Tēnā koutou ki te whanau,

Nga mihi o te ra. 

The Executive Committee has been busy at the start of the year. 

Over the month of February we have run a series of wananga around Aotearoa for the Aotearoa Landscape Guidelines.  The authors, Gavin Lister and Rachel de Lambert, Alan Titchener presented at the workshops.  Nine locations around the country were visited – Christchurch, Queenstown, Auckland, New Plymouth, Nelson, Wellington, Tauranga, Napier and Whangarei.  Altogether almost 150 members attended the workshops and we received wide ranging feedback from across the profession.  In general the feedback was very positive and our members were pleased to see the workshops tour around the country.  The Landscape Guidelines and background documents are available in the Members document library. 

Feedback is due on the guidelines on 23 March.  Please get your feedback in early as that will give the authors more time to consider and respond to it. 

A huge thanks again to the authors, Gavin and Rachel, Alan Titchener and Te Tau a Nuku, the Peer Review group, those that helped with organising the workshops, including Julia Wick and those in the Branches around the country and those members that have already provided feedback on the guidelines.  We are looking forward to the updated version after feedback and considering the guidelines for adoption at the 2021 AGM in Tauranga on 5 May.             

We had an Executive Committee meeting in Queenstown on Friday 26 February.  It was a fairly full agenda and we covered a lot of ground: 

·       The Landscape Guidelines workshops
·       The 2021 Resource Management Review
·       2020 Election results for the incoming Executive Committee and President in May
·       2021 Conference in Tauranga
·       Introduction of Presidents’ Awards that will be presented at the President's Evening
·       Creation of the NZILA Advocacy Panel
·       2020 Registration results and Registration handbook review
·       Fellowship nominations and the review of the Fellowship and Life Member policies
·       Adopting the 2021 Budget
·       2022 Awards

It was good to be in the room together again to discuss the mahi of the Institute before the changeover to the new Executive Committee in May in Tauranga. 

The organisation of the 2021 NZILA Firth Conference - Radical Reorientation Te Rangitāmiro is going well.  This is going to be another quality conference for our members in May 2021 in Tauranga.  Make sure you register for the Conference. 

The Landscape Foundation book Kia Whakanuia te Whenua – People Place Landscape has also been released.  Landscape Foundation Chair Dr. Diane Menzies, says global issues such as biodiversity loss, water pollution and worldwide adverse effects on habitat have led to a global call for action - a change in how we perceive, relate to and care for our whenua. You can order copies from the Landscape Foundation web site before they hit the bookstores by April 2021.  The book launch is being held at Unitec on 4 March.  Order your copies through the Landscape Foundation.

I have been reminded again recently of the importance of having proper offer of service and contract documents in place when undertaking our professional services work.  Without a common understanding with our clients of timeframes, fees, outputs and conditions of engagement, we leave ourselves at risk of disputes with clients.  Make sure you have appropriate paperwork in place as your begin a new project.         

Stay in touch and look after each other.  As always, let me know if there is anything you would like to discuss.   

Mā te wā,
Brad