Like most New Zealanders, we’re proud of our natural environment. We’re even in awe of it.
We should probably spend less time talking about nature and more time actually wandering through it and breathing it all in. In that spirit, Air New Zealand has joined forces with the Department of Conservation to preserve and protect some of our country’s most inspiring natural locations.
So with all of that said to celebrate Conservation Week between 8 – 15 September we are supporting the Department of Conservation and encouraging New Zealanders to get outdoors and get amongst nature.
Over 130 Air New Zealand employees between Auckland and Wellington are pledging their support for Conservation Week and will ‘Get out and walk’ at some of their favourite spots.
Our partnership with DOC focuses on supporting conservation biodiversity projects in the vicinity of the Great Walks, and also promotes the Great Walks – We’re helping to preserve and enhance these unique places that every Kiwi should try to experience in their lifetime. Why not make a Great Walks pledge for Conservation Week?
You can visit the Conservation Week website for more information and all the action and keep a close eye on Air New Zealand’s social media channels. Word has it that the Air New Zealand Fairy has some conservation themed goodies to give away!
Conservation matters every minute of every day of every week. But for all that, welcome to Conservation Week. It’s a week when we focus public attention on conservation and this year our theme is around getting whānau involved.
We want conservation to be a family affair. Actually, we want it to be something that all New Zealanders engage in across all of New Zealand.
That’s fundamentally why DOC has been making changes to the way we work. We want to help New Zealanders understand, much better than we do now, that we all need to take care of our native plants, animals and special places so that they can take care of us.
DOC has a special job to do looking after the public conservation land and our native plants, animals and birds and we will continue to take the lead on that. But it isn’t enough. Fencing off a place where the forest is healthy, the bird song is loud and the river runs crystal clear means there is a place where New Zealanders can go to see our natural environment as it was before people and pests stuffed it up. That’s important. But it can’t stop there. We have to make sure the whole river system is healthy, from the mountains to the sea and in to the marine environment. That task is beyond DOC alone. We need to work with community groups, iwi, local government, business, private landowners, and you if we are going to succeed.
Kakapo
The challenge New Zealand faces is not just to claim the Clean Green brand, but live it. We’re a bit mixed on that front at present, and it’s going to take some effort from all of us to get nature in a healthy state and functioning well everywhere. We need to stop making the value of nature invisible; and when we take from nature we need to give back. It’s about balance and harmony.
DOC has gone through a tough period of change over recent years to adjust to that challenge. The change is complete and now we’re in to making it happen. You know our staff. They are passionate, committed, capable, highly skilled and knowledgeable. They have always made a positive difference for New Zealand. Now they are fit and ready to make an even bigger difference.
Kayaking
It’s a fresh start under fresh leadership. That means I’m leaving and this is my last week. It is time for me to let go and hand the reigns to DOC’s new Director-General Lou Sanson. Lou has been Chief Executive of Antarctic New Zealand for the last 11 years but he comes out of DOC’s stable. He knows the business, loves it, and is committed to implementing the course we have set.
DOC is in good shape and in good hands.
I know not everyone agrees with the direction I have led DOC in. You can’t reorganise around a bold, ambitious new approach and expect no criticism. And we need critics because that keeps us on our toes and forces us to question and improve.
Te Papanui Conservation Park
But the conservation movement doesn’t have time to sit around and endlessly argue the toss. There is an urgent need to address New Zealand’s environmental performance and DOC has a strong place in meeting the challenge. It is a time to be ambitious and push beyond our comfort zone.
It is a time for conservationists to, as the Irish poet and Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, who passed away recently, so elegantly put it: “Walk on air against your better judgement”.
By Claudia Babirat, Community Outreach Coordinator, Otago
I have just been reminded of how proud I am to work for DOC—and in conservation.
That’s because I had the unique opportunity to travel the length of the country to film a variety of community conservation projects. My travels took me to almost every region in New Zealand.
Setting up shots in the sunny Bay of Islands
Not only was I inspired by the conservation projects I filmed, but I also met an incredibly diverse bunch of amazing New Zealanders—DOC staff, business people, young ambassadors, tireless volunteers, community leaders, philanthropists, conservation-minded farmers and forestry workers, and a variety of passionate organisational partners.
These people shared their working life with me, and some also welcomed me into their homes—people like Gareth and Jo Morgan (thanks for the scooter ride, Jo), Guy Trainor from Kaiteriteri MTB park who tested my skills on the Corkscrew, the lovely Kate Akers of Landcare Trust (you are wunderbar), the tireless Fleur Corbett and Helen Ough Dealy from DOC in the Bay of Islands, and my good friend Ruth Barton in Auckland.
The video features interviews with a range of different groups and individuals, like farmer Dan Steele
The video showcases DOC’s vision for the future—more people involved in community-owned conservation projects.
This is a run-down of the inspirational projects I filmed:
Dulux has just announced a new three-year partnership with DOC—you may have seen the TV advert. In short, Dulux is supplying DOC with paint to spruce up huts and other structures around the country. I interviewed Murray Gray, Dulux’s trade store General Manager. He’s a down-to-earth guy—loves the backcountry and hunting, and helped paint Tarn Ridge Hut that features in the ad.
