Sustainable Business NetworkNature & Business Symposium 13th and 14th August 2024
Day 1 – The Field Trip
On Tuesday 13th August some of our team were delighted to welcome 20 delegates of the Nature & Business Symposium to a field trip, before the city-based event at AUT on 14th August. This was a unique opportunity to demonstrate the alignment of our Forest Bridge Trust vision with the broader mission of sustainability and ecological restoration. Our visitors, representing a diverse array of businesses and organisations—including Westpac, Naylor Love, Mercury, Miraka, Ospri, Merkle, and Auckland Council—were given a firsthand experience of the impact of conservation work at the grassroots level.
The afternoon began at the beautiful Mataia Homestead, generously hosted by Jenny and Shane Hood. They shared how the Mataia Restoration Project synergises the integration of conservation efforts with farm operations, exampling an inspiring commitment to holistic environmental stewardship that enhances the ecological integrity of our landscapes.
Doug Poland, from Poland Motors, spoke about the mutual benefits of working together with The Forest Bridge Trust. His story is a testament to how The Forest Bridge Trust has helped promote his business locally, as well as helping conservation in his local community, contributing to a shared value of community-led conservation and collaboration.
After a speedy snack, thanks to Hamish at Puhoi Valley Cheese, our guests were guided through a native bush walk. Our Forest Bridge Trust team Matu, Tris, Elena, Emma, and Alex engaged with our curious delegates, showcasing our hands-on approach to environmental education and the importance of predator control in safeguarding native species like the kiwi.
Alex introduced our guests to predator control and trap setting, sharing his passion and wealth of experience, and using the magnificent location to explain how essential this work is for the kiwi population. There was great interest in the different types of traps used for different species, and such a bonus when the in-situ traps produced their bounty as real proof!
The delegates ventured further into the native bush, where Matu shared insights into ecological monitoring and conducted a 5-Minute Bird Count. His expertise captivated the group, and he was able to talk into our commitment to empowering communities through knowledge sharing and capacity building.
Tris’ efforts in ensuring a safe return along the muddy path beautifully exampled for our delegates the grit and resolve it takes to do this work in the field and overcome challenges in our pursuit of a thriving natural environment.
Day Two – Auckland City
Emma and Karen attended the AUT based symposium event on Wednesday 14th, where we met up with our new friends from the previous day – and met many more further strengthening our partnerships within the business and environmental sectors. Unloading the stuffed pest creatures for our stall at 8am on a busy Auckland street drew a lot of interest from passers-by!
The opening and welcome by Ngāti Whatua Ōrākei, and keynote speaker, Te Horipo Karaitiana from Miraka, set the scene to explore throughout the day how indigenous knowledge and values contribute to business nature actions. Helen Paul-Smith of ŌKU New Zealand provided insights in her presentation into how mātauranga Māori principles remain at the heart of her successful B Corp certified business, resonating with our strategic goal of embedding indigenous wisdom into our conservation efforts.
The diverse lineup of speakers curated by the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) showcased how nature and business are increasingly intertwined, with “nature” outcomes now recognised as crucial to the bottom line. The presentations from companies like L’Oréal, Bennetto Natural Foods, Westpac, and Kōkako inspired a reimagining of business possibilities, echoing our aspirations of fostering resilience and sustainability across sectors.
A special thanks to the SBN team for allowing us the opportunity to showcase the work of The Forest Bridge Trust, creating space for our stall and our stuffed pests—which drew significant interest. We look forward to building on these connections and collaborating on our shared goals in the year ahead.