Natural Resources Law Class at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

On their 3rd day of their block lectures, the Natural Resources Law class took a moment to appreciate the intrinsic value of South Africa’s rich biodiversity. The tour of the internationally acclaimed botanical gardens formed part of a full day’s lecture series hosted by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), nestled just outside the gardens. The day started off with an introduction to the role, mandate and importance of SANBI by Marthan Theart, a Legal Specialist in the Biodiversity and Land Use Project at SANBI. Students were familiarised with the various biodiversity planning regimes that are often spearheaded by SANBI, in an aim to achieve the best possible conservation whilst ensuring the sustainable use of South Africa’s biological resources. They also delved into the complex issues arising from the licensing and permitting regime, as well as bioprospecting, access and benefit-sharing of indigenous knowledge pertaining to biological resources.