Save the date for our 2019 Symposium:
August 12—13
 Ngā mihi o te tau hou! I hope your summer break has been restful and warm. This year is an exciting one for Our Land and Water, with our research teams due to complete their work by June. We're looking forward to bringing you more of their results, papers and reports over the year.
We're also looking forward to kicking off our second phase of research in July — read more about how to get involved below.
What better way to begin our second phase than with our 2019 Symposium, August 12—13. Join us to hear about some key outcomes from the first stage of Our Land and Water research, what we're planning for the second stage, and some lively panel discussions.
Further information will be made available on our website and via this newsletter in the coming months. Meanwhile, please block out these dates in your calendar:
Our Land and Water Symposium 2019
August 12 - 13
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington
Add to your calendar: Apple | Google | Outlook | Outlook.com | Yahoo
This year's Symposium venue, Te Papa, is a significant choice. We have partnered with Te Papa to contribute to Te Taiao | Nature exhibition, opening mid-2019, as part of our public outreach programme. The interactive exhibition segment on freshwater helps visitors to Te Papa make links between water quality and land use.
This partnership contributes to 2 strategic areas in our Capacity for Transition research theme, which aim to grow public understanding of land and water science and kaitiakitanga.
We hope you'll attend our Symposium at Te Papa and take some time to look around the impressive Te Taiao | Nature exhibit while you're there.
Ngā mihi nui,
Ken Taylor
Director, Our Land and Water National Science Challenge
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Get involved in our research
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Our Land and Water has a clear vision of a future in which catchments contain mosaics of land uses that are more resilient, healthy and prosperous than they are today. Are you interested in working with us?
Lines of enquiry for Phase 2, 2019–2024
The lines of enquiry prioritised as the first wave of research programmes for Phase 2 of the Challenge will work towards the following outputs:
- Land use suitability tools that are nationally tested and verified with stakeholders, supporting a mix of land uses that have their productive potential quantified, and deliver better outcomes than currently.
- A visualisation tool that helps land managers, and policy and land-use decision-makers, understand the opportunities and implications associated with their land use practices and choices.
- Innovative new production systems are developed with stakeholders that yield food and non-food products that are valued by consumers.
- Market-oriented collaborative value chains are developed that fairly reward sustainable land use practices.
- An online register of actions to improve water quality will be in use by individuals and communities to restore catchments.
- Guidance for decision-making processes will reflect deeper understanding of social and cultural values, and promote a wider sense of ownership in land use decisions.
Who we are looking for
Over the next few months, teams will be established to help us co-design our first wave of research programmes.
We already have some people lined up to initiate the development of these lines of enquiry, but they will need help from beyond their own networks. We’re looking for a wide range of skill sets so we can build the right teams. Teams may include researchers, farmers and growers, and representatives from industry bodies, environmental groups, regional government and others who are committed to supporting our mission.
The following skills or knowledge are important to the Challenge:
- mātauranga Māori
- science excellence
- implementing science
- science communication / science in society
- project management
Individuals from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in science and research are encouraged to register, as are early-career researchers. Potential applicants should be familiar with Our Land and Water's strategy, strategic areas (see diagram above) and draft programme logic.
Register your interest
If you are interested in joining a research team, please complete the Registration of Interest form.
Submit your application by 28 February to ourlandandwater@agresearch.co.nz.
Key dates
- Call for Registrations of Interest released: 31 January
- Registrations of Interest close: 28 February
- Individuals will be notified of the outcome by: 15 March
- Shortlisted individuals will be invited to attend a workshop in late March
- Selected teams will participate in co-design processes through to June 2019, and may have an ongoing role in the research programmes.
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Grow 2019
Our Land and Water has partnered with Grow 2019: Boma NZ Agri Summit, a 2-day event in Christchurch (April 10—11). We share a common goal: to help Aotearoa’s food and fibre sector become more innovative, sustainable, collaborative and profitable, now and into the future.
We're intrigued by the line-up of international speakers and impressed by the 'brain trust' guiding development of the event. Te Hono and Blinc Innovation have stepped up to help attendees identify supportive pathways and networks for action after the event.
Speakers are still being recruited. We encourage you to nominate yourself or someone else to grow understanding of the science driving the adaptations and transformations required.
Use the OLW discount code to buy your ticket at half-price: OLWNetwork
>> Find out more
>> Buy your discounted ticket
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Overseer review
A report on whether Overseer is fit for purpose in a regulatory context was published in December 2018 (read it here). The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment recommended a comprehensive independent review of the model before it becomes New Zealand's official measure, and suggested the owners make the software open-source.
Our Land and Water chief scientist Rich McDowell, one of the reviewers of the report and also a contributor to the model’s development, was quoted in a few media stories:
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BERG report
The report of the Biological Emissions Reference Group, released in December, may be of interest (download PDF here). Newsroom published a good summary.
Of relevance to Our Land and Water, the report describes the results of land-use change modelling to increase forestry and horticulture, and the social impacts that could arise.
The group also looked at whether changes to land use to improve water quality would decrease overall emissions. It found that meeting existing requirements for freshwater management could reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions by up to 4%, and land-use change to forestry as a result of the Freshwater NPS could sequester carbon equivalent to approximately 14% of agricultural emissions.
The group also released a number of background reports that may be of interest, such as the Analysis of Farmer Decision Making (download PDF).
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Next Generation Influencers in the media
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Next Generation Influencers is a one-year programme funded by Our Land and Water to develop the capability of influential, innovative future leaders.
- In December, NGI participant Alex McCall’s Squawk Squad web app was recognised as 2018’s top social enterprise innovation by Idealog magazine.
- In January, NZ Geographic profiled NGI participant Lisa McLaren (pictured) and her work with the Generation Zero organisation, which resulted in the government’s proposed Zero Carbon Bill.
- Lisa McLaren also had an opinion piece published on Stuff in January.
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Pūhoro STEM Academy graduates
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Our Land and Water is a proud primary sponsor of the Pūhoro STEM Academy, a mentoring and support programme for Māori high school students who are interested in science, technology, engineering or mathematics careers.
The 97 founding students that joined the programme in 2016 graduated from high school at the end of last year. An impressive 87% of these students have decided to pursue tertiary studies at degree level at universities around New Zealand. Ka mau te wehi! (Awesome!)
The programme has been running three years, and currently has over 550 students across three regions, from year 11 to first year university. It is now the most comprehensive indigenous STEM programme in the world.
There are 46 schools and hundreds of students on the waiting list to participate in the Pūhoro STEM Academy. The Academy welcomes contact from potential partners and sponsors.
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Our top social media posts
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Will stage two of Canterbury's massive irrigation scheme encourage producers to diversify their land use? This in-depth article takes a look at the science, and the hopes of those on the ground.
>> See on Facebook
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Hey beef and dairy farmers, here's a new high-value idea for you. Big in New York, they say... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
>> See on Facebook
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This is a great story about how one scientist restored his childhood wetlands in Peru, using a micro-nano bubbling system and biofilters made from clay. Unfortunately it's unclear whether the source pollution has been reduced and if this result is sustainable long-term.
>> See on Facebook
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Farmers with steep erosion-prone land, or those keen to diversify, will be interested in the manuka trial at Tutira, Hawke's Bay. High grade manuka honey was produced in the very first year, with 1 sample reaching medical grade straight from the hive.
>> See on Twitter
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