Nature and Business Symposium

Event Programme

DAY 1 – FIELD TRIPS

Date: Tuesday 13 August 2024 

Time: 12.15pm to 4.30pm

Choose one of four field trips upon ticket selection. 

Field trips are an optional extra, costing $75+GST (for bus transport and koha to our regeneration project partners). Capacity is limited. If the minimum number of participants isn't met, we may cancel individual trips, in which case you can get a refund or join another field trip if capacity allows. If the trips are cancelled due to extreme weather, you can choose a refund or donate your fee to nature. All field trips are 12:15pm to 4:30pm, starting/finishing at AUT City Campus.

Thanks to our wonderful regeneration project partners for hosting these special opportunities 

The Forest Bridge Trust

Location: Rodney

Project type: Landowner-led project

About the project: The Trust aims to inspire, support and resource people who own, occupy or manage land, to protect and enhance ecosystems and native species. This is done through fencing native forest, controlling invasive species, revegetating and restoring waterways.

Field trip: Visit the Mataia Restoration Project in Glorit on the Kaipara Harbour. See initiatives started more than 10 years ago to create safer corridors for taonga species to flourish. Hear from farm manager Jenny Hood how conservation work synergises with farm operations.  Hear from local hapū about the integrated efforts supporting iwi aspirations for Atuanui and surrounding whenua. Team members will talk about efforts to expand the local kiwi population. Get involved with some conservation activities such as five-minute bird counts, trapline checking and plant releasing.

Project partners:  Landowners, businesses, iwi, community, government, tertiary education

More Information: https://www.theforestbridgetrust.org.nz/

Te Pu-a-Nga Maara 

Location: South Auckland

Project type: Youth-led, mana whenua guided project

About the Project: The Te Pu-a-Nga Maara Taiao Rangers are at the forefront of taiao regeneration, engaging rangatahi (youth) in meaningful ways while reviving koorero tuku iho (ancestral knowledge) into their methodologies. They strive to regenerate local ecosystems and foster a profound reconnection between people and place. 

Field trip: Visit the Puhinui Regeneration Project, near Manukau. See an initiative to restore the lower Puhinui Stream catchment. Hear first-hand from the team that lives and breathes this revolutionary approach to landscape restoration. Also hear how partnering on the Puhinui Regeneration Project has enabled  Z Energy to achieve its nature restoration goals. Roll up your sleeves and get more native plants and trees in the ground.

Project partners: Whānau, hapū, iwi, community, corporate, SMEs, government, philanthropy, schools  

More information: https://www.tpnm.co.nz/

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Māia

Location: Ōrākei 

Project type: Iwi-led project 

About the project: Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei (NWO) Whai Māia was established in February 2013 to advance the cultural, social and environmental aspirations of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei including, but not limited to, the fostering of all aspects of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei tikanga, reo, kawa and kōrero.

Field trip: Visit Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei’s community garden in central Auckland. See initiatives to restore the site as a centre of mātauranga-led nature regeneration. It’s also home to a plant nursery and landscape gardening team. Hear from NWO about the significance of reclaiming and regenerating the Pourewa reserve for the hauora (wellbeing) of iwi and local community. Get involved with weeding and potting, planting in the garden, mulching, and releasing revegetated areas.

Project partners: Iwi, hapū, whānau, community, government, SMEs

More information: https://ngatiwhatuaorakei.com/

Te Hōnonga a Iwi

Location: North Shore

Project type: Business-led community sustainability project 

About the project: Te Hōnonga a Iwi aims to restore a 10,000m2 area using bio-organic principles to revitalise the land and the adjacent stream, making the park a place where biodiversity can increase and local people can go to connect with nature. 

Field trip: Visit Rosedale Park, near Albany. See a local urban ecological restoration project that has been running for three years and won multiple awards. Hear from a local leader about the uniquely contemporary approach to public land restoration. Hear how a local business has donated valuable time, energy and expertise through a meaningful partnership. Your contribution on the day could include, planting, plant protection, targeted weed removal, compost creation, seed bomb throwing or chicken fencing.

Project partners: Iwi, SMEs, community, schools, government, sports clubs

More information: https://www.restoringrosedalepark.org.nz

DAY 2 – PANELS AND WORKSHOPS

Speakers include Aotearoa New Zealand corporates and SMEs acting on nature, tangata whenua and not-for-profit leaders working closely with businesses to halt and reverse nature loss. Full list of speakers to be confirmed.

