SPIBES Students and Alumni Corner
Blog post
Exciting Internship experience at the Ghana Forestry Commission
by Angelina Serwaa
The internship program within the SPIBES MSc. program aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice, allowing students to update their knowledge through real-world case studies. Excitedly participating in this SPIBES internship, I discovered a remarkable opportunity to apply my theoretical knowledge in biodiversity and ecosystem services to real-life scenarios. I was interned at the Resource Management Support Centre (RMSC) of the Ghana Forestry Commission.
Blog post
Flight of meaning: birds as harbingers of ecosystem health
by Andrew Orina
The Giraffe Centre is a magnificent wildlife sanctuary in Nairobi, Kenya. This unique environment, nestled in the Nairobi dry highland forest, demonstrates the intricate interplay between wildlife, plants, and bird species. Birds have always played an important role in the cultural fabric of Nairobi, with local Nairobi communities attaching symbolic values to their presence and behaviour. Birds have long been revered as messengers and omens, and are believed to have spiritual connections to the natural world.
SPIBES Alumni, Ms. Rejoice Matangi was present at the IPBES 11 Plenary in Windhoek, Namibia
IPBES-11 Stakeholder Day event took place prior to #IPBES11 – the eleventh session of the Plenary of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), on Monday, 9 December 2024, at the Mercure Hotel, Windhoek, Namibia. The event was organised by the Open-ended Network of IPBES Stakeholders (ONeT).
Event
SPIBES students were present at the 6th IPBES Capacity Building Forum in Nairobi
The sixth meeting of the IPBES Capacity-Building Forum held at the National Museums of Kenya in Nairobi, Kenya, on 12 May 2023.The CABES team, led by Prof. Mekuria Argaw and Dr. Paul Kazaba, attended the event and were joined by our SPIBES MSc. scholars, Ms. Angelina Serwaa and Mr. Andrew Orina.
Blog post
Plastic pandemonium: exposing the dark side of African waste management by Orina A. & Talemwa W.
The blockbuster animated film Wall-E is one of the critical films of contemporary society. It follows the life of a robot in a dystopian future, and without giving too much away, this sci-fi movie is closer to reality than we realise. As it reveals the unsettling parallels between fantasy and truth. Plastic pollution and waste management in African cities are reminiscent of the enthralling sequences in Wall-E. Pollution can be regulated and avoided; nonetheless, humans choose to ignore it.
Blog post
Cultural crossroads: exploring Nairobi's natural wonders and a glimpse of Abidjan's urban greenery by Serwaa A. & Orina A.
Nairobi, the vibrant capital city of Kenya, offers a captivating blend of natural beauty and urban sophistication. Arriving at Nairobi airport in the early hours of the morning of May, I couldn’t help but notice the three-hour time difference from Abidjan and the cold temperature of 16ºC, later rising to around 18ºC throughout the day. As we drove further from the airport, a remarkable sight awaited me. I was told that the unique savannah ecosystem is a part of the Nairobi National Park, where majestic wildlife such as lions, giraffes, buffalos other wild cats thrive.
