Theme: The Importance of Engaging Local Communities and Stakeholders to Increase Successful Adoption of New Technologies
Dates: 9-13 Sept 2018
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Venue: Isaac Theatre Royal, Gloucester Room, 145 Gloucester St, Christchurch Central
The practice of Extension and Knowledge Exchange:
Knowledge of best practices concerning wood resource use and forest management can be disseminated through informal education and training, often face to face and using onsite demonstration, and through participatory approaches. This practice of extension and knowledge exchange ensures the latest technology and information reaches the people who need to use it. Alongside extension, communities need to be engaged to ensure continuing social licence for forest-based activities.
Extension foresters aim to develop favourable attitudes toward, and desired capabilities for, forestry practices among the public, while also ensuring the requisite skills and learning needed by publics and land managers to plant and manage newly forested lands.
Forestry extension is therefore an important vehicle for expansion of forest resources. With many OECD signatories to the Paris Accord requiring dedicated emissions targets, there has been increased emphasis on forest expansion and protection of forests on both public and private lands.
Greater emphasis on forestry extension capability is required at national levels to meet these forest conservation goals, and assist in country-level tree planting targets, such as New Zealand’s 1 billion trees programme.
The annual conference serves as a forum for communications among extension forestry professionals worldwide.
Who should attend?
The organisers welcome participants from a wide range of background such as forest industry, science researchers, regional and government representatives, who have an interest in technology transfer. The conference will be of particular value for forestry consultants, forestry and farm extension officers, farm foresters, land use planners, forest conservation managers, parks and reserves staff, forestry researchers, academics in knowledge extension, technology transfer and advocacy roles.
Conference Outline (detailed conference programme further below)
Sun 9th Sept Welcome function & reception (late afternoon – early evening)
Mon 10th Sept – Day 1 Presentations
Tue 11th Sept – Day 2 Presentations, Deans’ Bush visit, Conference dinner at Riccarton House
Wed 12th Sept – Day 3 Field trip
Thu 13th Sept – Day 4 Presentations and UAV workshop
Fri 14th – Sun 16th Sept Optional post-conference field trip: Organized bus tour from Christchurch to Queenstown to visit and discuss various current forest related activities and topics in New Zealand.
Draft schedule:
Friday 14th Sept noon: Christchurch to Flock Hill/Craigieburn, overnight on Flock Hill station farm. Outdoor education centre, beech forests and wildings.
Saturday 15th Sept: Craigieburn to Franz Josef via Highway 6.
Sunday 16th Sept: Across Haast pass to Wanaka, arrive Queenstown by approx. 4 pm.
REGISTRATION FEES
Full conference registration (Sun 9th – Thu 13th Sept) – NZ$580.
The full conference registration package includes: welcome reception (Sun 9 Sept), attendance to all conference session and day field trip (Mon 10 – Thu 13 Sept), conference dinner, and day catering as indicated in the programme.
Day ticket registration – NZ$175
The day ticket registration includes attendance at all conference sessions on that day and day catering as indicated on programme.
Additional guest ticket to attend social functions – NZ$105.
This ticket includes the welcome reception on Sunday 9 September and conference dinner on Tuesday 11 September.
Post-conference Field Trip Registration (Fri 14th – Sun 16th Sept) – NZ$495.
The post-conference field trip registration for the organised bus tour from Christchurch to Queenstown includes travel, accommodation, breakfast and packed lunches. Limited availability (30 registrations).
REGISTER ONLINE – registrations due by 1 August 2018
Organisers:
IUFRO EKE Working Party and conference programme Coordinator: Janean Creighton (United States)
New Zealand IUFRO EKE conference local hosts and organisers: Karen Bayne and Annette Brockerhoff (NZ)
The venue:
More about Christchurch and surrounds
Accommodation:
The conference venue Isaac Theatre Royal is centrally located and there are several accommodation options available in walking distance nearby. For example,
4 – 5 star hotels (Rendezvous hotel, Ibis hotel, Quest Apartments, Crowne Plaza), 2-3 star lodging (less expensive) (Urbanz, Break free), or the YMCA backpackers. Early booking is recommended as Christchurch/NZ is a popular tourist destination.
Conference flyer including Agenda [last updated 29 August 2018]
Post Tour Flyer [last updated 15 June 2018)
Growing confidence in forestry's future 