Change the world

06/06/2013

NMMU recently welcomed Dr. Keith Little (PhD) to the George Campus where he joined the academic team as Senior Lecturer/Researcher in the School of Natural Resource Management, specialising in Silviculture. 

Prof Jos Louw and Dr Keith Little at NMMU George Campus at Saasveld

Dr. Little, who holds a PhD (Botany) from the University of Natal, previously held various positions, ranging from research technician to programme and research manager at the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR) based at the Pietermaritzburg campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Prior to joining the ICFR, he was a teacher in Biology and General Science at Port Shepstone High School for a number of years.

“Research undertaken by the ICFR concentrates on all applied aspects of commercial timber growing and harvesting, and is conducted in close collaboration with the Forest Industry” explains Dr. Little  who admits that he has a long-standing passion for the Forestry Industry and more specifically the field of Applied Silviculture.

During his tenure at the ICFR, Dr. Little was involved in various aspects of Silviculture-related research, including, amongst others,  the design, implementation, maintenance and measurement of project-related Silviculture trials and research projects in the areas of Vegetation and Coppice Management, Eucalypt and Pine Regeneration; Growth and Yield research as well as Integrated Pest Management. Furthermore, he has been an external moderator for NMMU’s Silviculture modules since 2004, and describes himself as a “generalist silviculturalist”. 

He has an extensive record of research-related publications in peer reviewed Journals as well as several important Technical Reports – both as main author and co-author.  He is an Associate Editor for the New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science and Editorial Advisory Member for Southern Forests. In addition, he has contributed towards chapters in books and popular articles, whilst presenting his research at numerous local and international conferences.  

Through the focus on the delivery of applied research, Dr. Little has contributed to the SA commercial forest industry in a meaningful manner over nearly two decades.  Some of his professional accolades include being acknowledged by the Southern African Institute of Forestry with a “Scientific Writing Award 2011” and “Distinguished Forestry Award 2011”.

He is a member of several professional bodies in the sphere of forestry, including the Southern African Institute of Forestry (1999+); South African Weeds Science Society (1997+) and International Weeds Science Society (2007+). He is also a member of the Timber Industries Pesticide Working Group (2007+), and participant in various research-specific Forest Interest Groups.

Dr. Little is a successful participant in extreme adventure sports such as the Freedom Challenge Extreme Triathlon, numerous marathons, ultra-marathons and ultra-trail runs including the Comrades Marathon and canoeing events such as the Dusi Canoe Marathon and The Drakensberg Challenge. 

He is married to Barbara, and the couple have a son (Warren) and a daughter (Hazel) who are currently both studying at university.

Contact information
Ms Alet van Tonder
Manager: Marketing & Corporate Relations
Tel: 27 44 801 5098
alet.vantonder@mandela.ac.za