Source: Environmental Protection Authority
At our Sharing Shed exhibit, we’re offering free haircuts from Jason Muir, a performance artist and hairdresser, in exchange for a chat about environmental protection, innovation and the future of the agricultural sector.
“We want to better understand the challenges facing the agricultural sector, the actions people are taking to protect the environment, and their vision for the future,” says the EPA’s General Manager Engagement, Paula Knaap.
“It’s everyone’s job to protect the environment, and the time to act is now – we can’t leave these challenges for future generations. Environmentally sustainable farming practices are part of the fabric of good farming business today and into the future. We’d love you to come and see us at Fieldays and help us to shine a light on the inspiring work and innovation that we know is happening in the agricultural sector.”
A key feature of our exhibit is a community science programme which provides insights into the diversity of life in local waterways.
Environmental DNA – or eDNA – is the tiny traces of genetic material left behind as living things pass through water or soil. It is a rapidly evolving technology that offers huge potential to inform environmental decision making.
Our Wai Tuwhera o te Taiao – Open Waters Aotearoa programme, set up in 2020, has enabled over 300 community groups, iwi, hapū and kura to test their local waterways using the eDNA toolkit. The groups can then use these findings to know more about the eco-system health of their waterways and advocate for their local environment, and find connection with science, technology and mātauranga.
This latest initiative sees us partnering with NZ Landcare Trust and Wilderlab to offer rural catchment groups across Aotearoa New Zealand the opportunity to undertake eDNA projects to establish baseline data on ecosystem health, compare sites, and track changes over time.
“This is a fantastic programme putting science and knowledge in the hands of our communities, empowering them to care for their environment. We are inviting visitors to Fieldays to come and learn more about this initiative – and about the new opportunities tailored towards rural communities.”
Visit our Sharing Shed in the main pavilion at site PC39 and PC41 from 30 November to 3 December.
