WCC 2016 Res 064 - Activity Report

ECO has pressed the connections between a healthy environment and healthy people and societies, and we have not been alone in this. The NZ Treasury, the Ministry for the Environment, Maori organisations and iwi (tribes), many health, recreation and community groups have done work in this area. One result of this is that we now have a national policy framework and a national well being budget. Within this framework, recognition of Maori rights and co-governance has become far more prominent and is being incorporated into policy, law and practice to a much greater degree than under previous governments. Mental health and engagement of people in the community in conservation is a significant part of this effort. Much of this has been led by community led organisations and an enlightened government. ECO's role has simply been to help articulate the ideas and to extend and endorse the work of leaders in this field.

With the benefit of the work on this area by others in IUCN, including those who developed the World Parks Congress, Sydney, ECO has picked up on the health and well being aspects of nature conservation, and in New Zealand, a good deal of social connectedness from community based conservation, ECO has inserted these ideas into a range of policy and funding discussions. We have worked in partnership on biosecurity and networking for nature with a variety of organisations. In BioSecurity 2025, hosted by BioSecurity New Zealand of the Ministry of Primary Industries, with the Department of Conservation, the Ministry of Health, Regional Councils, Te Tira Whakamatau - the Maori BioSecurity Network, the Dairy companies's organisation, The Port of Tauranga, various and a Government-Industry biosecurity agreement group. One result of this is the campaign to engage the whole New Zealand community as a biosecurity team and to connect the many networks on biosecurity.