Christchurch - Canterbury Branch
One of the most active branches of the New Zealand Chapter is the Christchurch - Canterbury branch, which has been organising and sponsoring local events since the inception of the New Zealand Chapter.
Upcoming events
We have some exciting events planned for 2011. We look forward to seeing you!
Campbell Island Expedition
Date: Mid-2012
Time: to be confirmed
Venue: Christchurch; location to be confirmed
In December 2010, 200 years after the island’s discovery, the Royal New Zealand Navy braved the southern ocean to drop off a team of researchers and their support crew on Campbell Island (NZ’s most southern island) for a nine week period. The largest multidisciplinary expedition in 20 years, the team studied the island’s rich ecology and history, and its recovery from decades of grazing and the world’s largest island rat eradication. Expedition coordinator and leader of the freshwater research team, Shelley McMurtrie, will present, via video and stunning photography, an overview of the work that they undertook, and insights into what it means to live on a deserted island where weather and wildlife reign supreme.
You can follow their journey at www.campbellisland.org.nz
Christchurch Branch Quiz Night
Date: Feb 2012
Time: to be confirmed
Venue: Christchurch; location to be confirmed
A conversation with our Honorary Fellow, featuring Professor Peter Skelton
Date: 24 November 2011
Time: 5:30 pm
Venue: NIWA seminar room, 10 Kyle Street, Riccarton, Christchurch
Past events
The Christchurch - Canterbury Branch has hosted and co-hosted a number of events over the years. Here are some of our most recent events.
- 13 September 2011. Site Visit to Solid Energy's Biodiesel Plant. EIANZ members visited Solid Energy's Biodiesel New Zealand plant, which currently produces several million litres of biodiesel per year from its plant in Christchurch by converting used cooking oil collected from restaurants and other food processing businesses.
8 June 2011. Back in to Action, This"Happy Hour +" event was a chance for branch members to renew contacts and generally get back in touch.
- 10 February 2011. Sustainability and Business Leadership Breakfast Forum, jointly sponsored by EIANZ and the NZ Institute of Management, hosted by Dr Lin Roberts, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the University of Canterbury and founding director of The Natural Step.
- 31 January - 1 February 2011. Fostering Sustainable Behaviour Training Workshop. This well-attended workshop featured internationally-known community-based social marketing expert Doug McKenzie-Mohr.
- 23 November 2010, Christchurch Southern Motorway site visit.
Dicussion of the project and a tour around some of the construction areas.
- 10 November 2010 Presentation and workshop on the EIANZ’s draft Ecological Impact Assessment Guidelines
EIANZ and New Zealand Association for Impact Assessment presentation and workshop on the EIANZ’s draft Ecological Impact Assessment Guidelines.
The Ecology Special Interest Section of EIANZ has started to develop the guidelines to raise the standard of “best practice” for all those working on describing ecological values, assessment of effects and mitigation –in preparation of AEEs and in their auditing.
A “working draft” was launched at the EIANZ conference in Wellington at the end of October, and this presentation/workshop was an opportunity for environmental professionals to discuss the contents and help to start preparing the final guidelines. These Guidelines will set the standards for future EcIA work.
- 2010 AGM and workshop, 8 July 2010. Held in Christchurch at Management House, the meeting was well-attended with several dozen attendees. Sarah Gardner, Manager of Consenting of the new Environmental Protection Authority, provided an overvew of the new EPA and a taste of what's coming with EPA II.
- 25 March 2010 Integrated Catchement Managament (ICM) seminar
Led by staff from Landcare Research, work done under a groundbreaking long-term FRST research project in the Motueka catchment was presented. This was followed by a presentation from Environment Canterbury on ICM for the Otiri River. A lively discussion followed. PDFs of the two of the presentations are provided below.
- 14 February 2010 Family Day out at Hinewai Native Forest Reserve
2010 is the International Year for Biodiversity, and 40 Institute members, family and friends visited Hinewai Native Forest Reserve to kick off the year. EIANZ visitors made a donation of $144 to the Maurice White Native Forest Trust.
