Join B+LNZ’s Catchment Group e-Forum Series with experts

// Freshwater

You’re invited to Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Catchment Group e-Forum series held in February, March and April 2022. Hear from experts about the legalities of catchment community groups, how to tell your story and maintaining momentum. Learn more and register here.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) presents the Catchment Group e-Forum series which pulls in experts around the country in an online forum where catchment members can learn about legal advice, rural storytelling and maintaining momentum as a group.

Following on from last year’s success, the online forum gives catchment group members or anyone with an interest the opportunity to hear from experts and ask questions. 

Tom Orchiston, B+LNZ’s Environment Capability Manager – South Island says, “These virtual sessions are a fantastic opportunity for catchment leaders, coordinators and members to learn something new from experts and feed this back to their groups in order to keep progressing towards their goals.”

“We asked farmers and catchment groups to tell us what they wanted to learn about most in a social media poll which led to the three topics chosen for this series.”

The series topics and speakers

1) The legalities with Norris Ward McKinnon

Tuesday 15 February, 12–1pm.

This session will cover the different formal structures catchment groups may consider using and the advantages and disadvantages of using a formal structure. 

It will also include a discussion on responsibilities for those involved in formal structures and include a Q&A session with Barbara McDermott and Chris Steenstra from law firm Norris Ward McKinnon.

2) Telling your story with Sally Rae and Rowena Duncum

Tuesday 15 March, 12–1pm.

This session will cover telling your catchment story and will include advice from our experienced panelists Rowena Duncum (The Country) and Sally Rae (Otago Daily Times) on how to get the best from different media sources and how best to engage with the media and your audience.

3) Maintaining momentum with farmer expert panel

  • Tuesday 12 April, 12–1pm

Join our panel of catchment group leaders to discuss how to keep momentum within a group. They will provide some background as to how their groups have evolved, what has and hasn’t worked for them and the elements that help a group set a good vision.

About B+LNZ’s Catchment Community programme

The Catchment Group e-Forum series is a part of B+LNZ’s Catchment Community programme designed to support farmers in taking a leadership role to establish or run catchment groups. 

For more information, visit B+LNZ’s Catchment Community programme webpage.