Biodiversity Action Project

• Congratulations for helping the district – begin/progress the conversation efforts • I enjoyed seeing the ideas bounce around and the understanding of the challenges ahead, I can’t wait to see how this develops • Landowner understanding is critical • Big part of this is ‘advisor/consultant’ enthusiasm • Then basic management priorities & methodologies to get them started – then they’re away • Get people to investigate birds as a focus, for example – plant for birds, green dots across the landscape to create bird corridors • We could have a trapping meeting for all people in the district to link up, we allow us to see the areas that still need more attention

• Re-establish catchment boundaries, conversation boundaries and pest boundaries (i.e., deer) • Rabbits and wallabies making a comeback • Declare “crack willows” a pest • Map of restoration projects, so people have a landscape scale for their work, we should be able to see the gaps and fill them • Native flora/fauna of the week – in local newspaper, Facebook etc.

• Good to work with HDLG • Coordinate • Advertise • Pest groups – trapping information needed • Deer shooting groups – opportunity for meat? • Need to collect information that’s already out there (e.g., at a field day where it was shown how to poison willows) – it would have been great if this was videoed for future reference • Lots of videos and other resources are around but it would be excellent if these were all stored and accessible in one place • The right people to talk to landowners • Maybe HBT can be advocates to ECAN/DOC to seek funding at a wider than property scale • Get the word out – social media (videos) • More introduction to younger people • Often requires professional oversight (ecologists?) • Set realistic aspirations • Monitors success (photo points) • The need to sell why they should invest • Training days/work shops to help people identify shrubs/plants of value for farmers on their properties • Keep the voice active through a range of media options – Good communication is key • Help protect pest protection • Enthuse, incentivize • Financial incentives • ‘Engendering pride’ • To get the community involved in biodiversity protection