ECO Range and Restore offers professional services in:
Monitoring and Evaluation:
- Rehabilitated mine tailing areas
- Disturbed and degraded rangelands and other areas
- Bush encroached (high density woody) areas
- Cleared/controlled bush encroached areas
- Agricultural and conservation areas
Rehabilitation & restoration:
- Radical rangeland improvement method implementation
- Disturbed and degraded rangelands
- Bush encroached and controlled/cleared areas
- Re-seeding and re-vegetation technology implementation
Rangeland management programmes:
- Wildlife and livestock production systems
- Conservation areas
- Range condition assessment and grazing capacity
- Vegetation dynamic studies (short- and long-term) for better understanding of ecosystem functions and processes
- Ecosystem service valuation
- Vegetation classification and mapping
Background and Experience
The services offered by ECO- Range and Restore are based on more than 35 years of research and experience. Prof Dr Klaus Kellner is a member of the Society of Ecological Restoration (SER) and has worked in many countries over the world, especially Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and countries in the Middle East. He was the president and chairperson of the Trust and now only a member of the GSSA (Grassland Society of South Africa), the president of the Arid Zone Ecology Forum (AZEF) and is currently a member of the Society of Ecological Restoration (SER). Prof Dr Kellner is an honorary member and received the Life-time achievement award from LaRSSA in 2022.
He previously participated in many consultations, such as for the Kalahari-Namib Project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) (through UNEP – United Nations Environmental Programme), IUCN (the International Union for Conservation of Nature), Natural Resource Management (NRM) and Sustainable Land Management (SLM) programs at National scale, and is currently the Principle Investigator (PI) of the Rangeland Improvement through Bush Control and Sustainable Intensification to mitigate Climate Change and Improve Livelihoods and Food security in Southern Africa (RIBS)” project, which is funded by the Southern African Science Services Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL 2.0), Germany. He is responsible for projects in South Africa and Namibia.
Other projects at national and international level regarding land degradation, desertification and restoration/rehabilitation ecology, include projects regarding Natural Resource Management (NRM) and Sustainable Land Management (SLM), UNEP-GEF, UNCC, UNCCD, Aus AID, etc). Both NGO’s and CBO’s were involved in all projects at national, regional and global scale.
Prof Dr Kellner also serves on different National and International committees regarding land degradation, desertification and restoration/rehabilitation ecology and has done work for UNEP, SAFGRAD-AU (Semi-Arid Food Grain Research and Development of the African Union), several consultancies of the UNCC (United Nations Compensation Commission) and many other committees of the UNCCD regarding his field of expertise.
He has represented South Africa at the CST (Committee for Science and Technology) of the UNCCD(United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification) at the last 8 COP’s (Conference of Parties) at global scale. Prof Dr Kellner was appointed in 2018 as a member to serve on the South African Roster of Independent Experts (RoE) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
He is also a member of the National Coordinating Body (NCB) for UNCCD matters at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and leads research projects regarding land degradation, desertification, bush encroachment and sustainable land management (SLM) for the DFFE and DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) in South Africa.
Long-term, extensive experiences were gained through current and past projects, such as Eco Restore Decision Support System (DSS), the Desert Margins Program (DMP), the National Research Foundation (NRF), World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT).
Prof Dr Kellner served as Co-chair on the Advisory Group for the Provision of Scientific Advice (AGSA) on DLDD (Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought) matters for the UNCCD and was part of the SPI (Science and Policy Interface) committee for the UNCCD until September 2017.
In 2010 and 2015, he received the award as the “International Researcher of the year” from the North-West University for contributions in policy and advisory bodies, related societies, and managerial level, international panels, subject related journals, conferences and organizations at national and global level. In 2007, he was selected as one of the top 10% and in 2009 and 2010 as one of the top 20% researchers at the North-West University in South Africa. Prof. Dr. Kellner’s research outputs since 2008 include the author-or co-authorship of 12 chapters in books, >50 peer-reviewed scientific papers and 120 conference presentations.
The focus is to study the impacts of climate change, different land-use strategies, loss in biodiversity, vegetation regression and anthropogenic factors, to identify indicators for land degradation and desertification for long-term decision making. The effects of implementing/restoration/rehabilitation strategies, especially after the impact of ecosystem disturbances and factors leading to land degradation ((e.g. bush encroachment (increase indensity of woody species) alien and indigenous species invasions, anthropogenic and mismanagement)).
He is an honorary member of the Land Rehabilitation Society of Southern Africa (LaRSSA)(since2014) and achieved the Long-time achievement award from LarSSA in 2022.
Prof Dr Kellner was appointed in 2018 as a member to serve on the South African Roster of Independent Experts (RoE) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
He has done many consultancies regarding advice about SL Mand restoration at national and international level. In 2010 and 2015,he received the award as the “International Researcher of the year” from the North-West University for contributions in policy and advisory bodies, related societies, and managerial level, international panels, subject related journals, conferences and organizations at national and global level. In2007, he was selected as one of the top 10% and in 2009 and 2010 as one of the top 20% researchers at the North-West University in South Africa. Prof. Dr. Kellner’s research outputs since 2008 include the author-orco-authorship of 12 chapters in books, >50 peer-reviewed scientific papers and 120 conference presentations.
ECO RANGE AND RESTORE
Contact Us
The services offered by ECO- Range and Restore are based on more than 35 years of research and experience.
Other team members include Dr Franci Jordaan, Mr Dieter Jordaan, Mr Ernest Mokua and Mr Jaco van Rooyen.
All team members have extensive experience in rangeland management, bush encroachment, alien and indigenous invasives and restoration ecology.
For consultation please contact:
Prof Dr Klaus Kellner or Dr Franci Jordaan
ECO-Range and Restore
33 Morubisi street, van der Hoffpark ext 6, Tuscanny Ridge, Potchefstroom, South Africa
Mobile: 0825696145 (Klaus) or 0842096108 (Franci)
E-mail: Klaus.Kellner274@gmail.com or Franci.Jordaan@gmail.com
