Harry Oppenheimer OKAVANGO RESEARCH CENTRE: [HOORC brochure]

HOORC is a centre for the study and conservation of one of the world's largest and most intact inland wetland ecosystems -the Okavango Delta- as well as other southern African wetlands, riverbasins, watersheds and (since 2007) Kgalagadi drylands. The research centre was founded in response to plans to use the Okavango for a large scale water supply programme {more}.

Situated near Maun, Botswana's northwestern Ngamiland capital on the fringe of the Okavango [see HOORC on Google Earth], HOORC specialises in natural resource management research, emphasizing issues related to tourism, land&water, ecosystems, livelihoods and governance and with a focus on influencing policy makers on the region's most pressing environmental issues. Research outcomes are reflected in numerous publications. Our MPhil/PhD Programme in Natural Resource Management supports our research programme.

Multi-disciplinary in approach, the Centre initiates, coordinates and promotes research and assists with environmental monitoring. It aims to develop and implement educational strategies for the sustainable use of resources in order to promote sustainable environmental management in the Okavango, Kgalagadi and SADC regions through outreach activities such as those of the Biokavango project .

HOORC is an academic centre of the University of Botswana and has a Tented Camp for visiting students and researchers. HOORC has a Library, a Herbarium and Laboratories for Biology, Chemistry and Geographic Information Systems (which hosts the Okavango Delta Information System, a geospatial data repository covering the Okavango Delta and Basin. Employing 33 academic staff and 45 support staff, HOORC has over 50 research and development projects in progress in a wide range of scientific fields, many in collaboration with international partners. HOORC is a member of the international Global Wetland Consortium.