Scientific Publications

Our applied research has been published in the form of various scientific papers in national and international peer-reviewed journals, the work of our students, as conference papers or as scientific reports. In April 2024 we also launched our very own scientific journal: Nature’s Letters. If you are interested in working with us as a partner or student, please contact: info@nvt.org.za

Peer-reviewed papers:

2025

Botha, T.P., du Preez, L.H., Tarrant, J & Coetzee, H. (2025). A mixed-methods study on human-frog interactions in Nature’s Valley, South Africa. African Journal of Herpetology. DOI: 10.1080/21564574.2024.2424884

Dajka, Jan Claas, Soli Levi, A. M. Verstraeten, V. A. Menendez, M. Smith, Bernadette Snow, O. Alejandra Vargas-Fonseca, and Helmut Hillebrand. (2025). Marine biodiversity change impacts relational values: expert survey shows policy mismatch. npj Ocean Sustainability 4, no. 1 : 42.

Geldenhuys, Moll & Swart. (2025). Evergreen forests in South Africa – their composition, biogeography, ecological dynamics and sustainable use management. South African Journal of Botany.

Halpern, B. S., Frazier, M., O’Hara, C. C., Vargas-Fonseca, O. A., & Lombard, A. T. (2025). Cumulative impacts to global marine ecosystems projected to more than double by mid-century. Science, 389(6766), 1216-1219.

Li, Shenghui, et al. (2025). Early career ocean professionals’ declaration on ocean negative carbon emissions for our ocean and future. The Innovation 6.9.

Van Bergen, Coetzee, Venter, Roets & Swart, (2025). Dung and carrion beetle diversity in small forest patches versus large continuous forest in the southern Cape, South Africa. African Zoology.

2023

Arendse, B., Dawson, P., Mels, B. and Brown, M. 2023. Long-term trends from Citizen Scientists: 24 years of breeding success
data of African Oystercatchers Haematopus moquini in the Garden Route. Ostrich, 94: 1-8.

2021

Angoh, Y. J., Midgley, J. and Brown, M. 2021. Getting around: Effects of fragmentation on a bird-pollinated Erica species. South African Journal of Botany, 141: 196-199.

2020

Judge, C., Penry, G.S., Brown, M. and Witteveen, M., 2020. Clear waters: assessing regulation transparency of website advertising in South Africa’s boat-based whale-watching industry. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 1-17.

2019

Bestea, L., Whitehead, K. and Brown, M. 2019. The breeding system of Watsonia knysnana (Iridaceae): An Assessment of pollinator effectiveness. South African Journal of Botany 124: 166-172.

Brown, M., Arendse, B., Mels, B. and Lee, A.T., 2019. Bucking the trend: the African Oystercatcher as a recent conservation success story. Ostrich 90(4): 327-333.

2017

Angoh, S.Y.J., Brown, M. and Midgely, J. 2017. Selfing versus out-crossing in six Erica species of the southern Cape. South African Journal of Botany 111: 387–391.

Mackay, B., Lee, A.T.K., Barnard, P., Møller, A. P. and Brown, M. 2017. Urbanization, climate and ecological stress indicators in an endemic nectarivore, the Cape sugarbird. Journal of Ornithology 158(4): 1013-1024.

Witteveen, M, Brown, M and Ryan, P.G. 2017. Anthropogenic debris in the nests of kelp gulls in South Africa. Marine Pollution Bulletin 114: 699-704.

2016

Whittington, P.A., Crawford, R.J.M, Martin, A.P., Randall, R.M., Brown, M., Makhado, A.B., Dyer, B.M., Upfold, L., Harrison, K.H.B, Huisamen, J., Waller, L. and Witteveen, M. 2016. Recent Trends of the Kelp Gull, Larus dominicanus, in South Africa. Waterbirds 39: 99-113.

2015

Van de Voorde, S., Witteveen, M and Brown, M. 2015. Differential reactions to anthropogenic disturbance by two ground-nesting shorebirds. Ostrich 86: 43-52.

