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| Prof Michelle van der Bank |
An extremely successful Toyota Enviro Outreach has come to an end. What an amazing experience! Scientists from different backgrounds and experiences worked as a group to achieve a common goal – to DNA barcode South Africa’s rich Biodiversity, which forms part of the International Barcode of Life Project (iBOL). All the data generated will be uploaded onto the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD), an online informatics platform where it will become part of a growing reference library of DNA barcodes for South African plants and animals that will be freely available for use by the broader scientific and amateur naturalist communities. A total of more than 750 species representing approximately 1450 individuals were collected during this Toyota Enviro Outreach. Many thanks to the scientific team for all their hard work and dedication to the project, to witness your spirit and passion were fantastic.
On behalf of the scientific team and our partners from the International Barcode of Life project I wish to thank Toyota SA for providing a fleet of vehicles and the unique opportunity through the Toyota Enviro Outreach to collect samples for DNA barcoding. Special thanks must go to Gerhard and Elmarie Groenewald and their fantastic team from Klipbokkop Nature Reserve near Worcester; without the logistic support and constant encouragement we would never have achieved our goals. We are also grateful to Cape Nature for providing us with the collecting permits. Finally I wish to thank all our other sponsors (4X4 Mega World, Camp World, National Luna, Good Year, Total) for their support and commitment to the DNA barcoding project.
See you all next year for yet another trip.
Happy Barcoding,
Michelle van der Bank
A very warm and sincere thank-you for your gracious hosting of me at Klipbokkop on the occasion of the Toyota Enviro Challenge. You have a wonderful place in Africa and we are grateful that you share it with us. Your staff are very friendly and helpful, the food was excellent and the hospitality was first class. I truly envy you all, working together to achieve such worthwhile goals, both at Klipbokkop and through the Toyota Enviro Outreach. Meeting and talking to Prof Erik Holm was an experience I feel privileged to have enjoyed. I will be doing my very best to promote not only the important and outstanding work of the Toyota Enviro Outreach contribution to the Barcode of Life database, but also the very impressive contribution being made by you and your fine team at Klipbokkop.
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Peter
Peter BURROUGHES
Peter Burroughes Communications