Meet the locals for Conservation Week

Conservation Week kicks off in Southland on Sunday and this year’s theme is all about meeting the locals.

Department of Conservation Communications officer Nyia Strachan said the aim of the theme was to encourage people to find out about what was going on in their local environment.

“It is to encourage people to get find out who, what and where their locals are,” Ms Strachan said.

“It is a great opportunity to inspire people to learn about local species and what makes them special, visiting local places to explore, learn and have fun as well as celebrating the local people who are out there working hard to protect Southland's unique natural environment.”

As part of Conservation week the Fiordland Conservation Trust, along with the Pomona Island Charitable Trust and DOC are working on removing stoats traps on Pomona and Rona islands, to make a safer environment for endangered and threatened birds.

Other events happening in the Southland region include a Kakapo encounter on Ulva Island, planting for Otatara’s Bushy Point Restoration project and the launch of the Southland Ecological Restoration Network’s website.

Green warriors will also be awarded to mark the end of Conservation week with the 2008 Southland Conservation Awards.

The awards honour people with a long standing commitment to conservation, that inspire others and that are volunteers in their community, Ms Strachan said.

“Nominations for the awards opened in May and we got nearly fifty nominations across the four award categories and we now have 14 finalists,” she said.