The Southern African Program on Ecosystem Change and Society (SAPECS) is a transdisciplinary, international research program that aims to advance stewardship of social-ecological systems and ecosystem services in southern Africa. It is linked to the international Program on Ecosystem Change and Society (www.pecs-science.org), a 10-year research initiative within the ICSU global change programs.
SAPECS consists of a network of researchers, both from within the region and abroad, actively engaged in researching social-ecological systems in a range of case studies at various scales in the southern African region. This research is conducted within a shared conceptual framework and focuses on a common set of core themes. The core objectives of SAPECS are to:Produce
- Produce empirical evidence and developinnovative, practical theory and tools to improve understanding of social-ecological systems and ecosystem services in the region and developing country contexts.
- Mainstream knowledge into policy and practice, and incorporate experiences from policy and practice into scientific understanding, in order to have a tangible impact and effect change in the governance and management of social-ecological systems in the region.
- Grow the community of practice, including researchers, students and practitioners engaged in research and management of social-ecological systems and ecosystem services in the southern African region.