KEYNOTE SESSION

Indigenous knowledge and values for business nature action

Te ao Māori, the Māori worldview, highlights the interconnected relationship between all living species. Māori businesses are influenced by principles such as kaitiakitanga (guardianship), manaakitanga (hospitality, generosity, care and giving), and whakapapa (genealogy and intergenerational connections). This calls for businesses to act as responsible guardians, embracing sustainability and making decisions that prioritise people, planet, purpose and profit. This keynote address will showcase Māori businesses led by indigenous wisdom and values and the role these play in business nature action

PANEL SESSIONS

Panel discussion: Shifting from ambition to meaningful nature action 

There is an increasing awareness of the importance of nature for businesses. However, many organisations don’t know where to start, while others don’t know how to elevate their action for meaningful nature outcomes. This session showcases businesses taking credible nature action within their operations. Through their examples you will gain an understanding of how to implement impactful biodiversity and nature action in your business.

Panel discussion: The transformative role of collaborative action

Business plays a vital role in investing in on-the-ground restoration and regeneration projects. Collaborative action by all of society is fundamental for the transformational change required to halt and reverse the loss of nature. This session showcases partnerships between business, philanthropy, government, community and frontline projects to accelerate action, innovation and funding for nature regeneration.

Panel discussion: Nature journey integrity and governance principles

Facilitated by Robin Mitchell, Nature Positive

Our expert speakers will share real-life examples across a range of topics including: 

• How their nature action has been communicated externally and with their management, c-suite and boards
• How they applied their nature positive integrity principles, building claims to be proud of 
• Opportunities and challenges around implementation, including benefits of aligning with community and iwi priorities for restoration of natural capital and the difficulty of finding metrics to communicate with the diverse interested parties in business nature performance 

WORKSHOP SESSIONS 

These workshops will run concurrently.  Participants will be asked to select one at a later date. Workshops are not available to online participants.

WORKSHOP 1: Redefining your business’s relationship with nature

Facilitated by Nature Positive

Businesses across all sectors have a relationship with nature. Their operations or supply chains depend on nature and its ability to supply many valuable goods and services. Each business will have adverse impacts on nature, while many will be having positive impacts. Understanding and communicating these impacts provides an important perspective when creating and implementing a nature strategy to navigate the risks and opportunities. 

A nature strategy, employing nature-based solutions can support your business to reduce nature and climate-related risks from regulation and customer preference. Nature-based solutions can also count towards climate or nature mitigation targets.  Investing in nature as a solution has other co-benefits, including building trusted community relations based on common interest.

The Nature Positive team will take you through a hands-on workshop that will provide a basic understanding of how to start redefining the relationship your business has with nature.

WORKSHOP 2: Creating an action plan for nature

Do you want to take meaningful action for nature, but don’t know how to start implementing it? This workshop is aimed at supporting SMEs and landowners to create a plan to undertake meaningful nature action in business, or on the land they manage or own. 

The team will take you through an interactive workshop to develop your understanding of where you interact with nature. Then they will guide you through a series of steps to create a plan for nature action in your business. 

We will focus on nature-based solutions that support resilience, businesses' high level impacts and dependencies on nature, upskilling your team, investment in nature and co-benefits around climate and people from your actions. 

WORKSHOP 3: Partnerships and investment - we’re all in this together

Investing in nature often involves collaboration and partnerships between businesses, NGOs, tangata whenua, government agencies and local communities.

We hear businesses ask:

• What do good partnerships with tangata whenua and local communities look like?
• How do you know what a good project is to support?

We hear nature regeneration projects ask:

• How do you start a partnership with business?
• How do you effectively pitch to businesses for the investment you need to succeed?

This interactive workshop provides a rare opportunity to hear from leading businesses, philanthropic organisations, local government, NGOs, tangata whenua and local communities. Learn about their expectations, success measures and understanding of how to enter into successful and fruitful partnerships.

ASK THE EXPERTS 

During breaks in the programme there will be opportunities to sign up for a free 15-minute slot with one of the many nature experts at the Symposium. This is a chance to dive deeper into topics and ask questions. 

NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES 

There is plenty of time to network with other businesses, nature experts and nature regeneration projects throughout the day. This includes networking breaks, lunchtime stalls, networking drinks and short videos showcasing some of the best nature regeneration projects around Aotearoa New Zealand.

Please note, if you would prefer to pay via invoice, please email your name, organisation's address, and phone number to Jenny at jenny@sustainable.org.nz.

The Nature and Business Symposium has been made possible thanks to the generous support of our partners.