For many careers, purpose doesn’t extend much beyond cashing in the payslip.

For Michelle Impey, she’s lived a career of purpose for 20+ years.

As CEO of Save the Kiwi, Michelle has led the organisation’s evolution from a one-person funding distributor to a national team delivering measurable conservation outcomes for our national icon, the kiwi bird.

In this episode, we talk candidly about building a career with purpose - the trade-offs and rewards, the culture that keeps people for decades, and how business skills like fundraising, operations and communications can drive real impact alongside fieldwork. You don’t necessarily need an ecology degree to help; you need intent, passion and persistence.

Michelle also outlines the NZ conservation sector’s evolution. From early research into Kiwi decline and DoC sanctuaries, to the community-led and iwi-led movement, Predator Free 2050, new technologies, and Save the Kiwi’s own incubation and crèche programmes - this is proof that collaboration can turn the tide for Aotearoa’s wildlife.

Here are some of the key topics we discussed:

• Lessons from 20 years leading and growing a conservation charity
• How New Zealand’s kiwi recovery efforts have evolved
• What leading a purpose-driven organisation really looks like day to day
• Blending business skills with conservation outcomes
• Applying entrepreneurial thinking to conservation challenges
• Advice for anyone looking to start or transition into a purpose-driven career
• Finding your place in conservation - from volunteering to leadership
• Why culture and long-term commitment matter in meaningful work
• And much more…

👩About Michelle:

For more than 20 years, Michelle Impey has been the CEO of Save the Kiwi, an organisation that’s on a mission to grow kiwi to abundance across New Zealand. Save the Kiwi works alongside iwi, conservation groups, and the Department of Conservation to raise awareness about the plight of the kiwi, how important the species is to New Zealand’s national identity, and what Kiwis can do to help their namesake.

During her 20+ years in this role, Michelle has witnessed the explosive growth of iwi- and community-led kiwi conservation initiatives, which have in turn created more kiwi-safe habitat all over the country and a greater collective desire for kiwi to return to places where they once thrived. Michelle works tirelessly to ensure kiwi remain at the forefront of New Zealand's consciousness, reminding everyone around her that one person taking small action can lead to monumental change.

🔗Learn more:

• Website: www.savethekiwi.nz
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/savethekiwinewzealand
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/savethekiwinz
• LinkedIn: ww.linkedin.com/company/save-the-kiwi

🎙️Learn more about the podcast at www.conservationamplified.org

What happens when one of the Bay of Plenty’s most degraded catchments becomes a restoration success story?

In the 90s, the Te Mania Catchment was a major source of sediment flowing into the Tauranga Moana, with a stream health of 2/10. The stream flowed through Pukekauri Farm, managed by Rick Burke and the Seddon family. And they decided to do something about it.

They began their journey of environmental restoration at the same time as redesigning the farm to maximise productivity. Today, after 25+ years of riparian fencing, wetland restoration, pest control and assisted native regeneration, the same waterway scores a remarkable 9/10.

By slowing water with wetland sponges, planting steep erodible hillsides and stream edges back into native forest, and learning from mistakes like “wrong tree, wrong place,” Rick and, more recently, his brother John proved how ecological health and farm profitability go hand in hand.

Returning 25% of their land to nature didn’t hold them back - it made the farm easier to manage and more profitable.

But John’s message goes further. In a paper proposing reforms to the primary sector, he calls for a unified Aotearoa farm plan - linking on-farm restoration to catchment outcomes, avoiding greenwashing, and ensuring NZ’s global brand is built on verified ecological health.

Here are some of the key topics we discussed:

• The journey John’s family went through in restoring their farm
• The 1970s/80s incentives that led to clearing vast areas of native forest and how farming culture has evolved
• The red zone vs blue zone mindset for farmer wellbeing and productivity
• How ‘kitchen-window projects’ are a great way to start small to build momentum
• The major problems with environmental weeds and why whole communities must get involved
• The Tīmata method as a way to plant native forest for a fraction of the cost
• Assisted natural regeneration and rebuilding soil and fungal biomes
• Linking farm outcomes to NZ’s export story and avoiding greenwashing
• Catchment groups as anchors for resilience and community wellbeing
• John’s paper and the case for a unified Aotearoa farm plan
• And much more…

🧑‍🦱About John:

John Burke’s career spans roles as farmer, orchardist, agri-business consultant and environmental manager. He is passionate about economic and practical farming practices and restoring the health of waterways. John’s aim is to share his experience of improving water quality and achieving positive balance in rural communities.

🔗Learn more:

• John’s Paper: https://www.wai-kokopu.org.nz/john-burkes-paper/
• Wai Kōkopu: https://wai-kokopu.org.nz
• Project Parore: https://projectparore.nz
• Community Catchments Aotearoa: https://www.cca.nz/
• Tiwaiwaka: https://www.tiwaiwaka.nz

🎙️Learn more about the podcast at www.conservationamplified.org

Nature doesn’t stop at the fence-line, so why should conservation?

