On 12 September 2025, FEFA’s Principal Investigator Prof. Sally Archibald (University of Witwatersrand) and Prof. Stephen Syampungani (Copperbelt University, Zambia), an Oliver Tambo Africa (ORTACHI) Research Chair, co-led a SEOSAW workshop held at CBU in Zambia. About 20 participants from Zambia and southern Africa gathered to review the status of permanent sample plots (PSPs) for long-term vegetation monitoring. The workshop focused on strengthening Zambia’s PSP network, positioning CBU as a hub for SEOSAW activities, and fostering improved data use and collaboration. It highlighted the importance of linking researchers and institutions within Zambia and across the region to enhance ecological monitoring.

The SEOSAW Zambia workshop attracted participants from the Copperbelt University, the Forestry Department, CIFOR / ICRAF and the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa. The workshop which focused on strengthening Zambia’s PSP network, positioning CBU as a hub for SEOSAW activities, and fostering improved data use and collaboration began with welcome remarks from Dr Muvemba of CBU who spoke about enhancement of south-south collaboration (regional) including in-country collaboration as critical to finding solutions unique to our challenges. He encouraged participants to take the opportunity to network and set a platform for bigger collaborations. The workshop was characterised by several presentations which can be found here including to introduce SEOSAW and the Global Grassy Group (GGG)  plot networks across the region, and an inventory of long term plots from different researchers and institutions across Zambia. Following the presentations, the workshop engaged in a facilitated discussion led by Prof Justice Muvengwi of the University of Witwatersrand, on establishing a strategic focus for SEOSAW in Zambia. The exercise zeroed in on identifying long term plots datasets which could be included in the SEOSAW database, initiatives for building capacity for use of the compiled database including for continued data collection in the PSPs and determining the SEOSAW leadership plan for Zambia. Colleagues from CIFOR and the Zambian Forestry Department reiterated that this initiative would help with implementation and policy in the country.

Find full workshop report here