Join the wonderful world of BioMAPping
The Tzaneen Eco Club invites interested parties to attend an introduction to the wonderful world of BioMAPping and the Virtual Museum.
During an evening presentation on May 27, the delightful and dynamic Megan Loftie-Eaton, from the Animal Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town, will tell them about the power of citizen science and how people can make their photos count for conservation.
On Saturday morning, May 28, members will spend some time with her in the lovely Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve (recognised as one of South Africa’s great biodiversity hotspots) and have fun putting it into practice.
Megan was born in Polokwane and grew up in Stellenbosch. She moved with her family to Canada, where she completed a BSc in Environmental and Conservation Sciences at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.
They moved back to South Africa in 2011 and Megan started her MSc in Zoology at the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town.
Her research was on the geographic range dynamics of South Africa’s bird species.
In July 2014 she began her PhD, through the Animal Demography Unit of UCT, looking at the impacts of bush encroachment on bird distribution and biodiversity in Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces.
She is the project coordinator of the Atlas of African Lepidoptera (LepiMAP), a project aimed at determining the distribution and conservation priorities of butterflies and moths on the African continent.
She is also a BirdMAP Assistant; helping with the ADU’s bird atlas project in other African countries including Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Rwanda, Kenya and Nigeria.
The talk will be held at 18:30 on Friday May 27 at the Macadamia Community Hall, tea and coffee will be served.
On the Saturday morning members will meet at the Lekgalameetse main gate at 06:30.
From there they will proceed into the reserve to explore the varied habitats, including Acacia woodland, Mistbelt forest and Afromontane grassland, each supporting a myriad of life forms.
These diverse habitats are home to over 350 different bird species, 1 200 plant species and 100 butterfly species, some of which are extremely rare.
Visitors are most welcome and pay a small fee of R25 per session.
For further information contact Marianne McKenzie 082 835 4185.
