellent e-newsletter. You were extremely brave to tackle an HTML-based, email newsletter on your first attempt and you pulled it off smartly. Your product packs a high impact punch.”  - Kim Trollip, Electronic Specialist and Webmaster, NRF

“I find it short, crisp and interesting. Images are clear and beautiful. Well done! First time that I actually read a WHOLE eNewsletter!”  – Sanlie van Rooyen, Public Relations Officer, NRF

“Dis wonderlik ! Dit vang die oog - mooi uitleg en kleurvol. Baie geluk daarmee.”  – Frik Lamprecht, Kumba Resources

On SAEON and observation: 
“There is ongoing debate on what constitutes an observation, and whether it includes observation products. The issue is how far one can move along the value addition chain beyond the raw observational data while still engaged in observation, rather than research (on the continuum, for example, between a recorded data point, to averaging data points and calculating means and standard deviations, to comparison with other data series).
“Eventually, establishing the right way of reflecting the data to produce the observation products entails research. At some point, so much value is added that one risks threatening the domains and mandates of key users. The latter point will vary depending on the maturity and structure of the user community. It is internally accepted that efficiency requires a certain amount of value addition to produce standard observation products and to obviate the need for multiple users to repeat the process of producing such value-added and inferential data. It is generally accepted that interpretation (entailing assessment) is beyond the realm of observation.
“Another reason for SAEON to create products is to demonstrate its utility and value to the people that decide its future survival. SAEON therefore needs to add value to raw observations and go some way down the value addition chain. In doing so, SAEON will have to engage in a certain amount of research – research for observation, rather than research on observation. SAEON should thus be free to commission research that improves the execution of its mandate.- Dr Bob Scholes, CSIR and Member of the SAEON Technical Steering Committee

On the the first Lowveld Liaison Forum convened by Dr Dave Balfour in November this year: “ Its great to have someone driving this type of initiative - there has been a need for a long time."  - Dr Barend Erasmus (Animal, Plant & Environment Sciences Department, WITS)

On the SAEON nodes: 
“SAEON is not just a passive observation system, but is established in network-based way. Each node has a core location that sets the baseline, and has an obligation to establish at least one contrast or experiment – either physical experiments where one applies a different treatment to a particular area (e.g. Kruger Park long-term fire trials) or natural experiments, such as land use contrasts inside and outside a protected area). This is the limit of the extent to which it was appropriate for SAEON to be involved in active experimentation.
“However, research for observation is also a legitimate goal in terms of establishing baselines, constructing interfaces between nodes, laying the foundation for future work and learning how to work in an interdisciplinary environment. Research for observation should be ongoing and will have slow returns. It is important not to lose the intricacies of the network system among the host of institutions on the basis of which SAEON was established.  - Dr Bob Scholes, CSIR and Member of the SAEON Technical Steering Committee

On research vs monitoring: “There is a perception in the research community that research is superior to monitoring and is not real science. This view is changing among the international community, and there is growing understanding that science has several elements of equal value, namely: experimental research, assessment (evaluation of research results) and observation systems. There is no need to be apologetic about being involved in observation and monitoring, but there is a need for full and functional interfaces with the research and assessment communities.”  - Dr Bob Scholes, CSIR and Member of the SAEON Technical Steering Committee

On supporting and empowering learners from Vuxeni High School to win medals at the Phalaborwa region Eskom Science Expo finals: "Thank you SAEON. Due to you we were able to deliver highly professional presentations..."  - Caswell Pilusa, Grade 12 medallist from Vuxeni High School

What our staff said:

On the SAEON nodes: 
“SAEON is in the process of establishing observation platforms linked by innovative information management systems for multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional ecosystem observation studies at multiple scale and with strong regional and global links. These observation platforms will be coordinated as nodes.”  - Johan Pauw, Head: SAEON

On data management: 
“I want to establish a world-class eco-data management system to which all the SAEON nodes and the National Office in Pretoria will eventually be linked, and which will link into international earth observation systems with the aim of providing information freely to users, locally and internationally.”  - Avinash Chunthapursat, SAEON’s information management co-ordinator

