NMMU George Forestry students win bid to host symposium
NMMU George Forestry students win highly contested bid to host international symposium
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) George Campus Forestry Students, Trudy Sebelebele, Heinrich Hechter, Ullrich Hechter and Tatenda Mapeto, have secured the bid for NMMU to host the 45th International Forestry Students Symposium (IFSS) in 2017.
The students recently attended the International Forestry Students Association’s (IFSA) 43rd IFSS in the Philippines were Trudy Sebelebele, Heinrich Hechter and Tatenda Mapeto were appointed to leadership positions as Board Member (Head of Council), Southern Africa Regional Representative and Head of the Forestry Education Commission respectively.
South Africa had hosted this symposium in 1997 (Stellenbosch) and 2007 (NMMU) and the ten year trend will be upheld as NMMU again hosts it in 2017. The bid was tightly contested by universities from Australia and Indonesia.
The International Forestry Students Association (IFSA) connects over 75 universities offering forestry programmes across the globe. NMMU George Forestry students have continuously been at the helm of the organisation while championing forestry education in Southern Africa and beyond.
Tatenda Mapeto, an NMMU PhD student in Forestry will also present a paper at the upcoming XIV World Forestry Congress (WFC) to be held in KZN. This follows the hosting during July of the very successful Forestry INDABA jointly by NMMU (George Campus) and the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF).