Scaling Up Conservation in the Southern Lakes (EP32 with Paul Kavanagh, Southern Lakes Sanctuary)
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The Queenstown Lakes District is one of the most spectacular places on Earth - a picturesque landscape of mountains, lakes, and remote valleys where nature still feels wild.
But beneath the beauty lies a conservation challenge: around 40 native species in the region are threatened or at risk of extinction.
For decades, local communities have stepped up to protect these landscapes and wildlife, powered by volunteers putting in the hard yards. Now, Southern Lakes Sanctuary is helping to take that effort to the next level, supporting the mahi of six long-running conservation groups representing nearly 100 projects, landowners, businesses and hundreds of volunteers across 198,000 hectares, with plans to scale to 850,000HA over time.
In this episode, CEO Paul Kavanagh pulls back the curtain on what happens when communities get the backing they need: skilled staff, smart tech, and funding that lets them go further together.
From self-resetting traps to eDNA monitoring and beyond, this work is helping species like kea and mōhua return to the landscapes they once called home.
Takahē, once declared extinct, now roam the Rees Valley again - a testament to what’s possible through collaboration.
It’s a story of people, progress, and pragmatic action, showing how skilled professionals and passionate locals can work hand in hand to protect Aotearoa’s wildlife at scale.
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How six established conservation groups joined forces to form Southern Lakes Sanctuary
Managing volunteer fatigue by adding professional support to complement volunteer-led mahi
Expanding predator control from 6,400 to 13,000+ traps and removing more than 70,000 introduced animals
Why measuring biodiversity outcomes matters more than counting traps and the role of robust monitoring
Threatened species management across the project area
The critical role of sustainable, long-term funding and partnerships with business and philanthropy
How AI-enabled, self-resetting traps and live mesh networks are transforming remote predator control
The importance of working in urban and peri-urban areas as well as the back country
And much more…
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Paul worked as a field biologist in Ireland, having graduated with an Honours degree in Zoology from University College Dublin. He moved to NZ from Ireland in 2009 to further his career in conservation. Paul was General Manager of the Kiwi Birdlife Park, a wildlife park dedicated to preserving some of Aotearoa’s unique native species, for over 12 years before his appointment to his role as CEO with the Southern Lakes Sanctuary.
About Southern Lakes Sanctuary:
Southern Lakes Sanctuary is one of New Zealand’s most ambitious conservation projects - a vast, community-driven effort to protect endangered native species and reconnect wild ecosystems: from alpine peaks to braided rivers. The Southern Lakes Sanctuary is an umbrella organisation for a consortium of six local groups representing 100 community groups, landowners and businesses, and supporting hundreds of volunteers. Together, they’re shaping a future where wildlife and wild landscapes thrive.
🔗Learn more:
Website: www.southernlakessanctuary.org.nz
Report Takahē Sightings: www.southernlakessanctuary.org.nz/takahe-sightings
Instagram: www.instagram.com/southernlakessanctuary
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SouthernLakesSanctuary
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The People Helping Nature podcast is brought to you by Conservation Amplified, a registered New Zealand charity.
We are on a mission to help make conservation mainstream by amplifying the awesome stuff people are doing to help nature all around Aotearoa New Zealand.
Because when people are aware, connected to the ecosystems around them and care enough to take positive action, only then will we see lasting change.
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