Contact nzcoastalsociety@gmail.com if you would like an abstract considered
The New Zealand Coastal Society (NZCS) invites you to attend the NZCS Annual Conference being held at Trinity Wharf, Tauranga Moana over 15-17 November 2017. Through presentations and field trips, we plan to take full advantage of the coastal highlights, local culture and of course the hospitality, to make the conference both a learning opportunity and a memorable event.
This year’s conference theme is:
Changing Coasts | Papaki kau ana ng? tai o Mauao
The NZCS 2017 Conference is your annual opportunity to share knowledge across a range of coastal management topics and meet with peers from around NZ. The 2017 Conference theme Changing Coasts is supported by a local saying Papaki kau ana nga tai o Mauao, meaning the waves beat continuously against the rocky cliffs of Mauao (Mount Maunganui). This theme reflects the constant change of our coasts through coastal processes, biodiversity, climate, development and also geological processes as recently experienced in Kaikoura.
We are looking for a diverse group of presentations and posters that delve into issues related to our changing coasts and the understanding of the important relationships between the land and the sea.
The thematic areas listed on the next page encourage cross-disciplinary contributions from the broad range of practitioners and community members interested in New Zealand’s coastal environment.
We would also like to actively encourage submissions related to Maori coastal affairs and traditional aspects of coastal land use and resource management.
The conference will feature oral presentations as well as a poster session. We encourage you to think of how your proposed conference contribution can fit within one of these themes.
More information regarding the conference, schedule, travel, field trips and sponsorships will be added in due course to this webpage.
We hope to see you in Tauranga!
1. Adaptation to climate change
The issue of climate change and associated sea level rise is one of great concern and importance to coastal communities. The conference welcomes contributions discussing current efforts aimed at addressing and adapting to changes that may be brought on as a result of the changing climate.
2. Estuaries and harbours and their management
These water bodies represent the all-important link between land and sea, yet they often suffer from benign neglect since they are not strictly in the realm of either ‘coastal’ or ‘freshwater’ scientists, regulators or policy makers.
3. Balancing coastal development while protecting natural resources
The ecological importance of coastal and marine habitats and the need to develop protection measures is an emerging trend. While currently only 0.3% of our marine area is protected in reserves, it is the near shore areas that are coming under increasing pressures from the land and from people. As examples, this theme could include presentations on specific coastal conservation projects, catchment and harbour management, environmental protection frameworks and legislation in New Zealand or elsewhere, or the work of coastal community groups and trusts.
4. Managing across coastal and policy boundaries
The use of natural resources combined with other land and marine use pressures can interfere with the carrying capacity of coastal zone ecological and social systems. This theme explores subjects such as the competition for coastal space and the role of marine spatial planning and catchment planning. What are the scientific, engineering and planning inputs that we need to help shape decisions for coastal uses? What’s new through the Environment Court?
5. Coastal hazards and risk
Cyclones, tsunamis, winter storms, king tides, earthquakes, landslides, and liquefaction. What’s the risk?
6. Communities and our coast
This theme looks to examine and share how we can plan for a more resilient future and what communities need to enable them to be more aware of and adaptable to coastal issues. Possible subtopics include: urban development and coastal hazards (storms, erosion, flooding, tsunami and sea level rise) as well as direct anthropogenic hazards, such as oil spills, sediment management and water pollution.
In addition to the principal themes and subthemes, the conference organisers welcome submissions dealing with any aspect of coastal science and / or coastal studies.
