News
NZES submission on the proposed changes to the Resource Management Act
Read the NZES submission on the proposed changes to the RMA (31 March 2013). There is no public hearing on the proposed changes to the RMA.
NZES Submission Improving Resource Management March2013.pdf
NZES Strategic Plan
Council recently completed Five Year Strategic Plan for the New Zealand Ecological Society. Council identified three key areas of activity required to meet the Society’s core objectives: Membership benefits, engagement and communication, and governance. The plan identifies specific actions within the three key areas of activity that are required to ensure the NZES is operating in a manner consistent with its purpose and meeting its objectives. The strategy will provide a road map for the next five years that can be passed from the present NZES Council to future councils. The document can also serve as a work plan to help keep progress on track and justify expenditure that it is clearly in line with the strategic direction and/or has been planned for. It is a living document and will be updated as required. The strategic plan will operate in conjunction with the NZES Science Communication Strategy 2007-2017.
NZES Science Communication Strategy
"Communicating the results of scientific research by NZES members and their peers is essential to ensure the application of [that] ecological knowledge". Read our Science Communications Strategy 2007-2017 online now to see how we as ecologists, can contribute towards communicating, promoting and raising awareness of ecological research, values and understanding.
Lincoln NZES conference 2012
The last NZES annual conference held in Lincoln during the last week in November 2012 was a huge success. For more information visit the conference webpage: http://www.nzes.org.nz/events/conference-2012
MEDIA RELEASE
“Politicians and lobbyists wrong to question national biodiversity crisis” says NZ Ecological Society
The NZ Ecological Society at its annual conference at Lincoln University this week confirmed Dr Mike Joy’s assessment of the state of New Zealand’s environment.
While the landscape may look green, the state of New Zealand’s environment is in anything but a good state. And the countries indigenous biodiversity is in a critical state. Practically all indicators show that New Zealand’s environment is in a steady state of decline as a result of human modification, the impact of invasive species and environmental change such as climate change. The condition of the majority of New Zealand’s waterways has deteriorated, the number of threatened native species continues to rise and the ecological condition of a large proportion of New Zealand’s forests, dunes and wetlands is known to be deteriorating.
“Politicians are entitled to their opinion but the evidence is compelling about the state of New Zealand’s environment” says Mel Galbraith, NZES President. “New Zealand’s ecological scientists provide the research to describe and explain what is occurring in New Zealand’s ecosystems and waterways” he says.
What they have discovered, and presented at this weeks national ecological conference at Lincoln University, highlights major problems ahead for the New Zealand environment especially indigenous ecosystems.
“We know that most New Zealanders regard their environment as a precious resource. We also know that “Mum and Dad investors” and many farmers want their natural environment to be protected because our economy is so intrinsically linked to the environment,” says Galbraith.
“It is sad that the government is choosing to attack individuals, such as Dr Mike Joy, rather than listening to what is being said about the ecological problems facing New Zealand and providing sufficient resources to remedy the situation.” Maintaining a robust state of the environment reporting methodology will go some way to ensuring accurate information is available about changes in the NZ environment.
The NZ Ecological Society is the country’s largest non-governmental organisation devoted to ecological research in New Zealand and is holding it s national conference this week in Lincoln.
ENDS