Programme Manager’s Report

Working Bee

Credit: Picton Dawn Chorus

Tēnā koutou katoa

The past year has seen us take significant steps towards achieving the vision of the Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Strategy, despite the huge disruptions of a global pandemic.

Programme Manager Erik van Eyndhoven

I want to firstly acknowledge the stellar efforts of Kelly Stevens as the immediate past programme manager of the Alliance. Working alongside the excellent leadership of the Alliance Co-chairs, David Johnston and Martin Rodd, Kelly provided the drive and coordination that helped the Alliance navigate the setup phase including delivering the Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Strategy, ecosystem health scorecards, as well as the scoping and stand-up of the hugely significant Te Tauihu Jobs for Nature investments. We are very grateful for the momentum that Kelly has helped generate for the Alliance.

In this report you’ll hear about the many amazing projects underway that are helping to restore te Taiao across Te Tauihu.

The Jobs for Nature programme has allowed us to significantly scale-up environmental work across our project area, but perhaps more importantly it has demonstrated how we can help people and nature at the same time, which is a core tenet of our mahi. The Alliance continues to build on our platform for landscape-scale collaboration. While we need to focus on successful implementation of our existing projects, we also need to keep our eyes on the horizon. We need to explore the synergies across our projects and opportunities to scale up the aspects that deliver greatest impact over space and time. Ultimately, we must strive to manage our projects and business-asusual functions as an integrated programme of work, rather than a simple collection of projects. This includes the work of the Alliance partners themselves, as well as aligned work from those looking to deliver related outcomes.

Waimeha / Waimea Inlet Credit: Erik van Eyndhoven

Communications is a critical part of this, and we have made important strides to build our communication channels and tell our stories in a voice that honours the intent of the Alliance.

Our ePānui and this annual report are all part of our efforts to increase the visibility of the Alliance’s mahi and provide linkages for further collaborations. Regular hui for leads of our major environmental projects in Te Tauihu have also demonstrated the benefits of a more connected way of working, with a focus on sharing knowledge and opportunities. We continue to scope new projects to bring into the Kotahitanga mō te Taiao programme. This has focussed on high-value areas, as well as rohe-wide initiatives that can really shift the dial on conservation impact. This includes work to provide for landscapescale control of invasive wasps, through exploring alignment with the Wasp Wipeout programme and wasp biological control. Scoping work is also underway for the hugely significant Wairau Lagoon and Blue Carbon (natural carbon sequestration in marine/estuarine systems) has exciting potential to help fund coastal restoration activity. But perhaps the most important Kotahitanga mō te Taiao mahi for our year ahead will be our planning work. We are currently considering a process to refresh the Strategy and complete full Conservation Action Planning using The Nature Conservancy’s Conservation by Design 2.0 framework. This work will ensure we are well-aligned with other relevant global, national, and local strategies and will provide a clear plan for our collective action. Through this analysis and planning we will have a much clearer understanding of where we can have greatest impact and the pathways to deliver it. It will also provide a basis for engaging organisations outside of the current Alliance. The job is simply too big for the Alliance to deliver alone, and we will need to explore wider partnerships with those who have a restorative vision. The year ahead is full of promise, and I am excited to be able to welcome Debs Martin in as the new Programme Manager for the Alliance, starting in late January 2022. Debs has a deep understanding of the conservation opportunities and challenges in Te Tauihu and brings extensive networks with her to the role.

I’ll continue to support Debs and the Alliance as the primary link in The Nature Conservancy and look forward to our mahi for the years ahead.

Ngā mihi nunui

Erik van Eyndhoven

Rotoiti

Credit: Dr Jen Skilton