The Christchurch Urban Restoration Workshop brought together some of the country’s brightest minds to discuss urban ecological restoration.

Co-hosted by the BioHeritage Challenge and the urban restoration research programme People, Cities & Nature, the workshop covered the latest information and ideas across many topics from native birds to urban farming and sustainable business.

Both organising parties are involved with interdisciplinary research and outreach to improve the quality of life, health and economic wellbeing in New Zealand’s cities and towns through understanding and enhancing our biological heritage.

The event was concluded with a special evening seminar from internationally recognised urban restoration expert, Professor Bruce Clarkson, who spoke about Bringing Indigenous Nature Back into New Zealand’s Towns & Cities.

Programme:

9.00am: Welcome & introductions
9.10am: Bruce Clarkson – Urban Ecological Restoration – the bigger picture
9.30am: Andrea Byrom – Empowering action for the protection of urban nature

9.50am: Morning break

10.20am: Colin Meurk – The long road from ‘extinction of experience’ to restoration
10.40am: Kiri Joy Wallace – A forest on our doorstep
11.00am: Nicholas Dickinson – Urban Soil Ecosystem Services
11.20am: Yolanda van Heezik – Green space, well being and biodiversity engagement
11.40am: Kelly Dombroski – Caring commons, cultivating commoners

12.00pm: Lunch

1.00pm: Eva Collins – Making Nature Your Business
1.20pm: Nige Cottingham – Biodiversity, urban nature, ecological restoration
1.40pm: Ana Teixeira – Port Hills post-fire recovery
1.55pm: Georgia Sharp – Effects of Management on Biodiversity in Riccarton Bush
2.10pm: Julia Rambacher – The Styx Living Laboratory Trust: A river care group
2.30pm: Evan Smith – Natural Restoration of the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor
2.50pm: Jon Sullivan – Counting wild nature in cities with iNaturalist NZ

3.10pm: Afternoon break

3.30pm: Mike Bowie – Plants, people, pitfalls & pests
3.50pm: Laura Molles – Where to from tūī?
4.10pm: Andrew Crossland – A New Dawn (Chorus) for Otautahi/Christchurch
4.30pm: Hamish Fairbairn – Conservation Volunteering
4.50pm: Day programme wrap up

7pm: Professor Bruce Clarkson: Bringing Nature Back into Towns and Cities