Just after lunch I filmed Wayne O’Donnell of Greater Wellington Regional Council. Wayne is part of Nature Central, a partnership between three regional councils and DOC, who aim to work together to make better use of resources, and work on joint projects including education and training initiatives.
16-year-old Natasha Bishop is the talented young woman behind the simple yet very effective animated video ‘Arboraceous’, which won the Outlook for Someday 2012 competition.
Devon McLean (Chairperson of Project Crimson, and now Manager of Project Janszoon), and Wildlife Manager Pete Gaze were my hosts at Anchorage in Abel Tasman Park. Conservation in the park has been boosted by a $25 million project (over 30 years) launched by a Kiwi family who wish to remain anonymous (‘Janszoon’ was Abel Tasman’s middle name—not the name of the family).
On Sunday morning I filmed a working bee organized by Kaiteriteri MTB park Project Leader Guy Trainor. The group has built over 20 km of tracks in the back of popular holiday town Kaiteriteri, all through volunteer labour. Guy’s passion for the project is infectious.
Kaimai Catchment Forum members on the summit of Mt Te Aroha after a day of filming
In Tauranga I filmed a field trip organised by the formidable Kate Akers of NZ Landcare Trust. The bus trip consisted of a diverse group of people that make up the Kaimai Catchment Forum (including regional and district council members, Federated Farmers and kiwi fruit orchardists, iwi, conservation trust leaders, Forest and Bird reps, DOC and others). The day was all about sharing with others in situabout how each stakeholder aims to help protect and restore the Kaimai Catchment.
Project Island Song aims to strengthen the dawn chorus in the Bay of Islands, through rigorous restoration and predator control. At the heart of this project is a tremendous bunch of people. I spent a morning filming at Te Rawhiti marae, at the nearby wetlands with John Booth, and a whole day on Urupukapuka Island with volunteers. I was immensely inspired by DOC Community Relations Ranger Fleur Corbett, who spends a lot of her spare time (i.e. evenings and weekends) working on the project.
Claudia filming the Higginson whānau, who volunteer with Project Island Song
In the morning I joined a group of young Aucklanders and international tourists who were busy tending to young plants at the Mt Eden native plant nursery. Through their partnership with Auckland Regional Council, Conservation Volunteers NZ provides opportunities for urbanites and visitors to help look after regional parks, and have fun with like-minded people at the same time.
In the afternoon I met 15-year-old Nadine Tupp of Warkworth. Nadine recently took part in a MAD Marine course, which inspired her to take action. She now writes a blog that highlights some of the threats faced by our beautiful seas, and actions that everyday people can take to minimise these. Thanks to Helen Rowlands and Trish Irvine who made this all come together on very short notice.
Conservation Volunteers NZ wants everyone to get involved!
The above stories will sit alongside others that I’ve already filmed in Otago and Southland—including Orokonui Ecosanctuary, Mitre 10 Takahe Rescue, and the St Clair prion fence in Dunedin.
Thanks so much to the DOC Community Outreach Coordinator network who made me aware of all these amazing projects in the first place—and Siobhan File my partner in crime.
Watch the ‘Conservation partnerships in action’ video:
Australia and New Zealand made their mark on the world, far from our respective shores, close to a century ago. Showing great courage, endurance, initiative and discipline, we pulled together.
“Anzac stood, and still stands, for reckless valour in a good cause, for enterprise, resourcefulness, fidelity, comradeship, and endurance that will never own defeat.” Charles Bean, official war historian.
After watching this video, showing everyday yet extraordinary New Zealanders working with DOC to help make our country the greatest living space on Earth, I know that the Anzac spirit lives on. We’re pulling together. And conservation is benefiting.
What are you doing to help make New Zealand the greatest living space on Earth?
There are many reasons why I’m excited about Dulux partnering with DOC to protect New Zealand’s backcountry huts.
Firstly, I’m excited that we have a new partner investing in conservation. As Ecclesiastes says: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.” In other words, together we can achieve more – and we all want more conservation.
Secondly, as an avid (but amateur) interior decorator and home renovator, I’ve personally been in a relationship with Dulux for years. And while a lot of people don’t love work spilling into their private lives, most of us would agree that it’s pretty great to have the things we enjoy in our private lives spill into work.
A small sample of Dulux from my personal collection. And despite what it looks like, my husband didn’t decapitate me and artfully place my head on our bucket of Dulux Ceiling White!
Thirdly, to celebrate this new partnership, there’s a competition. Winning would be amazing (who wouldn’t want a fabulous, fully hosted wilderness weekend for two in Mt Aspiring National Park?!) but the cool thing is that creating an entry is actually a fun experience in itself – so you really can’t lose! You should have a go:
Head to the Protecting Our Place website, summon your creative genius, paint a DOC hut (virtually of course – none of that annoying real life preparation or messy clean-up), and be in to win.
Tarn Ridge Hut: Some real life before and after photos to inspire you
So, hopefully by now you’re as excited as me about putting the colours of New Zealand to work for conservation!
