Sustainable Stellenbosch – Opening Dialogues

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MARK SWILLING
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The much-anticipated book, Sustainable Stellenbosch – Opening Dialogues, will be launched on 30  November with a special day-long workshop engaging key actors in meaningful discussions about the future of the greater Stellenbosch.

We need your participation for the sake of securing a sustainable future for the people of the Stellenbosch region, including surrounding towns and areas.

Venue: Sustainability Institute, Lynedoch Ecovillage, off the R310
Date: 30 November 2012
Time: 08:00-17:00
RSVP: By 8 November 2012 using the form below. Contact Gyro Valentyn if you have any queries –

Email: gyro@sustainabilityinstitute.net,
Tel: +27 +21 881 3196

Space is limited, so booking is essential.

Workshop Structure

Morning Session 1: Opening and Introduction | Spaces (spatial planning, urban spaces, local economic development, and housing)

Morning Session 2: Resource Flows and Networks (energy, housing, sanitation, water)

Afternoon Session 1: Socio-ecological issues (soil, agriculture, health and wellness, poverty and inequality, education, children, culture, and heritage)

Afternoon Session 2: Summary and Closing

More information about the invitation

Please help us identify the right stakeholders to invite – people who work in fields related to any of the topics mentioned above and below; as well as members of the community who are passionate about our town and surrounds.

Contact Ruenda Loots with your feedback and inquiries –
Email ruenda@sustainabilityinstitute.net
Tel +27 +21 881 3196.

More information about the book

Edited by Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Mark Swilling, Ben Sebitosi and Ruenda Loots, Sustainable Stellenbosch – Opening Dialogues is an interdisciplinary collection of thought-provoking inputs about the challenges facing Stellenbosch. These range from resource flows (such as energy, water, sewage, solid waste, and mobility) to the wider socio-ecological context (including biodiversity, public health, urban planning, social development, art, and cultural transformation).

The conflicts that arise from the need for an economically efficient but socially responsive and environmentally sustainable development strategy means traditional models of societal management and outdated technologies are no longer tenable. The authors – 50 leading researchers and practitioners in diverse fields – propose alternative futures that could arise if we changed our thinking about what is desirable, viable and sustainable given global and local demands. As such, the book provides a good basis for a town-wide dialogue about possible equitable and sustainable futures.

The book emerged from the Rector-Mayor Forum established in 2005 to facilitate discussions between the University and Municipality about the challenges facing Stellenbosch and ways of combining forces to generate solutions. This work is based on research supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) and by the TsamaHub, an initiative of Stellenbosch University’s HOPE Project. Published by SUN MeDIA Stellenbosch under the imprint SUN PReSS.

Map to Venue

African base

A unique African setting within a booming tourism region, internationally renowned winefarms, buzzing winebars, vibrant foodie scene, a historic university town and diverse townships. The Sustainability Institute is a place where creative work and learning can be inspired by the joys and challenges of sustainability in practice.

Historic Stellenbosch

The student town of Stellenbosch is the second oldest town in South Africa, preserving its historical roots with museums and well-maintained architecture from the 1700 and 1800’s. The Stellenbosch University is an internationally recognised institution that fosters the local culture entrepreneurialism and social awareness. For a detailed history of conservation in Lynedoch, download The Lynedoch Valley Ecosystem overview here.

Biodiversity

Representing one of six floral kingdom’s in the world and containing over 9000 plant species, the Western Cape’s size belies the importance and sheer breadth of diversity found here. The fact that 70% of these species are found nowhere else in the world and that many of them are threatened, its conservation is important from both a national and global perspective. A full 3% of all the world’s plants are found here, on less than 0.05% of the Earth’s land surface.

South Africa’s Innovation Capital

The Stellenbosch Innovation District is a partnership with government, Stellenbosch University – a university with the highest per capita research outputs in South Africa – entrepreneurial companies with headquarters in Stellenbosch and industry leaders residing in the town. It aims to innovate at town-level to solve its own challenges and build a model for promoting, developing and implementing innovation in South Africa that is both sustainable and smart.

Winelands

The undisputed culinary capital of South Africa and one of the most scenic winelands in the world, there are over 150 wine farms to explore in the Cape Winelands district. Choose to spend your free time enjoying award –winning restaurants, wine, cheese or chocolate tasting in estates dotted with distinctive Cape Dutch architecture, or endless kilometres of cycling, walking and hiking routes within the Stellenbosch and Jonkershoek mountain ranges.

RSVP/Registration

  1. Registrations have now closed