Don't miss the 2019 Winter Lecture Series at Nga Manu Nature Reserve. Six incredible guest speakers will present six lectures around the environmental themes as below.
Entry by paper koha. Arrive at 3:30 pm for tea & biscuits with the Lectures starting at 4 pm.
Venue: Ngā Manu Nature Reserve, 74 Ngā Manu Reserve Road, Waikanae, Kapiti Coast
Tracing the Māori cultivation of New Zealand plants
29 May 2019
When Māori arrived in New Zealand many of the plant species, they brought with them were not suited to New Zealand’s climate. Instead they began to cultivate a number of native New Zealand plants they found and some of these they moved around New Zealand as part of their cultivation. Lara Shepherd from Te Papa is using to DNA to trace the origins and movements of some of these plants.
Fungi of Kāpiti and Wellington
12 June 2019
While Kāpiti and Wellington were the sites of some of the earliest fungal exploration, they have not been well explored. This presentation by Geoff Ridley from Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research will look at the habitats that occur in these areas and the different fungi associated with them.
Saving the kākāpō – the big 2019 breeding season
25 July 2019
The kākāpō breeding season of 2019 was by far the biggest on record, with over 200 eggs laid by 49 females. Deidre Vercoe and Andrew Digby from the Department of Conservation provide an update on what happened during the year, and describe the ground-breaking conservation technology and management methods which are used to protect this unique and charismatic parrot.
Gene editing for invasive wasp control
7 August 2019
Over the last century Common and German wasps invaded and established colonies throughout the country. In honeydew beech forest wasps reach the highest densities known in the world. What is the potential of new gene editing technologies for wasp and pest control? How safe is gene editing? How close are we to using it? And would it effectively control wasps if we did genetically modify these pests? Find out in this talk by Phil Lester from Victoria University of Wellington.
The role of the New Zealand Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
21 August 2019
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment is a unique advisory role found nowhere else in the world. Fully independent of the Government of the day, the Commissioner has the freedom to investigate any environmental issue they see fit. Simon Upton was appointed in October 2017. He will talk about the role of his office and some of the work he has completed or has underway.
For further information: www.eventfinda.co.nz/2019/nga-manus-winter-lecture-series/waikanae#when
