Host Agencies

University of Waikato

The University of Waikato / Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato, celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2004. It now provides around 205 qualifications to a student population of approximately 13,500, of whom more than 5,500 complete a qualification annually. Its quality Hamilton campus environment, with grounds covering an area of 65 hectares, continues to be a source of community pride.

The University adheres to the concept of a university education that is, by definition, research-led. Through sustained research intensity and the attraction of high levels of external funding from public sector and industry sources, the University aims to maintain a highly competitive research profile. University staff participate in a wide range of research consortia, clusters and multi-institutional research teams, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

The University fosters a culture of internationalisation, measured through the diversity of its student and staff profiles, the support and celebration of that diversity, a long-standing pride in its reputation for pastoral care of international students, and the measures taken to promote international influence.

The University departments supporting this conference are the Departments of Biology and the Centre for Biodiversity and Ecological Research, Economics, Geography, Tourism and Environmental Planning, and Political Science and Public Policy. These departments contribute to an interdisciplinary programme in resource and environmental planning and have research and teaching strengths in various aspects of conservation.

Department of Conservation

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is the government department charged with conserving New Zealand's natural and historic heritage for all to enjoy now and in the future.

To achieve this ambitious goal, the Department undertakes a range of activities with a particular emphasis on:

Expanding Biodiversity Effort
The Department works to stop the decline of New Zealand's indigenous biodiversity by managing a range of threatened species and ecosystems, and by working to increase the effectiveness of its interventions.

Minimising Biosecurity Risks
The Department works with other Crown agencies to defend our borders and to contain and eradicate new pest and weed arrivals, with a particular focus on managing threats to native species and ecosystems.

Increasing Emphasis on Historic and Cultural Values
The Department works to restore, maintain, protect and interpret sites of historic and cultural importance on public conservation land.

Promoting Appropriate Recreation and Increased Public Enjoyment of Protection Places
The Department aims to foster recreation and make the areas it manages accessible for the public to enjoy and appreciate.

Engaging the Community in Conservation
Effective conservation depends on public support. The Department works to increase conservation outcomes by developing partnerships with the community.

Promoting Effective Partnerships with Tangata Whenua
A uniquely New Zealand approach to conservation depends on a Māori perspective being incorporated into conservation efforts. The Department seeks to work in partnership with the tangata whenua associated with each place that is managed.

Improving our Capability
To be a successful conservation manager, the Department needs to continually develop its capability, such as by providing staff training, placing a strategic focus on scientific research, and keeping up with technological innovation.