Journal’s focus and scope

Nature’s Letters is a multi-disciplinary journal aimed at documenting, describing, and critically reflecting on applied social (e.g., historical) and/or ecological research topics that contribute to understanding and conserving Nature’s Valley and its surrounds.

The journal is published online and in print format by NVT, a NPC that focuses on conservation, behavioural change, applied research, and community engagement, in the Western Cape of South Africa.

Manuscripts for review can be submitted by anyone working on or who has worked on any social and or ecological topics in and around Nature’s Valley within the past 5 years (this excludes narrative contributions).

Quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods approaches are acceptable.

Suitable manuscripts are reviewed by at least three reviewers (two internal and one external).

Accepted manuscripts are processed and published by NVT’s in-house editorial team.

Publications are produced annually or biannually (depending on the number of accepted manuscripts).

Scholarly papers in the April 2024 issue of Nature’s Letters:

(click on cover image to access the full journal)

  • A rare treat: Young chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) observed by NVT researchers snacking on wild mushrooms
  • Spatial use and ranging patterns among chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in Nature’s Valley, South Africa
  • Discovering the birds of Phyl Martin Park: Ringing results from 2017 to 2023
  • Bird species recorded along the Groot (Wes) River estuary over the past twenty-five years (1998-2023)
  • Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) photographic identification and population estimate in Nature’s Valley an initial assessment
  • The occurrence of alien invasive plants (IAPs) in Nature’s Valley a 2023 baseline survey
  • The preliminary effects of attempted fynbos restoration on epigaeic invertebrate abundance, diversity and similarity to primary fynbos
  • Sout (Oos) River catchment carbon assessment (summary)
  • Basic assessment of the biota and water quality of the Sout (Oos) River, Nature’s Valley (summary)
  • NVT Sout (Oos) River Project – Social Baseline Assessment 2023 (summary)

    Submission guidelines

    The following types of manuscripts will be accepted for review:

    • Literature reviews aimed at sharing existing knowledge about any social and/ or ecological topic relevant to the conservation of Nature’s Valley. Manuscripts of up to 1,000 words (or 3 to 4 pages, including all maps, tables, figures, and references) will be considered.
    • Short communications aimed at sharing observations on any social and/ or ecological topic relevant to the conservation of Nature’s Valley. Manuscripts of up to 3,000 words (or 12 pages, including all maps, tables, figures, and references) will be considered.
    • Full articles aimed at sharing the results of completed empirical studies on any social and/ or ecological topic relevant to the conservation of Nature’s Valley. Manuscripts of up to 5,000 words (or 20 pages, including all maps, tables, figures, and references) will be considered.
    • Narratives aimed at sharing interesting stories of past, present, and future that are linked to environmental aspects encountered in Nature’s Valley. Manuscripts from 750 to 1000 words (3 to 4 pages, including images, drawings, illustrations, references, etc.) will be considered.

    If you are interested in publishing your paper in Nature’s Letters, please send a short abstract (150 words) to Prof Hendri Coetzee (hendri.coetzee@nvt.org.za). If your topic is a good fit for the journal, you will be asked to submit one of the above-mentioned types of manuscripts for consideration.

    Your manuscript will then be sent to the reviewers. When the review process is completed, you will be notified if your manuscript has been accepted and if you need to do revisions before it is published.

    Manuscripts for the mid-year edition (June/July) should be submitted before or on the last day of April; and manuscripts for the end-year edition (November/December) before the end of September.

    Journal writing template and narrative essay guidelines.