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Island Invasives: Eradication and Management Conference

Registration is now open 

Please read all the details below before proceeding to the secure registration page via the link at the end of this page.

The conference will be held at Tamaki Campus, University of Auckland, New Zealand, from 8 to 12 February 2010, hosted by the Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity (University of Auckland & Landcare Research), in collaboration with the IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group.

The conference will continue, and expand on, the theme of the very successful conference held in 2001 – Eradication of Island Invasives.

We have received an excellent number of abstracts for both oral and poster presentations. Our draft conference programme may be viewed or downloaded from this link.

Oral presentations will be 15 minutes with additional time for questions (times to be confirmed in November); Read or download further details on Oral Presentations
Poster presentations must fit on one 2m high by 1.2m wide panel. Read or download further details on Poster Presentations.

The conference is intended to bring together people from around the world and from all aspects of the conference themes. Activities and discussions which help these people to share their knowledge, experiences and future work will be encouraged.  Satellite meetings before and after the conference will be encouraged; field trips are arranged as part of the conference.

For the conference we will continue to have “islands” and “eradication of invasive species” as the focus, with emphasis on the work done and results or learning achieved. The conference will endeavour to cover the full breadth of this work and this may be broken down to:

To present this to conference participants we propose to organise the days into general sessions presenting eradication actions, and five themes:

All people who make a verbal presentation at the conference are required to supply a publishable paper prior to their presentation. 
People who choose to make a poster presentation may publish their paper in the conference proceedings.  Read or download this pdf file for author instructions.These will be assembled to create a Proceedings of the conference. There will be space for poster papers and the authors of those papers may choose to publish in the conference proceedings.

Note: The term ‘eradication’ includes complete removal of an invasive species; work to remove invasive species where complete eradication is some time away but the methods used are achieving positive results; or providing a significant learning experience. The term ‘island’ includes true islands, natural habitat islands (e.g. ponds), remnant and artificial habitat islands (e.g. reserves), or new invasions of natural ecosystems where eradication is deemed feasible.

Information for Registrants

Total conference attendance is limited to 300 people and numbers on each field trip are also limited.  Early registration is recommended if you wish to attend the conference and be on your first choice field trip.

Location

The conference will be held at Tamaki Campus of the University of Auckland.  Registration will be in the Seminar room in the Population Health Complex. 
Conference addresses and presented papers will be in Lecture Theatres 722 and 732.  Download a campus map here.

Outline (draft) of the Conference Week:

     Monday, 8 February
          Morning            - Registration. 
          Late morning     - Opening Addresses 
          Afternoon         - presented papers
          Evening            - 5 to 6pm – social gathering.
     Tuesday               - all day, presented papers.
     Wednesday          - all day, field trips.  Six options as listed below.
     Thursday              - all day, presented papers. 
          Evening            - Conference Dinner at Waipuna Hotel.
     Friday
          Morning            - presented papers. 
          Early afternoon  - closing addresses.

The Full Conference Registration

The fee is NZ$545.00.  This includes attendance of all presentations, the Monday evening social and a copy of the conference proceedings.
Field trips and the Conference Dinner are optional extras.

The Student Conference Registration

The fee is NZ$495.00 (proof of student status may be required). This includes attendance of all presentations and the Monday evening social. This does not include a copy of the conference proceedings.
Field trips and the Conference Dinner are optional extras

Field Trips     An optional extra.  NZ$95.00

NOTE:  The number of people that can be accommodated on each field trip is limited as noted in each trip description below. On the registration page you need to show your choice of field trips in priority order.  Times and locations of departure and return of each field trip will be with your tickets. Our caterers will provide a packed lunch for each field trip participant.

Tiritiri Matangi Island - limited to 80 people
Tiritiri Matangi Island is located 30km north east of central Auckland and just 4km from the end of Whangaparaoa Peninsula. The Island is one of New Zealand's most important and exciting conservation projects.  120 years of farming saw this 220 ha island stripped of 94% of its native bush but between 1984 and 1994, volunteers planted between 250,000 and 300,000 trees.  The island is now 60% forested.  The remaining 40% will be left as grassland for species such as the takahe.
In conjunction with this planting programme, all mammalian predators have been eradicated and a number of species of threatened and endangered birds have been successfully introduced. Nowhere else in New Zealand can you readily walk amongst so many species in such significant quantities.  A day visit to Tiritiri can include a guided walk by one of the volunteer guides.  It is a wonderful way to learn something of the history of the island and to see and hear the many rare species of birds which are so abundant in the regenerating bush.  There is also a Visitor Centre on the island with a display which chronicles the history, a shop (all proceeds go back to supporting the island) and free tea and coffee available. 
Visit www.tiritirimatangi.org.nz/ for more information.

Ark in the Park - limited to 60 people
The Ark in the Park is a predator-controlled sanctuary of approximately 1200 ha contiguous with a major forest 25km to the west of Auckland City. It is a project of the Waitakere branch of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society in partnership with the Auckland Regional Council. Hochstetter’s frog, long-tailed bat and peripatus are examples of uncommon indigenous taxa at the Ark in the Park site. Primarily by volunteer efforts a grid pattern of bait stations has been established such that rodents and possums are maintained to very low levels and a network of traps control mustelids and cats. Monitoring before and after management has shown increases in bird counts and invertebrate numbers and, starting in 2004, several species of bird not resident for over a century have been re-introduced (whitehead; North Island robin; hihi; with kokako scheduled late 2009).

