Diverse interests in birds
Kaka (Nestor meridionalis)
The focus groups and their participants were selected to cover the range of current and potential interests in birds and bird monitoring.
It is not surprising, therefore, that the expressed interests and values underpinning them are quite diverse.
Different groups and individuals may also have a range of overlapping interests in birds. Thus, the following categories of the key interests and “positions” of the participants should not be regarded as mutually exclusive nor stereotypical of a particular set of stakeholders.
For community groups, citizen volunteers and scientists, and iwi groups the following were common:
- a hobby or recreational interest, especially in birdwatching and participating in bird surveys etc;
- as part of local or regional environmental conservation, protection and restoration or advocacy efforts and programmes;
- a way of increasing stakeholder and public awareness and involvement in environment and conservation;
- to assess the state of traditional game and food resources.
For science professionals and professional biodiversity managers the following were important:
- to evaluate the performance and impacts of conservation and environmental restoration programmes, projects, and policies.
- to advance our knowledge of birds and the environment
- a means of personal advancement or achievement (such as in publishing scientific papers or photographs, or receiving the admiration of others);
For biosecurity managers and professionals:
- to identify threats to the environment or biodiversity or related problems requiring treatment or intervention;
- to evaluate the performance of pest control and threat management activities.
For primary producers, land and resource managers:
- to check on the health of production systems such as farms, orchards, plantation forests etc
- as part of project, land use, or resource management auditing and compliance, such as for resource consents, industry certification etc.
For government policy advisers etc
- to enable State of the Environment reporting against international and national standards and obligations
- to ensure compliance with statutory responsibilities.