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

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

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

Banks Peninsula – backgroundBanks 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

Map of Combined Native & Endemic

Bird Taxa

A

1 Average Number of Taxa 56

Current fauna• Sooty shearwater

very rare • Native bats and weka

have disappeared• Tūī virtually gone

• White-flippered penguin has declined 60-70% since 1980 (predators)

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

Aim of Banks Peninsula Conservation TrustTo promote conservation and long term sustainable management on private land

Structure

• Management committee (implementation / finances)– Subcommittees: Restoration,

Projects (covenants), Funding, Communications

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

Accomplishments

• Covenants: 35 areas (> 300 ha)

Accomplishments

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

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PORT HILLSInitial Control area-1800 haRemaining Area-368 ha

GEBBIES & KAITUNA PASSRemaining Area-475 ha

LITTLE AKALOAInitial Control Area-160 haRemaining Area-25 ha

MT HERBERTInitial Control Area-2430Remaining Area-2430

FORSYTH NORTHInitial Control Area-9000 haRemaining Area-634

FORSYTH EASTInitial Control Area-8000 haRemaining Area-1113 ha

TAKAMATUAInitial Control Area-30 ha

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EW

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Feral Goat HerdsFebuary 2007

0 1 2 3 4 Kilometers Initial operational areasRemaining Goat Herds (Feb 07)

#þ Domestic Goat herds

Scale 1:348,700

Accomplishments• Advocacy, education

and networks– Field Days– Workshops

• Mustelid control (2003)• Rare plants (2004)• Lizards x 2 (2005)

Accomplishments• 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

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

Partnerships

• Ngāi Tahu

• Councils

• DOC

• Other NGOs

• QEII

• Lincoln University

• Landcare Research

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)

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

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

Elements of success

• Committed, skilled volunteers / chair

• Facilitation / administration / support Support by business

• Funding

• Support / participation by other agencies and organizations

• Ecologists’ support

Benefits

• Funding leverage and value for money• Time• Skills• Local knowledge & wisdom • Passion for education / advocacy• Leadership and coordination (bring

agencies together)• Synergies & models

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

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 (?)

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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)

Ecologist as coordinator

• Biodiversity – specific• Newsletter articles• Projects• Advice• Workshops• Agencies• Funding• Networks• Conference info• Papers