Walks through both original old growth kauri forest and secondary mixed podocarp forest will give opportunities to see the control and monitoring measures and the possibility of seeing one or more of the re-introduced species.
Visit www.arkinthepark.org.nz  for further information.

Rangitoto/Motutapu islands - Sorry, now fully booked with 50 people

Tawharanui Regional Park - limited to 36 people
This field trip will take participants north of Auckland to visit the Skywork Helicopters base and Tawharanui Regional Park. Skywork www.skywork.co.nz/  has considerable experience with aerial baiting work.  A tour of the base will be followed by a demonstration of how helicopter buckets and equipment are calibrated. 

This will be followed by a visit to Tawharanui Regional Park, www.arc.govt.nz/parks/our-parks/parks-in-the-region/tawharanui/ a 588 ha regional park administered by the Auckland Regional Council.  This park has a 2.5km pest-proof fence and integrates recreation with conservation and farming.  Short talks will be given by ARC staff, Xcluder Fencing Company, and TOSSI, Tawharanui's volunteer based supporters group.

Maungatautari Restoration Project - limited to 80 people
Visit Maungatautari and experience the world’s largest restoration project based on the total eradication of all introduced pests and predators from 3400ha of indigenous forest.  This community based project is now in the process of restoring the forest to as close as possible its pristine condition prior to human habitation of New Zealand 800 – 1000 years ago.  The reintroduction of many of New Zealand’s iconic species has begun and will increase rapidly over the next few years.

This forest is now protected by a predator-proof fence to enable native flora and fauna to flourish. The project is in its formative stages; however, there are a number of varied and enjoyable walks on well-formed tracks.  There is also a 16m high viewing platform in the southern enclosure at Pukeatua providing spectacular views of the forest canopy.  Check www.maungatrust.org for further information.

Biosecurity - limited to 12 people
A visit to parts of the biosecurity management facilities at Auckland Airport, Auckland Harbour and the Department of Conservation island supply base.

Conference Dinner  An optional extra.  NZ$95.00

A buffet style menu with some wine included.  Cash bar available.  Doors open 6.30pm for 7.30pm dinner.  You are welcome to bring a partner or guest and there is space on the registration page for a name and payment.  A location map will be with your tickets when you arrive at the conference.

Public Transport

The Glen Innes train station is only a few minutes walk from Tamaki Campus.  Go to www.maxx.co.nz or call 366 6400, or text 3666, 7am to 8pm, for timetables and get times for the Eastern Line.  Buses are also available – from the City take the Remuera Rider (No 625).

Car Parking  Note the parking areas on the campus map.

Accommodation
For information on accommodation in Auckland please check out the following websites:
http://www.aatravel.co.nz/new-zealand/Auckland_Accommodation.html
http://www.tourism.net.nz/region/auckland/accommodation/

Further Information

If you wish to know more or be put on the email list for direct information about the Island Invasives Conference please contact Dick Veitch, phone +64 9 298 5775, email dveitch@kiwilink.co.nz and advise him whether you wish to be a presenter or participant.

You can now proceed to the secure registration page: https://www.conferenceregistrations.auckland.ac.nz/ei/rs.esp?id=141&scriptid=ACCESS

Eradication of Rabbits from Islands

The Australian Invasives Animals Cooperative Research Centre (www.invasiveanimals.com ) is hosting a workshop focusing on improving the efficiency of rabbit eradications on islands, 4-5 February 2010 in Christchurch NZ (the week before the Island Invasives: Eradication and Management Conference in Auckland).

The aim of the workshop is to bring a group of rabbit experts together to pool knowledge - to discuss what has worked and not worked with eradications, to agree on priority research that would help, and to discuss the NZ Department of Conservation's draft 'Current agreed best practice for rabbit eradication'. The proceedings from the workshop will be published by the CRC.

'Helping Islands Adapt' workshop

In addition to the Island Invasives: Eradication and Management Conference, a second international meeting focused on invasive species is also being held in New Zealand in April 2010. Hosted by the New Zealand Government in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and the Secretariat for the Convention on Biological Diversity - as well as other international agencies, the 'Helping Islands Adapt' workshop will:
- showcase lessons learned from regional collaboration across the Pacific,
- demonstrate how invasives species management can act as a cost-efficient form of ecosystem based adaptation to climate change;
- provide an opportunity for exchange of experiences across regions, and
- identify next steps to increase and strengthen regional and global collaboration to address the critical threat posed by biodiversity loss as a result of invasive species

The workshop is designed to help strengthen and mobilise capacity on islands across the globe to address the threats posed by invasive species. Participation will be limited to 60 representatives from regions with demonstrated interests in increasing collaborative action on their invasive species challenges (including the Caribbean, Europe/Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and the Pacific), as well as potential donor agencies.

For more information contact:
New Zealand Department of Conservation
Nicola Scott, Tel: +64 (4) 4713.197; Email: nscott@doc.govt.nz
or The Nature Conservancy
Laura Whitford, Tel: +61 (7) 3214.6917; Email: lwhitford@tnc.org

This page was updated 5 October 2009.