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24 February 2023 | Story André Damons | Photo Supplied
Prof Paul Oberholster
Prof Paul Oberholster is Director of the Centre for Environmental Management at the University of the Free State (UFS) and winner of the NSTF-Water Research Commission (WRC) Award for his contribution to water resource management in South Africa in 2021.

This year has already seen severe natural disasters across the world, including devastating floods and forest fires, which serve as reminders of the planet's fragility and the importance of addressing the impacts of climate change. Nature-based solutions can play a critical role in mitigating climate change and offer a range of benefits to both people and the planet.

Prof Paul Oberholster – Director of the Centre for Environmental Management at the University of the Free State (UFS) – and his team played their part by researching nature-based solutions as an alternative to treating acid mine drainage (AMD) and domestic wastewater. Freshwater algae as a phycoremediation solution approach have the potential to help society and the environment in several ways.  

Prof Oberholster, winner of the NSTF-Water Research Commission (WRC) Award for his contribution to water resource management in South Africa in 2021, says nature-based solutions also play a vital role in realising the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which was adopted during the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) on 19 December 2022 in Montreal, Canada. The GBF sets global targets for 2030 that aim to effectively conserve and manage at least 30% of the world's lands, inland waters, coastal areas, and oceans, prioritise ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas, restore at least 30% of degraded ecosystems, reduce the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance, cut global food waste in half, and significantly reduce over-consumption and waste generation.

What are nature-based solutions?

According to Prof Oberholster, nature-based solutions are approaches that utilise natural ecosystem processes, functions, and structures to address a variety of planetary health challenges, including climate change. These solutions involve protecting, restoring, regenerating, and sustainably managing natural ecosystems, such as forests, wetlands, and oceans, to enhance their ability to store carbon, regulate water flow, reinstate ecosystem services, and provide habitat for wildlife.

The significance of nature-based solutions regarding climate change adaptation is multifaceted. Firstly, natural ecosystems are essential for regulating the earth's climate, as they absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which helps to mitigate the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. 

Secondly, nature-based solutions can help to reduce the vulnerability of human communities to the impact of climate change, such as flooding, drought, and extreme weather events. Thirdly, nature-based solutions can provide multiple benefits beyond climate change adaptation, such as enhancing biodiversity, supporting sustainable livelihoods, and improving human health and well-being.

Prof Oberholster’s work

Algae-based treatment systems use bio-stimulation applications and natural processes to remove pollutants from water, which can be more cost-effective and produce less waste. Traditional treatment methods for AMD and domestic wastewater often rely on using chemicals or energy-intensive processes, which can be expensive and have negative environmental impacts. 

"Algae-based treatment systems can help mitigate the environmental impacts of AMD and domestic wastewater by removing pollutants such as heavy metals and reducing the acidity of the water. This can help restore the ecosystem and protect public health. Similarly, algae-based treatment systems can remove nutrients from domestic wastewater, reducing its environmental impact and preventing eutrophication, which can harm aquatic life," says Prof Oberholster.

Clean water and sanitation, forestry (plant life and agriculture), and climate change are part of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) making Prof Oberholster's research much more important. 


Meet a Limnologist, Paul Oberholster (NSTF-South32 Award Winner): 


Significance of nature-based solutions

According to him, there are several reasons why we should make more use of nature-based solutions. It can help reduce our carbon footprint and mitigate the impact of climate change. It can help protect the environment and promote biodiversity. By reducing waste and pollution, we can preserve natural resources and ecosystems and ensure they remain healthy and vibrant for future generations.

Dr Yolandi Schoeman , a postdoc student of Prof Oberholster, says the significance of nature-based solutions is multifaceted and includes environmental, social, and economic benefits. Nature-based solutions can play a critical role in mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon, enhancing carbon sinks, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By protecting and restoring natural ecosystems, we can enhance their ability to store carbon, which in turn helps to mitigate the effects of climate change.

"These solutions are also important for climate change adaptation. Nature-based solutions can also help to reduce the vulnerability of human communities to the impact of climate change, such as flooding, drought, and extreme weather events. By regenerating natural wetlands and floodplains, for example, we can help to reduce the risk of flooding, while reforestation can help to prevent soil erosion and landslides,'' says Dr Schoeman.

According to her, rewilding is another key reason why nature-based solutions are critical in the process of regenerating natural ecosystems. Through rewilding, habitat can be reinstated for a wide range of plant and animal species, lost species guilds can be restored by giving them space to thrive, population enhancement can be enabled, and key native species can be reintroduced as essential ecosystem builders. By protecting, regenerating, and restoring these ecosystems, we can help conserve biodiversity and prevent species loss, ultimately securing our own survival on earth.

