New Zealand’s Natural Heritage Still Under Threat – Conference Marks Decade Of Research On Biodiversity And Biosecurity

Innovative ways to reverse the decline of New Zealand’s natural heritage are the focus of a two-day conference in Wellington this week 3-4 April at Te Papa.

BioHeritage National Science Challenge’s ‘Crazy & Ambitious 4’ conference highlights a decade’s research and action to restore and protect biodiversity, manage invasive species, and strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity.

“New Zealand’s biological heritage is increasingly under threat. But new tools and approaches created through true partnership, utilising both Western knowledge and mātauranga Māori, help New Zealanders reconnect with nature, value our biological heritage, and protect the things that are uniquely New Zealand, create thriving ecosystems and leave a legacy for future generations,” says BioHeritage co-director Daniel Patrick.

Speakers include the Department of Conservation’s Tame Malcolm, watershed and resource management scientist University of California Merced’s Joshua Viers, Predator Free Rakiura’s Estelle Pura Pera-Leask (NZOM), and Environment Court Commissioner Kevin Prime (NZOM).

The conference will feature science that has had an impact on society, the latest developments in biosecurity technologies and pest control methods, and new tools to empower people and encourage action, along with case studies of how the innovations and new approaches are used by farmers, industry and local government.

With uncertainty around the future funding of science across research organisations and universities, coupled with mounting pressures on the environment, Daniel Patrick says it is an opportune time for researchers across 18 partner organisations, collaborating entities and communities, stakeholders and decision-makers to gather to explore the theme of the BioHeritage’s final conference, ‘building on momentum’.

BioHeritage, along with 10 other National Science Challenges which brought together collaborative mission-led teams across universities and research organisations to tackle the most pressing problems facing New Zealand, finishes at the end of June.

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