Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections March 2018 - 17

Annual Meeting 2018

lia. The connecting flight time from Christchurch to Dunedin
is 55 minutes.

Fieldtrips

Fieldtrips will be held on the weekend prior to the conference
and will include a range of options. Some of these options
will also be available the following weekend.
The Orokonui Ecosanctuary is the flagship biodiversity project for the South Island where multiple species of plants and
animals are protected from predators. A predator fence surrounds 307 hectares of Coastal Otago forest, pests have been
removed, habitat enhanced with weed control and planting,
and many rare and endangered species re-introduced.
The Royal Albatross Centre offers wildlife and cultural tours
of Taiaroa Head. Visit the world's only mainland breeding
colony of Royal Albatross, the historic Fort Taiaroa and see
the Little Blue Penguin colony at Pilots Beach. People come
from all over the world to enjoy the spectacular views on the
Otago Peninsula, the wildlife capital of New Zealand. With
its 20 km long harbour, Otago Peninsula is the home of an
abundance of magnificent wildlife.
Enjoy Monarc's fascinating Wildlife Cruise around Taiaroa
Head and the surrounding coastline of dramatic cliffs. We
will offer uninterrupted views of the only mainland nesting
place of Northern Royal Albatross in the world. Our skipper
will expertly manoeuvre the vessel whilst you watch the New
Zealand fur seals play and swim near their breeding colonies.
Out at sea you can spot rarely seen ocean birds including
other albatross species and petrels, and you may see penguins, dolphins and other marine mammals.
The Dunedin Botanic Gardens and the Department of Conservation have organised a day trip to get close to some of
Otago's unique habitats. The tour will travel west from Dunedin to the inland catchment of the Taieri River, stopping at
Sutton Salt Lake near Middlemarch on the way, and taking in
views of the majestic Rock and Pillar Range. From here, the

bus will travel inland to Macraes Flat, close to an active gold
mine. The tour will inspect the mid-altitude tussock grassland
and rocky tors prominent in this area and observe botanical
treasures that survive in a reserve near the mine.
Returning to the coast, the tour will stop at Tavora Reserve
on Otago's east coast. This is a coastal strip of reserve land
comprising sand dune and coastal (cliff) vegetation, where
significant restorative work has been done to protect and
enhance habitat for native flora and fauna.
Escorted by Dunedin Botanic Garden staff, the commentary
will be provided by Department of Conservation field officers.

Social Events

Social events will include the traditional icebreaker reception to be held in the atrium of the Otago Museum. A vendor reception, emerging museum professionals event and a
rendezvous at one of Dunedin's craft beer venues will also be
programmed. The conference banquet will be held on campus
at the University of Otago.
We look forward to seeing you in Dunedin.
Robert Morris, Local Organizing Committee Chair
Shelley James, TDWG Program Co-chair

March 2018 * 17

http://www.otagomuseum.nz/ http://www.otago.ac.nz/ http://www.tdwg.org/

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections March 2018