Ecologists in action – working with communities
description
Transcript of Ecologists in action – working with communities
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)
#þ
#þ
#þ
#þ
#þ
#þ
#þ
#þ
#þ
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
N
EW
S
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