Witteveen, M, Brown, M and Ryan, P.G. 2015. Pseudo-egg and exotic egg adoption by kelp gulls Larus dominicanus vetula. African Zoology 50: 59-61.

Students:

Anderson I, Sabbi KH, van Hasselt C, Kurilla SE, Coetzee HC, Swart RC, Bryer MAH. (2025). What’s on the Menu? Exploring chacma baboons’ (Papio ursinus) indigenous and invasive plant feeding budgets and their implications for forest management. Midwest Primate Interest Group (MPIG) student poster session, MPIG/American Society of Primatologists Joint Conference, Chicago, IL.

Angoh, S.Y.J. 2016. The Birds, the Bees and Erica: Vulnerability of Plant-pollinator Communities in Fragmented Fynbos Landscapes. Masters of Science in Conservation Biology, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town.

Cloete, D. 2023. The impacts of habitat fragmentation of Tsitsikamma Fynbos, South Africa, on avian nectarivore presence, abundance and pollination. Doctor of Philosophy, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town.

Kurilla, S. 2024. Group dynamics and adult female bonds in a female-only troop of wild chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in Nature’s Valley, South Africa. An Honors Thesis for the Departments of Biology and Anthropology, Tufts University.

Mostow G, Bryer MAH, Kurilla SE, van Hasselt C, Coetzee HC, Swart RC, Sabbi KH. (2025). How does replacing easily-accessible waste bins affect trash access and behaviour in free-ranging chacma baboons (Papio ursinus)? Midwest Primate Interest Group (MPIG) student poster session, MPIG/American Society of Primatologists Joint Conference, Chicago, IL.

Raynor, L. 2014. An analysis of the impacts of Sedgefield’s 2009/2010 drought response on water security. Magister in Environmental Management, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Centre for Environmental Management, University of the Free State.

Schroeter, L. 2015. Caught in the middle: A Reassessment of Shore-Based Linefishery Between Two Marine Protected Areas In South Africa. Masters of Science, University of Bremen, Faculty for Biology and Chemistry, Germany.

Whitehead, K. 2018. Functional role of birds as pollinators in the southern Cape Fynbos. Masters of Science in Ecology, School of Life Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Witteveen, M. 2015. The influence of a changing environment on the breeding biology and diet of Kelp Gulls (Larus dominicanus vetula) in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa. Master of Science, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Cape Town.

Research Reports:

Coetzee, H.C. (2024). Integrated strategies for fynbos conservation: developing awareness, education, monitoring protocols and restoration of degraded areas. NVT’s Fynbos programme. *Available on request

Coetzee, H.C. (2023). The implementation of a functional, whole-sea systems approach to understand and conserve Plettenberg Bay’s marine and coastal systems. NVT’s marine programme. *Available on request

Coetzee, HC., Du Plessis, S. Nell, W. (2024). The Community Conservation Cycle-of-Praxis: A model for enhancing well-being and behavioural change. Completed manuscript that will be submitted for publication before the end of 2024. *Available on request

Coetzee, H.C., Swart, R. & Beveridge, S. (2024). Enhancing Applied Research and Conservation in Afrotemperate Forests: A Comprehensive Programme for the Western Cape, South Africa. NVT’s Forest Programme. *Available on request

de Moor, F.C., & Bellingan, T.A. 2011. A survey of macroinvertebrate diversity of eleven rivers in and around the Tsitsikamma National Park, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Du Plessis, S. 2024. Salt River project: Social baseline assessment and stakeholder analysis report 2023. Pp 1 – 78. *Available on request

Du Plessis, S., Vergas, A. & Coetzee, H.C. (2025). Understanding the Marine and Coastal Systems of Plettenberg Bay: From Pressures to Responses. NVT internal report.