“Internationally, SAEON forms part of a network called International Long Term Ecological Research (ILTER). SAEON regularly exchanges information on data and information management with its LTER partners.”  - Avinash Chunthapursat, SAEON’s information management co-ordinator

On the role of SAEON: 
“Researchers and scientists in South Africa and around the globe are constantly requiring verified environmental data for research and analysis, and access to such data is a critical need in order to produce high-quality, hard-hitting research.
“Now, with SAEON being established as part of an international network for earth observation, environmental management and research, and setting up observation nodes in all South Africa’s primary biomes, the information generated in the process can start working for our continent, our planet and our future generations – by influencing decision-making and policy on a national and global scale.
“SAEON is about further raising awareness of the need for environmental sustainability in the mind of the public, stimulating an interest in the environmental sciences in our youth and providing the tools for researchers to do world-class environmental research. It is about leaving a footprint for the future … a sustainable future.”  - Kamal Naicker, SAEON Business Manager

On the First Biennial SAEON Summit (to be held from 26-28 March 2006): 
“In essence the SAEON Summit will differ from other scientific conferences in that it will be focused on observation science, rather than research. Invited papers will deal with monitoring systems rather than fundamental science – on the road towards environmental monitoring by design and for a purpose.”  - Johan Pauw, Head: SAEON

“The objective of the Summit is to provide a forum for stakeholders to contribute to a core Earth observation science plan for SAEON. Insightful discussions during the Summit will assist in crystallising key issues, strategies and implementation plans to serve as a baseline for SAEON’s core function of environmental observation.
“The Summit will also address the other two major challenges facing SAEON: a comprehensive information management system, and an education outreach programme.  - Johan Pauw, Head: SAEON

On the success of the Women in Science programme presented to girl learners of Ba-Phalaborwa: 
“Together we’ve opened up new worlds for these girl learners. Already they are setting their sights on challenging and ‘different’ careers, exactly what we’ve set out to accomplish.”  - Sibongile Mokoena, SAEON’s Education Outreach and Communication Coordinator

On capacity building in Science, Engineering and Technology: 
“ South Africa should focus on employing comprehensive strategies to grow its cadre of scientists, particularly black scientists. The shortage of black scientists frequently becomes all too evident when working groups need to be composed. SAEON is actively involved in education outreach programmes, but a far greater effort by the scientific community at large is needed to raise awareness of science as an attractive career choice. “  - Johan Pauw, Head: SAEON

On ELTOSA, the third general meeting of the Environmental Long-Term Observatories of Southern Africa: 
“The SAEON Ndlovu Node benefited most from the networking opportunities. I am greatly enthused by the levels of commitment and common sense of purpose that were expressed at the meeting, and I hope to make Ndlovu Node an example for others to follow and learn from either by example or through reciprocal visits by staff and students.”  - Dr Dave Balfour, Manager of the SAEON Ndlovu Node

On data ethics and SAEON: 
“Data ethics is a concept currently being developed and promoted by SAEON. A data ethic would provide overall guidance to the human networking that is inherent in data management. This not only applies to SAEON, but also to the knowledge society as a whole. SAEON’s aim is to ensure free access to data. However, in achieving free access there are ethical issues to consider, such as data sharing, intellectual property, giving credit, long-term custodianship, protection of endangered species, and privacy. Developing a data ethic is a long-term societal change undertaking. SAEON hopes to encourage this by taking the first steps towards the development of such an ethic.”  - Avinash Chunthapursat, SAEON’s information management co-ordinator

On the new Ndlovu office building at the Phalaborwa Gate of the Kruger National Park: 
“My, but it’s so BIG …!’ – a comment Dave Balfour and Joe Sibiya receive from “just about everyone” who visits the new Ndlovu offices.

On plans to create a major new National Park in Pondoland in the Eastern Cape as part of a Wild Coast Conservation and Development Programme:
“A new national park in that region, where difficult access has prevented environmental research in the past, will now require extensive monitoring that could add significantly to SAEON’s coastal-inshore observation base. If the long-term impact of different eco-tourism ventures and the effectiveness of conservation policy and management regimes in relation to the current status quo could be monitored, it will contribute to the development of best practice for sustainable economic development."  - Johan Pauw, Head: SAEON