We were welcomed by Hugh Wilson, with an introduction to the Reserve’s history, development, problems and success stories. After lunch we then explored the 15 kilometre of tracks. Hugh’s passion for conservation and for Hinewai in particular, is evident in his words and his actions!
The restoration story is stunning. Dense kanuka shrubland has replaced much of the gorse, and beneath it a wide array of native forest plants (including rare species) are returning. The older parts of the forest contain some local giants – a 1.7 m diameter totara and a 400 year old red beech tree! Tui have recently been released in the Reserve and could be heard in the high canopy. Tomtits, bellbirds and fantails are common and we watched kereru feed on the fuchsia fruits.
- 27 November 2009 End of Year/Christmas Event: NZPI and EIANZ Heritage Pub Tour
Jointly hosted by the local branches of the NZPI and EIANZ, the evening began begin at the Warners Historic Hotel Pub (Cathedral Square) at around 6:00 pm followed by a short history of the building/pub/site before moving on to 3 more stops at pubs in the area. The evening ended at about 8:30 pm.
- 26 August 2009 The RMA protects our Health- Yeah right!
EIANZ Christchurch Branch and Community Public Health jointly organised a seminar on the role of the RMA in environmental and social health. There was a good turn out to hear the Panel [Alistair Humphrey (Canterbury District Health Board), Ali Memon (Lincoln University), Leo Fietje (Environment Canterbury) and Peter Hay (Ravensdown Fertilizer Cooperative Ltd) which was facilitated by Tom Burkitt.
Each panellist presented their perception and experience of including the concept of health in environmental management, after which the discussion was open to the floor. After the seminar, participants were invited to join the speakers for drinks and nibbles.
- 27 July 2009 Setting the Standards: Ethics in Business and Environmental Practice.
EIANZ Christchurch Branch and the New Zealand Institute Management organised a panel discussion on ethics in business and environmental management. The Panel [Leo Fietje (ECan), Kevin Vincent (NZIM), Ian Spellerberg (Lincoln University), Ced Croft (EIANZ) and Stephanie Brown (Opus)] was facilitated by Gay Pavelka.
Panellists and about 30 participants were encouraged to discuss a number of aspects of ethics in practise including issues around the need for ethics, the ethical dilemmas faced by practitioners and the role of the EIANZ in providing support for practitioners.
- 8 May 2009 Biodiversity Offsetting Workshop.
This workshop was organised by Ass Professor David Norton (University of Canterbury) assisted by Mark Pizey (Environmental Manager, Solid Energy NZ), Mark Christensen (lawyer, Anderson Lloyd Caudwell) and Dr Judith Roper-Lindsay (ecologist, Boffa Miskell Ltd and EIANZ Chapter member).
Key points to come from the talks and discussion:
- Biodiversity offsetting is beset with uncertainty – ecological, legal, and financial
- Accepted principles are being developed both globally (through BBOP) and locally (through case law)
_ Ecological uncertainty relates to: finding comparable habitats and places; long term ecological outcomes of proposed offsets; thresholds for determining losses that are not offsettable; establishing an agreed system for measuring habitat quality and quantity (in New Zealand); lack of certainty about current trends in NZ ecosystems
- Industry concerns relate to: clarity around offsetting requirements under Resource Management Act; possible need to gain control over proposed offset land; long term nature of ecological aspects of offsetting proposals.
- Policy/ legal uncertainty relates to: systems to protect and ensure that offsetting proposals are seen through to completion or achievement of objectives; long-term funding of proposals; lack of a nationally agreed system, framework, or set of principles; new market opportunities
Contact Us
Stephanie Brown by email at stephanie.brown@opus.co.nz or by phone at +64 3 363 5445.
ICM Orari River presentation (1.15Mb)- ICMP March 2010 flyer (490Kb)
- Motueka ICM Research Project (2.5Mb)
