Keir Lynch completed his National Diploma in Nature Conservation at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (Saasveld). Work experience includes time at the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Phinda Private Resource Reserve, Sanbona Wildlife Reserve and Shamwari Game Reserve. In 2009, he returned to Sanbona Wildlife Reserve where he served as the Assistant Wildlife Manager responsible for natural resource management interventions, ecological monitoring and species-specific conservation projects. These included monitoring of the Leopard, Cheetah, Lion, White Rhinoceros, Buffalo and Elephant populations on the reserve, as well as research on the Critically Endangered Riverine Rabbit. Keir also developed a habitat suitability model for the reintroduction of Black Rhinoceros on Sanbona Wildlife Reserve. During this time Keir completed his BTech in Nature Conservation (Cum Laude) with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. In 2012 Keir moved from the private sector and joined CapeNature (Western Cape Nature Conservation Board). He was responsible for the implementation of the National and Provincial Protected Area Expansion Strategies for the Overberg. Working within the Biodiversity Stewardship Programme, he was responsible for the proclamation of Contract Nature Reserves, developing and implementing management plans for these areas and performing ecological assessments on properties throughout his area of operation. Most importantly, his function included the development and realisation of landscape-scale conservation plans with numerous stakeholders, especially securing the prioritised climate corridors developed in securing montane environments across the lowlands to the coastline, across Critically Endangered ecosystems and rivers, watercourses and wetlands. Following a successful tenure with CapeNature, Keir contracted to the Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust as Project Manager for the WWF-SA Nedbank Green Trust Watercourse Restoration Project. The restoration project has focused on 1) management interventions to halt and reverse habitat degradation in watercourses; 2) to increase landowner awareness of the biodiversity of which they are custodians and 3) to see the commitment of land through Conservation Easements into conservation land use in perpetuity. Keir has also completed a SASS 5 Aquatic Biomonitoring course with the Freshwater Research Centre and the Freshwater Consulting Group. Keir holds a permit for Aquatic invertebrate monitoring and research on species such as the Heuningnes Redfin, Cape Kurper and various Galaxias species across the Overberg region. Keir is in his 5th years of serving as the Chairperson of the Overberg Crane Group, as well as acting as mentor for young conservation vocationalists in the Overberg and the rest of South Africa.
Alouise Lynch spent her childhood weekends exploring nature reserves with her parents, cultivating a love for all things wild and wonderful. She completed her Nature Guiding courses in 2003 and started her guiding career on a small wildlife reserve in the Western Cape. She was fortunate enough to get to know the Succulent Karoo through the eyes of some of the local "bossiedokters" (medicinal plant "shamans") of the Klein Karoo. This knowledge fueled her passion for the smaller things in nature which lead to her taking up a guiding position on Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in 2005. Her intimate knowledge of the botanicals on the reserve, the medicinal uses, and folklore behind the uses of plants by the San people and the Khoi pastoralists opened an otherwise arid and desolate environment to guests from all over the world. She went on to guide for the Mantis Collection for 5 years, after which she left guiding to take on the Wildlife Coordinator role at Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in 2009. Her passion for people inadvertently landed her a position in Human Resources in the Mantis Collection, where she managed a staff component of over 150 people. In 2012 the Lynches moved to Hermanus, and Alouise exchanged the scenic Karoo for the wide open coastline of the Overstrand, where she took up the position as the Operations Manager of the Dyer Island Conservation Trust. Marine conservation was a new challenge and the highlight of her 3-year tenure with the DICT was her involvement in setting up the first Seabird Rehabilitation facility, the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary, in the Overstrand. In 2015 she joined Keir in moving to Napier where she took to raising and schooling their young son, Cian, full-time. Homeschooling was the best choice ever for this on-the-go family - it affords them the opportunity to head to the field at the drop of a hat, incorporating learning into their ecological activities. Alouise is also developing the Socio-economic arm of Bionerds to include a strong Environmental Awareness aspect, alongside Environmental Skills Development for in-field professionals. She also serves as Secretary on the Overberg Crane Groups Committee. Alouise maintains the social media and web presence of Bionerds, as well as the Fynbos Trust. She is a freelance graphic designer, and artist - which she uses to make science accessible for the public by drawing up Biodiversity Reports, booklets, infographics and other project based communication materials.