Peatlands, wetlands and freshwater: Connecting science and planning

Planners can’t be experts in everything, although our role often means that we need to grow our broader knowledge of all the elements in our environment. We’ve brought together a group of experts who know about something that’s really important to all of New Zealand – freshwater and soil ecosystems.

Our upcoming panel discussion on Peatlands, Wetlands and Freshwater will outline why these things are all so important and how planners can help to address the threats that they face. Our panellists are:

• David Campbell is an Associate Professor in Earth and Environmental Sciences at The University of Waikato. He will share his extensive knowledge of peatlands.
• Annabelle Coates has more than 10 years’ experience as a consulting ecologist and environmental scientist and will discuss what planners really need to know about wetlands.
• Kate McArthur is an independent consultant with 20 years of experience in water resource management and has been appointed by the Minister for the Environment as a Freshwater Commissioner. Kate will focus on rivers and lakes.

Aimed at all planning and environmental practitioners, this is an exciting learning opportunity. This lunchtime webinar will be facilitated by Emily Grace and will include a Q&A session at the end. Join us for this important discussion to help make the connection between science and planning.

Presenters;

Annabelle Coates ; Senior Ecologist; MSc MEIANZ CEnvP

Annabelle has more than 10 years’ experience as a consulting ecologist and environmental scientist. She has worked across many aspects of ecology and environmental science, with a particular emphasis on freshwater and estuarine areas.

Annabelle has worked throughout New Zealand, and has prepared assessments of ecological values and effects, undertaken research, provided expert review and provided expert ecological evidence for various projects, from stream realignments, to roads and bridges, to residential and on farm development. She regularly works with engineers, planners, clients and stakeholders, to ensure a project is designed for increased ecological values.

David Campbell; Associate Professor; Environmental Science

David Campbell is an Associate Professor in Earth and Environmental Sciences at The University of Waikato. He has researched Aotearoa's distinctive peat-forming wetlands from an ecohydrological and carbon balance perspective, with a focus on their resilience to a warming climate. Stepping across the farm drain, he works with colleagues to quantify the impacts of peatland drainage on land surface subsidence, carbon loss and greenhouse gas emissions, and is contributing to efforts to improve New Zealand's national GHG inventory for these "organic soils". Finding ways to mitigate the enormous emissions of CO2 from peatlands drained for agriculture is currently a focus of collaborative research alongside Irish researchers.

Kate McArthur; Freshwater Expert at KM Water

Kate McArthur is an independent consultant with 20 years of experience in water resource management. She has a background in freshwater ecology and natural resource management and has worked as a senior scientist for regional councils. She has a deep interest in tangata whenua relationships with water and the environment and works with iwi Māori to develop water frameworks and cultural assessment tools.

Kate is President of the New Zealand Freshwater Sciences Society, a member of the Resource Management Law Association, leads national education programmes in freshwater science and policy and has been appointed by the Minister for the Environment as a Freshwater Commissioner. Kate is also an experienced and accredited RMA Hearings Commissioner with Chair endorsement. She is a guest lecturer in environmental science, resource management practice, and water policy at Massey and Canterbury Universities.