Over spring break, nine students from the Office of Undergraduate Programs at the Columbia Climate School traded the classroom for the field, traveling to South Africa to tackle real-world conservation challenges in one of the planet’s most biodiverse regions. As part of the Ecosystem Restoration in South Africa course (SDEV 3820), students partnered with Wild Tomorrow, a nonprofit dedicated to revitalising ecosystems and supporting community development in KwaZulu-Natal.
Hands-on Conservation Experience
Based at the Greater Ukuwela Nature Reserve, students worked alongside local experts and conservation practitioners, observing habitat management first-hand and examining the challenges of human–wildlife conflict in surrounding communities. Throughout the week, they immersed themselves in fieldwork that revealed the complexity of ecosystem restoration.
Students conducted vegetation surveys and biodiversity monitoring, assisted with wildlife transects, and participated in bird ringing, gaining hands-on experience with data collection methods that underpin conservation science. Activities such as invasive species removal and time spent in the Sand Forest Restoration Nursery highlighted the physical demands and careful stewardship required to maintain fragile environments.
Wildlife Protection and Anti-Poaching Efforts
The experience also introduced students to strategies used to protect wildlife in high-risk environments. Joining rangers on snare patrols and observing K9 anti-poaching demonstrations offered insight into the ongoing threat of poaching.
At Manyoni Private Game Reserve, one of Wild Tomorrow’s conservation partners, students witnessed a rhino dehorning procedure, a contested but widely used intervention aimed at deterring poachers.
Community-Centred Conservation
Equally central to the course was understanding the role of local communities in conservation success. Through visits to nearby villages and conversations with residents, students saw how grassroots initiatives shape restoration efforts and how livelihoods, land use and conservation goals are deeply intertwined.
Aphiwe Notshaya, Wild Tomorrow’s community conservation manager, said working closely with neighbouring groups reveals how deeply people are connected to the land and how it is part of their identity. She also noted how encouraging it was to see students engage seriously with these realities and think about ways to support meaningful, sustainable change.
“For me, that’s what conservation is all about: When we uplift communities, we create a future where both people and wildlife can truly thrive, together,” Notshaya said.
Rethinking Sustainability Through Lived Experience
This emphasis on people-centred conservation reshaped how students thought about sustainability. Katie Figueroa Beltran, an environmental biology major, said her research background gave her a strong understanding of biodiversity and climate, but that the sustainability portion of the course stood out to her.
“It surprised me because of its involvement in creating something for people and by people,” she said. While her department emphasises the importance of biodiversity for Earth’s systems and life, “taking this class helped me see that humans benefit just as much, or even more, from biodiversity.”
Experiences such as sharing a traditional IsiZulu meal in a local home further grounded these ideas, linking conservation concepts to everyday life.
Applied Learning and Environmental Solutions
The course, a new offering for sustainable development students, emphasises hands-on learning and client-based problem solving. Working in two groups focused on plastic pollution and tree conservation, students developed recommendations for Wild Tomorrow designed to address on-the-ground challenges while supporting long-term restoration goals.
Melanie Hoefnagel, a sustainable development major, said the experience revealed the scale of the issue her group was addressing. “Seeing the plastic site on the reserve helped me realise the impact our project could have, and brainstorming ideas with the team there made us really excited about that potential,” she said.
Ecotourism and Broader Context
At Kusasa, Wild Tomorrow’s eco-lodge, students explored how ecotourism can support environmental protection and promote conservation awareness. Beyond the reserve, they visited Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park, a key site in the history of rhino conservation, before travelling to Johannesburg, where the Apartheid Museum and Soweto provided social and historical context to environmental challenges.
Lasting Academic and Practical Impact
After spring break, students returned to Columbia ready to translate their field experience into a final report and presentation for both Wild Tomorrow and the wider university community, carrying forward insights shaped by observation and hands-on engagement.
For some, the course reshaped their understanding of sustainability at a global level. Kathryn McNerney, an Earth sciences major, said it highlighted the importance of context in conservation. “Sustainable efforts are far from universal and need to be specialised to context,” she said. “This means evaluating what needs to be protected in each place, as well as understanding the social and economic realities of the communities involved.”
