Gourikwa Coastal Nature Reserve

RESILIENT LANDSCAPES FORUM 2026

Building resilience through science, partnerships and practical action

18 & 19 August

Drought. Fire. Flood.

How do we prepare? How do we respond? How do we build landscapes that can adapt and thrive?

The Garden Route is experiencing increasingly frequent and severe climate-related events that affect our farms, businesses, ecosystems and communities.

Building resilience requires more than responding to disasters. It requires stronger partnerships, better planning, informed decision-making and practical action across the entire landscape. Join us for two days of practical learning, inspiring case studies and collaborative discussion.

Together we will explore how science, innovation, nature-based solutions and cross-sector partnerships can help build more resilient landscapes across the Garden Route District.

Day 1 | Understanding Climate Risk and Strengthening Preparedness

Explore climate projections and what they mean for our region. Learn about practical responses from farmers and land managers, flood preparedness and early warning systems, fire resilience and invasive plant management and collaborative approaches to reducing climate risk.

Day 2 | Partnerships and Solutions for Resilient Landscapes

Engage with government planning and local disaster management initiatives, financing resilience and managing climate risk, water security and catchment partnerships, nature-based solutions and ecological infrastructure and also opportunities for collective action across the Garden Route

Who should attend?

• Farmers and landowners

• Conservancies and stewardship groups

• Municipal officials

• Disaster management practitioners

• Environmental NGOs

• Conservation agencies

• Businesses and industry

• Water users

• Community organisations

• Researchers and practitioners

Whether you manage a farm, conservation area, municipality, business or community project, this forum will provide practical knowledge, valuable connections and opportunities to work with others to build a more resilient Garden Route District.

Hosted through a partnership between Gourikwa Nature Reserve, the Garden Route Biosphere Reserve and the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve, this forum brings together expertise from across sectors to strengthen resilience across the Garden Route District