WATCH ON YOUTUBE: Building Biodiversity Baselines in South-Eastern Namibia

Building Biodiversity Baselines in South-eastern Namibia

Discover how Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF), in partnership with the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and the National Museum of Namibia (NMN) are documenting the unique flora and fauna of the Warmbad area and the Greater Gariep Centre. Learn how this work is helping to identify threatened species, improve biodiversity knowledge, and support conservation planning in one of Namibia's most biologically significant regions.

Biography of Speakers:

Lovisa Kandenge
Institute: National Botanical Research Institute

Early-career conservation scientist and botanist with experience in biodiversity conservation, plant ecology, and climate resilience research. Currently serving as a Junior Project Technician at the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), contributing to biodiversity monitoring, IUCN Red List assessments, plant relocation and ecological restoration. Research interests include climate change impacts on biodiversity, species distribution modelling using artificial intelligence and machine learning, conservation planning, and evidence-based environmental policy.

Sisamu R. Baepi
Institute: National Museum of Namibia, Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture (MEIYSAC)

Sisamu is the Curator of Ichthyology and Aquatic Invertebrate Collections at the National Museum of Namibia. As the Technical Project Assistant for the JRS Biodiversity Foundation Project, he coordinates the Museum's faunal research, including biodiversity surveys, specimen identification, curation, documentation, and reporting, contributing to the development of comprehensive biodiversity data for conservation planning in Namibia.