UFS research initiative relating to nature-based solutions 

The UFS has a number of ongoing research initiatives and projects focused on nature-based technology solutions, including projects focused on climate adaptation in water resource management, establishing the water-climate-food-rewilding-land nexus as a planetary health ‘stock-take’ of ecosystems, reducing water usage, reinstating connections as coupled human and natural systems, enabling rewilding, and increasing water efficiency. 

The UFS is also involved in research that addresses water pollution through developing and implementing nature-based systems such as hybrid constructed wetlands, phytoremediation and phycoremediation, regenerating natural wetland systems and riparian buffer zones, bio-remediation, design of bio-intelligent systems, integrating grey and green infrastructure, and the use of big data and analytics in the design and management of nature-based solutions for water, according to Dr Schoeman. 

Ecological Engineering Institute of Africa

Prof Oberholster is leading a globally significant initiative that has recently been established at the UFS – the Ecological Engineering Institute of Africa (EEIA). The EEIA's managing members include scientists and engineers from across the world, including Egypt, Ghana, Greece, and the United States of America (USA). 

Prof William Mitsch, an original co-founder of the EEIA, is also a managing member. Prof Mitsch, regarded as the best wetland scientist in the world, is also known for his positions as director of the Everglades Wetland Research Park, United States National Ramsar committee chair (to name but a few), and is an ecological engineer who was the co-laureate of the 2004 Stockholm Water Prize

The EEIA intends to promote interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing the field of ecological engineering in Africa and globally, and to encourage research in this innovative field. The EEIA's goal is also to establish a fully functional research and training facility, to develop various undergraduate and postgraduate curricula, and to provide international accreditation to ecological engineers. 

Snow

Evaluating on-site performance of Africa’s first ecologically engineered wetland treating a cocktail of anthropogenically impacted water from the agricultural, mining, and industrial sectors in Emalahleni, South Africa.

Forest

Phycoremediation integrated with phytoremediation in an ecologically engineered wetland to treat mine and industrial-impacted water.

Mountains

Dr Yolandi Schoeman (UFS), together with Mr Pieter Nel from North West Parks Board. Her nexus research project covers an area of more than 20 000 km² in South Africa to develop a water-climate-food-rewilding-land nexus as a novel approach to determining the planetary health status quo and boundaries of ecosystems as coupled human-natural systems.

News Archive

Universal Access and Universal Design approach align UFS with international standards
2015-08-11

Making mobility for students with disabilities easier, First Car Rental representatives hand over the brand new Toyota Quantum to Hestie Veitch, Head of CUADS.
Photo: Valentino Ndaba

The Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS) launched successfully on 24 July 2015. The objective was “to make more people on campus and from the greater UFS community aware of the services that we provide, and to spread the word about Universal Access.”

“Since the center was founded in 2001, structural and systematic developments have occurred in order to create a welcoming and accessible learning environment that grants students opportunities to be successful in their academic endeavours. Thus, the Unit for Students with Disabilities (USD) has evolved into the CUADS in support of the social model of disability,” said Hetsie Veitch, former Head of the Centre.

Implementing the Universal Access and Universal Design approach has aligned the University of the Free State (UFS) with international standards.

Mingling with the experts

Vendors from across the country displayed their products, and offered demonstrations of functional gadgets and essentials at the event.

Marita Erlank from Sensory Solutions demonstrated how to operate the specialised scanner, which converts printed material to enlarged electronic text and audio, using the Open Book software.

Representing the university’s Sign Language Student Association were Carla Bester, Elrie de Toit and Tebogo Chabangu. To support Deaf Awareness Month (September), theyplan to dedicate a weekto facilitating free workshops for students not registered for the module.

David Greenland and his teamwere also present as part of a Wheelchair Appreciation Month campaign. On 1 September2015,the group of students will raise awareness of the daily challenges faced by mobility-impaired persons by spending the day in wheelchairs.

The day ended on a festive note, by courtesy of the First Car Hire Rental Company. A brand-new Toyota Quantum was handed over as a long-term rental, enabling students of the university to travel between campuses free of charge.

CUADS aims to continue transforming the UFS into a universally-accessible environment by collaborating with internal and external stakeholders. The launch marks a significant step towards Universal Access and Design.

 

 

 

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