South Island Gathering

Kinzett Lounge,

Murchison Sports Centre

10 – 12 November 2017

Predator Free NZ:

Is it possible, and if so, what does it look like?

What role/s can Forest & Bird play?

Programme

Friday 10 Nov
6 – 8pm / Arrive & Registrations at the Rivers Café, 51 Fairfax Street
6 – 8pm / Light evening meal (buy your own from the café)
8pm / Local welcome and social hour
9pm-ish / Optional activity: Bat spotting in kahikatea forest next to Riverside Holiday Park
Saturday 18 Oct
8.30 – 9am / Housekeeping (5 mins)
Welcome from Deputy President, Kate Graeme (10 mins)
Welcome from CEO, Kevin Hague (15 mins)
9 – 9.30am / Predator Free NZ – Setting the scene – Is it possible? Nicola Toki, DOC Threatened Species Ambassador
9.30 – 11.15am / Predator Free NZ – what does it look like (20 mins each)
·  Forest & Bird’s big picture (Kevin Hackwell)
·  Perspectives from Rotoiti Mainland Island project (Nik Joice)
·  Technology update from Zero Invasive Predators (ZIP) [to be confirmed]
·  Forest & Bird’s projects and aims (David Bowden)
10.10 – 10.30am / Morning tea
11.15 – 12 noon / Update on the latest science on the use of aerial 1080 in the Battle for our Birds (Graeme Elliot)
12 – 12.30pm / Panel Q & A chaired by Nicola Toki
12.30 – 1.30pm / Lunch
1.30 – 4.30pm / Local Field Trips
1.  Bird Counts on the Buller braids
2.  Buller Gorge Swingbridge and walks ($10pp)
3.  Supporting local conservation work [ to be confirmed]
4.30 – 5pm / Time to refresh for evening
5 – 6pm / Branch Stories & Workshop:
One Key Challenge for your branch on the theme of making NZ Predator Free (2 mins per branch)
West Coast, Southland, South Otago, South Canterbury, North Canterbury, Nelson/Tasman, Marlborough, Kaikoura, Golden Bay, Dunedin, Central Otago-Lakes, Ashburton
Workshop discussion on future opportunities across the South Island
6 – 6.30pm / Social Time
6.30 – 7.30pm / Evening Meal
8pm / Guest Speaker : Craig Potton “Landscapes and images”
(Public will be invited to join us)
Sunday 19 Oct
8:45 – 10.15am / Board session on “Future Shape of the Society”
10.15 – 10.45am / Morning tea
10:45 – 11.15am / Telling Conservation stories (Laura Keown)
11.15am – 12noon / Final Keynote: Forest & Bird and Iwi – Building a Working Relationship (Melanie Nelson)
12 – 12.30 pm / Any Other Items
Wrap Up from the Board and CEO
12.30 – 1.30pm / Lunch