Huchzermeyer, N. and Powell, M. 2024. Carbon quantification and mapping of the Sout (Oos) River catchment: Progress report – high-resolution spatial landcover mapping. Pp 1 – 45. *Available on request

ICES. 2025. Working Group on Cumulative Effects Assessment Approaches in Management (WGCEAM; outputs from 2024 meeting). ICES Scientific Reports. 7:16. 51 pp. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.28322693

Nell, W. and Coetzee, H. 2024. Community needs, assets, psycho-social well-being and environmental attitudes in Kurland and Covie, Western
Cape, South Africa: Implications for interventions and community-based conservation. Pp 1-54. *Available on request

Vargas-Fonseca OA, Atkins S, Vermeulen E, Dines S & da Silva JM. 2025. A conservation assessment of Sousa plumbea. In Patel T, Smith C, Roxburgh L, da Silva JM & Raimondo D, editors. The Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho. South African National Biodiversity Institute and Endangered Wildlife Trust, South Africa.

Vargas-Fonseca OA, Probert R, Hoelzel R & da Silva JM. 2025. A conservation assessment of Tursiops aduncus. In Patel T, Smith C, Roxburgh L, da Silva JM & Raimondo D, editors. The Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho. South African National Biodiversity Institute and Endangered Wildlife Trust, South Africa.

Webster, K. 2024. Breeding success of the white-fronted plover: Report on the 2023/2024 breeding season and overall impact of the project. Pp 1 – 17.

Conferences:

Atkins et al. (2025). Identifying conservation priorities for the Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin Conservation Network, WIOMSA 13th scientific symposium. Presentation

Bryer MAH, Kurilla SE, Marais NB, van Hasselt C, Beveridge SB, Coetzee HC, and Sabbi KH. (2025). Primate mycophagy revisited: A call for deeper investigation of primate-fungal relationships and a baboon case study. International Primatological Society Congress, Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Du Plessis, S., Vargas-Fonseca, S. & Coetzee, HC. (2025). Understanding the marine and coastal systems of Plettenberg Bay: From pressures to responses. GRIN, 2 October 2025.

James et al. (2025). AI assisted photo-ID (Happywhale) reveals updated movements and numbers of endangered humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) in South Africa, SAMSS, Cape Town. Presentation

Kruger, F., Muller, M. & Coetzee, HC. (2025a). Community ecological knowledge cultures and place-responsive pedagogies in outdoor environmental and sustainability education. UKFIET Conference 2025. University of Oxford, 16-18 September 2025.

Kruger, F., Muller, M. & Coetzee, HC. (2025b). Ecological knowledge cultures and place-responsive pedagogies in outdoor environmental and sustainability education. UKFIET Conference Webinar Series: Climate and environmental justice [Virtual]. Convenors Rachel Wilder (University of Bath) and Fernanda Gándara (Room to Read), 8 October 2025.

Kurilla SE, Bryer MAH, Machanda ZP, Beveridge SB, van Hasselt C, Marais NB, Coetzee HC, Sabbi KH. (2025). Ecological and demographic factors influence spatial use and ranging patterns among chacma baboons (Papio ursinus). International Primatological Society Congress, Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Moriarty, L. & Coetzee, H. (2024). Developing a model for understanding and conserving river and estuarine systems in South Africa: A case study based on NVT’s source-to-sea project. GRIN conference, Knysna, 1-3 October 2024. Conference publication.

Muller, M. Kruger, F. & Coetzee, HC. (2025). The Outeniqua Project: Using Arts-Based Inquiry to Create a Curriculum Map of Outdoor Environmental and Sustainability Education for the Nature’s Valley Trust. IAACS (International Association for the Advancement of Curriculum Studies) conference, Mauritius Institute of Education, June 24 – 27, 2025

Swart, Geerts & Coetzee. 2025. Forest fragments in the Southern Cape might need a natural fynbos context to uphold its insect pollinator diversity. GRIN presentation.

Books:

Coetzee, HC. (2025). Nature’s Valley: History and Conservation Efforts. NVT: Nature’s Valley. 182p.