Wetland Symposium in Hawke’s Bay

With community planting days proving popular, there is another exceptional opportunity for local people to learn more about wetlands at a national symposium coming to Hawke’s Bay.

Registrations have opened for the National Wetland Restoration Symposium which will be held in Napier on 26 – 28 September 2018. 

The theme for this year’s symposium is Living Wetlands in the Living Landscape.  This will focus on the vital role of wetlands play in contributing to the health of our land, water, animals and people.

The symposium is held every two years in different parts of the country by the National Wetland Trust.  This year the Trust has teamed up with Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Department of Conservation, and Fish and Game Hawke’s Bay.

“Hawke’s Bay has done a lot of great work in restoring wetlands, and this will be an opportunity to showcase these to both experts and those wanting to learn from us,” says Steve Cave, HBRC’s Open Spaces Manager.

“A field trip will show people our range of wetlands such as Waitangi Estuary, Pekapeka and Ahuriri Estuary, which is unusual for having a wildlife reserve inside city boundaries.”

Keynote speakers are the renowned Australian ecologist Matt Herring, and the new CEO for Fish & Game New Zealand, Martin Taylor. 

Matt Herring’s attendance is sponsored by Fish and Game. He has 17 years’ experience as an ecologist in Australia, with his consultancy (Murray Wildlife) contracted by Landcare (Australia) and other community conservation groups, as well as government and industry.

Matt has worked on more than 850 farms with over 3000 farmers in the Murray-Darling Basin, and he is a strong advocate for working alongside farmers to unleash the conservation potential of private land. He is passionate about producing food and conserving biodiversity at the same time.

Wetlands are important as they provide food and fibre, control flooding, store carbon and water, and support a wide range of species unique to New Zealand.  They can also have significant cultural and recreational values.  Restoration projects throughout New Zealand aim to return wetlands to health, and as a vital part of our national landscape.

A wide range of topics will be covered in the symposium, including lessons learned from restoration projects, new research findings, and how to cater for mobile wetland species like the rare Australasian bittern.

Early bird registrations close on 15 July 2018. Discounted registration fees are available for non- professionals, including landowners, students and community volunteers who wish to attend. Registrations can be made via http://www.wetlandtrust.org.nz – Wetland Events – Restoration Symposia. 

The National Wetland Trust is grateful to the symposium sponsors Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Department of Conservation’s Arawai Kākāriki Programme, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Fish and Game New Zealand, NIWA, Wildlands, and Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research.

13 June 2018

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