Ecologists in action – working with communities

1. Ecologists in action – working with communities the better way to skin a cat? Ecology in Action Award, NZ Ecological Society Conference 2008, Auckland Frances Schmechel, PGDip, PhD

2. Outline • Context • Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust • example • benefits • Observations and recommendations • Best way to skin a cat? (e.g. predator control) • do it OR • support community / landowners to do it

3. Context • Large proportion of threatened biodiversity is on private land  implications • Best opportunities to experience ecology are near home • Real tensions between regulations and voluntary methods • Mix of tools needed • The greatest threat to native fauna – introduced predators

4. Banks Peninsula – background • 100,500 ha • Rich biodiversity • isolated • endemics • southern limit • Originally almost all forest • Now • <1% original forest • 15% regenerating forest • sheep grazing facilitative

5. Map of Combined Native & Endemic Bird Taxa A 1 Average Number of Taxa 56

6. Current fauna • White-flippered penguin has declined 60-70% since 1980 (predators) • Sooty shearwater very rare • Native bats and weka have disappeared • Tūī virtually gone

7. History of Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust (BPCT) • BPDC Proposed District Plan - Jan 1997 • Task Force recommendations - Sep 1999 • Variation to District Plan • Formation of Trust commenced - Apr 2001 • Trust registered - Oct 2001 • Covenanting authority - May 2003

8. Aim of Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust To promote conservation and long term sustainable management on private land

9. Structure • Management committee (implementation / finances) • Subcommittees: Restoration, Projects (covenants), Funding, Communications

10. Structure • Staff • Coordinator* (3 days/wk since 2003) • Projects / covenant officer (2-3 days/wk since 2005) • Accounts (1 day/mo since 2006) • Ecologist (1-3 day/wk since 2007) • Tui Project coordinator (1 day/wk since 2007) • Board of Trustees (oversight) * Originally ecologist, now separate positions

11. Accomplishments • Covenants: 35 areas (> 300 ha)

12. Accomplishments • Feral goat eradication – final stages (3375 goats since 2003)

13. Accomplishments • Advocacy, education and networks • Field Days • Workshops • Mustelid control (2003) • Rare plants (2004) • Lizards x 2 (2005)

14. Advocacy, education and networks Community biodiversity days Rapaki 2004 Akaroa 2005 Little River 2006 Newsletter, email networks stands at A&P shows email networks Accomplishments

15. Accomplishments • Weed control (covenants, reserves, etc) • Wetland restoration • Banks Peninsula Conservation Forum • Tui restoration project coordinator • Environmental awards

16. Partnerships • Ngāi Tahu • Councils • DOC • Other NGOs • QEII • Lincoln University • Landcare Research

17. Synergies • Tui restoration group • Wild Side (predator control) • Governors Bay Landcare Group • Upper Akaroa Predator Control Group • Kaupapa Kererū – research partnership • Community Initiated Possum Control Program • Hinewai • Weta Watchers (tree weta monitoring program)

18. Support • Landcare Trust (especially 2001 – 2007) • Facilitation • Offices / administrative support • Initial funding application for coordinator • Anderson Lloyd Caudwell (legal firm) • Legal (covenants / registration) • Trustee • Partners

19. Funding / support • Biodiversity Advice Fund & Condition Fund • Canterbury Community Trust (salary) • WWF-HPF (partnership, tools, workshop) • Pacific Development & Conservation Fund (aka Greenpeace / Rainbow Warrior Fund) • Environmental Enhancement Fund (ECan) • Transpower Landcare Fund • Christchurch City Council • Others

20. Elements of success • Committed, skilled volunteers / chair • Facilitation / administration / support Support by business • Funding • Support / participation by other agencies and organizations • Ecologists’ support

21. Benefits • Funding leverage and value for money • Time • Skills • Local knowledge & wisdom • Passion for education / advocacy • Leadership and coordination (bring agencies together) • Synergies & models

22. Benefits • Growth of • local capacity • ecological understanding • support for conservation • ‘infrastructure’ (e.g. communications networks) • Significant economic and social benefits – ‘Not Just Trees in the Ground’ WWF 2007

23. Potential disadvantages - general • Funding • Volunteers – limits of skills / time • Efficiency • Personalities • Varying agendas (ecological input valuable) • Skills needed (requires people skills) • Duplication • Potential to distract from optimal mix of policy tools (?)

24. Observations • Interest in ecology very high • Demand outstrips supply • Some excellent resources – (thank you!) • Hugh Wilson, ecologist & manager Hinewai • Websites (NZPCN - plants, Sanctuaries – pest control links, What Bird?, Weedbusters) • Newsletters of research results (tui, magpie) • Resources / tools (FORMAK, WWF monitoring tool kit)

25. Recommendations - general • Ecological advice can be as, or more, important than funding • Finding of research with Canterbury farmers • Supported by literature review • Wetland in Marlborough SwampFever by Gerard Hindmarsh • But flip side

26. Recommendations - general • Ecologists / researchers / students • Provide feedback and report results • Make results understandable and available (e.g. newsletters, advice sheets, summaries) • Funders, consider: • how created information will be shared • monitoring (require / build into funding allowance) • administration / coordination needs • salaries / timeframes

27. Recommendations - general • Councils – work programs • consider options that include or support community groups, e.g. • predator control • monitoring • Keep in mind context • mix of tools most effective • each can be very effective if used well

28. Acknowledgements • BPCT management committee & trustees • NZ Landcare Trust • Funders • Anderson Lloyd (Mark Christensen) • Hugh Wilson, Marieke Lettink, and many others • OnlineGroups.Net (Banks Diversity) • Environment Canterbury • Department of Conservation • Christchurch City Council • Ngāi Tahu • QEII, Summit Road Society, OSNZ, and Governors Bay Landcare Group • NZ Ecological Society

30. NZ Dotterel Watch • Partnership (DOC & mining company) • Network of volunteer dotterel minders • Effective - between 1996 and 2004 increase of 102 birds (58%) • Two key roles / positions: • Coordinator • Technical advice • NZ Dotterel Protection workshop (yearly) Reference: Management of northern NZ Dotterels on Coromandel Peninsula (2006) J.E. Dowding

31. Significant Natural Areas • Full loop (Marlborough, Kaikoura, others?) • Survey -> report -> recommendations to landowners -> implementation (funding) -> monitoring • Context / support: • Advisory group • Communications (newsletter, media) & advocacy • Landowner liaison • Funding leverage (outside funding sought)

32. Significant Natural Areas • Partnerships or split models • Banks Peninsula • Implementation (based on PNA reports, Hugh Wilson), monitoring, communications, advocacy – BPCT • Surveys – CCC • Selwyn • Surveys, reports, implementation funding – SDC / NZLCT • Implementation assistance, monitoring, communications, advocacy - ? (TAK:GC)

33. Ecologist as coordinator • Biodiversity – specific • Newsletter articles • Projects • Advice • Workshops • Agencies • Funding • Networks • Conference info • Papers