From Climate Risk to Practical Action

How prepared is your farm, business, municipality or community for the next drought, wildfire or flood?

The Resilient Landscapes Forum 2026, taking place on 18 and 19 August 2026 at Gourikwa Coastal Nature Reserve, brings together scientists, farmers, landowners, municipalities, disaster-management professionals, conservation organisations and business leaders to explore practical ways of building a more resilient Garden Route.

Over two informative days, delegates will gain insight into:

• Climate-change projections for our region and what they mean for agriculture.
• Global climate intelligence and preparedness for the next 6–18 months.
• Practical experiences and solutions from farmers and extension officers.
• Landscape-level wildfire preparedness and fire resilience.
• Recent flood impacts, early-warning opportunities and off-grid communication.
• LandCare initiatives and practical responses being implemented locally.
• Ecological infrastructure and investing in nature to strengthen resilience.
• Municipal initiatives, including artificial wetlands and the Sponge City approach.
• Environmental risk, corporate reporting and the changing role of insurance.
• Conservation corridors, partnerships and the value of connected landscapes.

Day 1 Impact and Responses in the Agricultural Sector

Start - 10am end 17:00

Welcome and opening remarks

Andrew Stroebel: Vice Chairman Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve

Theme 1 Understanding local climate change impacts

• Key insights from GREF Extreme Weather Reflection Summit - Councilor Cobus Meiring - Garden Route Municipal District and Chair - Marine and Coastal Committee
• Climate Change Projections for the Region - Implications for agriculture and SmartAgri responses Dr Stephanie Midgely: Specialist Scientist - Climate Change at Department of Agriculture -Western Cape Province
• From global climate intelligence to local preparedness: Understanding the next 6-18 months - Peter du Toit: Founder of FutureClimate IQ

Lessons from the landscape: Koffie Tafel Discussion including Experiences and practical responses from farmers and extension officers

• Schantel van der Merwe - Vanderfax Garden Route
• Jurg Streicher – Commercial Grain Farmer
• SimthandilePonti – Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve

Theme 2 Managing Fire Risk

• You Cannot Suppress Your Way to Resilience: Building Fire-Adapted Landscapes Through Proactive Governance and Responsible Land Stewardship - Deon Stoffels - Fire Chief: Fire and Rescue Services - Garden Route Municipal District
• The National Veld and Forest Act with reference to Fire Protection Associations.- Paul Gerber - Senior Regulations Officer: Forestry Regulations and Support Directorate: Forestry Resource Protection (Western Cape)Sub-Diroctorate - Integrated Fire Management

Theme 3: Flood preparedness and resilience

• Building resilience in agricultural landscapes through collaborative planning and implementation - Rudolph Röscher: District Manager - Cape Winelands

Department of Agriculture Western Cape Government

• Feedback on Recent Floods - Gerhard Otto - Head Disaster Management Garden Route District
• Floods, impact and the potential for early warning in the Southern Cape - Arthur Chapman: Environmental Consultant
• Off Grid Communication Networks - Yaaseen Bodhanya: Systems Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve

Theme 4: Implementing best practice

• Alien and invasive plants: Roots of erosion in our river systems - Dawie De Villiers - Acting District Manager for Sustainable Resources Use and Management in the Garden Route
• Practical responses facilitated by the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve- Jolandie Buck & Dr Wilhem de Beer Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve

Speaker Lineup - Day 2: Solutions: Institutional Partnerships

Start Time: 9am end 15:15

Theme 5: Planning for resilience

• Implications of Climate Change for communities and conservation in the Garden Route District - Prof Guy Midgely - Climate Change Researcher and Director of the School for Climate Studies
• Western Cape Ecological Infrastructure Investment Framework: Investing in nature for improved resilience - John Wilson: Directorate - Biodiversity & Coastal Management Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
• Local government in action: Transforming Water Treatment Infrastructure into Ecological Assets - Rudi Minnie - Conservation Officer. Mossel Bay Municipality
• Designing for Water: The transition of the City of George into a Sponge City - Lauren Josais (Environmental Officer: Spatial and Environmental Planning George Municipality)
• Hessequa Municipality – Climate Change Adaptation - Mate Pertunia Maphuta - Senior Environmental Officer
• The long climate tail, supply chains and the role of nature in addressing insurance gaps - James Reeler - Senior Technical Specialist, WWF South Africa

Theme 6: The conservation sector’s contribution to resilience

• From Observation to Resilience: Introducing EFTEON and the Greater Garden Route Landscape - Dr Vusi Martins : Specialist Landscape Scientist EFTEON|(SAEON)
• The role of corridors and connectivity in climate resilient landscapes - Rhian Berning - CEO Eden to Addo Corridor Initiative & Environmental Scientist
• Conservation at Work – The value of networks in resilience - Jacques Smit - Chairman Conservation at Work
• CapeNature’s role in building resilience - Carlo van Tonder - Cape Nature
• Practical experience from Landowners - Tim Shier (Landowner) Dee Vos (Landowner)
• Very local impacts and responses - Gourikwa Nature Reserve
• Alignment, next steps and close - Linda Fletcher : Acting Chief Executive Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve

Resilient Landscapes Forum 2026

Dates: 18–19 August 2026

Venue: Gourikwa Coastal Nature Reserve, Gouritsmond

Enquiries: 087 702 9126

For accommodation bookings email: [email protected]

Will you be part of the conversation?