15 September 2011: The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has invited SADC nationals to submit photographs for its photo competition, “Crossing Borders – Diversity of Nature and Wildlife in the SADC Region.” Photographs should showcase the diversity of nature and ecosystems in the SADC region, with the winning entries to be presented at the SADC exhibition booth during the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, to be held at the end of 2011.

SADC is hosting the competition in commemoration of the International Year of Forests 2011 (Forests 2011) and the Biodiversity Decade. Forests 2011 has been organized to highlight forests as a major resource provider and carbon sink as well as a haven for biodiversity, as they are home to 80 percent of land animals and plants. The Biodiversity Decade aims to assist in implementing the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity agreed during the 10th Conference of the Parties (COP 10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

The closing date for entries to the competition is 15 October 2011. [SADC Press Release]