4 NEWS
KOUGA EXPRESS | THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016
Academic wins international thesis award MONIQUE BASSON A young, local Stewardship Officer who came up with a unique approach of looking at how attitudes and beliefs about hunting can be used as a basis for strategies to improve the social legitimacy of hunting, has been recognised with a prestigious, international thesis award. Dr Wentzel Coetzer (30), a former Hananja Academy learner, was awarded the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation’s (CIC) Young Opinion Research Award for 2016 at the CIC’s 63 General Assembly in Brussels, Belgium, on April 21 to 23. The award is aimed at supporting young scientists under the age of 35 whose research projects contribute to the sustainable use of wildlife for the benefit of natural heritage conservation. To qualify for the award, students of Masters or Doctoral programmes had to submit a summary of their research project, explaining the aim, methods and conclusions of the project.
“The quality of this year’s submissions was outstanding, but the judges felt that our work and the work of another applicant were superior to the other submissions, and addressed the three pillars of sustainable wildlife management,” says CIC Young Opinion Vice-President Denis Slobodyan about Coetzer’s thesis that formed part of his doctorate at the Department of Agriculture and Game Management at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in 2015. Coetzer, who had worked at NMMU as a contract lecturer for five years, says he is honoured and overjoyed by this prestigious award. He is currently the Biodiversity Stewardship Facilitator for the Greater Kromme Stewardship (GKS) initiative that is managed by Conservation Outcomes. The GKS initiative was established by the St Francis Kromme Trust under the leadership of Maggie Langlands, along with a group of renewable energy developers. The initiative offers private landowners in the area the opportunity to play an important role in the conservation of the re-
gion’s natural heritage. According to Coetzer, who grew up on a farm near Thornhill, conservation formed part of his daily life from a very young age and is embedded in his DNA. “Having to decide what to study after matric, was a toss-up between mathematics and conservation. When I heard that the only career with a degree in mathematics is that of a statistician, the choice was easy - conservation it was. At that time, I had no idea what a statistician is,” says Coetzer. What is this ambitious young man’s plans for the future? “Who knows. Maybe I will return to the life of an academic, a great love of mine, or stay out in the veld close to nature. Only the future will tell.” ) The CIC is a global non-profit inter-governmental organisation aiming to conserve wildlife through its sustainable use. The Young Opinion working group of the CIC focuses on creating a global network of young scientists under the age of 35, who believe in the values which the CIC advocates.
Dr Wentzel Coetzer (30), a former Hananja Academy learner, was awarded the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation’s (CIC) Young Opinion Research Award for 2016. PHOTO:SUPPLIED
Local blood donors honoured LOCAL blood donors were honoured at a special donor awards ceremony held by the South African National Blood Service at Mentors Country Estate on May 4. Pierre Barnard received the highest milestone for 250 blood donations. This is a lifelong commitment considering that a person can only donate blood every 56 days. Barnard’s fondest memory of blood donation goes back many years when he was only 19 years old. He went to donate blood at the then Oxford Street Blood Donor Centre in East London. He saw a long queue of donors and decided to leave since he did not feel like waiting that long to give blood. As he turned around to walk out, one of the nurses ran after him and literally begged him to donate, and she proceeded to push
him to the front of the queue. He was not sure what the fuss was about. It turned out that there was a baby that was born prematurely and required lots of group A+ blood and Barnard happened to have that blood type. This was the turning point with regard to his commitment to blood donation. This incident laid the foundation of all the donations that followed. Barnard made a promise to himself that he would continue gi-ving blood for as long as he could since it really does save lives. Knowing you can help someone is phenomenal and this kept him committed throughout the years. Rev. Neil Scott (50 donations), Herman Wenke (100), Pierre Barnard (250), and Jacques Morgan (100) were also honoured for their continuous sacrifice to help others.
PE Donor Committee Member Ron Miles (left) and SANBS PE Collections Manager Sr Andiswa Dambuza (right) congratulate donors Rev. Neil Scott (50 donations), Heman Wenke (100), Pierre Barnard (250), and Jacques Morgan (100) for their impressive milestone blood donations. PHOTO:SUPPLIED
. Blood drives take place monthly in Jeffreys Bay at the Newton Hall from 12:00 to 18:00 on the first Tuesday of every month. Anyone between the ages of 16 and 65, weighing more than 50kg and who leads a safe and healthy lifestyle can participate. For more information on blood donor criteria or requirements, visit www.sanbs.org.za.
Polisie bederf mammas
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Elke ma verdien om bederf te word. Lede van die Jeffreysbaai-polisie het Vrydag ter viering van Moedersdag handsakke vol toiletware, lekkerruikgoed en ’n soetdingetjie aan behoeftige mammas op die dorp uitgedeel. FOTO:VERSKAF