Throughout Aotearoa, catchment groups are changing the conservation narrative. Farmers, foresters, iwi and communities are working together at landscape scale - proving that when landowners are given structure and support, they become powerful custodians of nature.

The results ripple well beyond any single farm gate. From 6,000-hectare predator control projects to riparian planting that cools streams, this work flows from the headwaters to the moana, making towns more resilient to cyclones, waterways healthier, and ecosystems more connected.

But catchment groups are more than conservation alone. In remote communities, they’re taking on roading contracts, generating local jobs, and providing disaster resilience - building social fabric as well as ecological health.

In this episode, Sam “The Trap Man” Gibson shares how catchment groups evolve, what they need to thrive, and why their growth could be one of the most important shifts in Aotearoa’s conservation story.

Here are some of the key topics we discussed:

• What catchment groups are and how they’ve grown in NZ
• Why bipartisan political support makes them unique in the conservation landscape
• How incentives work better than penalties in driving on-farm change
• Kiwi surveys on dairy farms sparking wider ecosystem restoration
• Cyclone Gabrielle recovery as proof of community resilience
• The role of paid coordinators in keeping groups alive and thriving
• Catchment groups as job creators and anchors for rural communities
• How catchment groups combine into catchment collectives, achieving conservation and resilience at regional scale
• How this movement ties into Predator Free 2050 and climate resilience
• Sam’s documentary Think Like a Forest and the vision of Recloaking Papatūānuku
• And much more…

👩About Sam:

Sam/Hamiora Gibson (better known as Sam the Trap Man) is a trapper, conservationist, communicator, and community leader. Through roles with NZ Landcare Trust, Mountains to Sea, and regional councils, he has spent years supporting and establishing catchment groups throughout New Zealand.

With over a decade of experience spanning DOC, Goodnature, and community-led projects like Eastern Whio Link, Sam has designed predator control networks, coordinated large-scale conservation initiatives, and helped rural communities turn their aspirations for biodiversity and resilience into action.

🔗Learn more:

• NZ Landcare Trust: https://www.landcare.org.nz
• Sam’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sam_the_trap_man
• Sam’s Facebook: https://ww.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050646522100

🎙️Learn more about the podcast at www.conservationamplified.org

When a child says, “Mum, I did something to save the planet,” something shifts - not just in the home, but throughout the local community.

In this episode, we’re joined by Sally Clegg from Trees for Survival, a long-running, school-based programme that’s growing the next generation of environmental changemakers.

Through hands-on reforestation projects, school children are cultivating native seedlings and planting them on retired farmland to stabilise eroded hillsides and restore the edges of waterways. In these places, native trees filter water, anchor soil, and kickstart habitat recovery.

It’s not just about getting plants in the ground. This programme brings conservation into the classroom, giving teachers the tools to connect science, biodiversity, and climate learning with something their students can touch and feel.

Sally shares powerful stories of kids asking big questions, moving landowners to tears, and inspiring parents to act. Some go on to study horticulture or take up conservation careers. Others simply grow up knowing they can make a difference - and that’s where real change begins.

If every school in Aotearoa New Zealand planted 800-1000 trees a year, what kind of future could we grow?

Here are some of the key topics we discussed:

• How Trees for Survival began through Rotary and a global call to protect the planet.
• What makes a planting site ideal for both students and environmental impact.
• How students' views about the value of native trees shifts throughout the programme.
• Real stories of curiosity-led learning, spontaneous karakia, and intergenerational influence.
• What’s expected of landowners, and how many go above and beyond to support student success.
• How Trees for Survival tracks long-term impact.
• How the Ministry of Education could help to scale it nationwide.
• And much more…

👩About Sally:

Sally has worked for the last decade with Trees for Survival, playing an integral part in its evolution from a volunteer organisation to one with a stable funding base. She has worked in a range of roles from seed collection to school shade house deliveries and as a facilitator for the Franklin schools, which has given her a unique perspective on this educational environmental programme.

She views increasing the awareness and appreciation of Aotearoa’s native trees through practical learning and empowering teachers and students as a key strength of Trees for Survival. Sally is continually working to make the programme even better.

🔗Learn more:

• Website: https://www.tfsnz.org.nz
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/treesforsurvival
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treesforsurvivalnz

🎙️Learn more about the podcast at www.conservationamplified.org

“People are the absolute silver bullet to this whole predator-free thing.”

Dan Henry didn’t set out to lead a movement. But when he and a friend began handing out rat traps around their suburb of Miramar, something clicked. No committees. No red tape. Just a simple idea people could say yes to.

Predator Free Miramar was born.

Over the following 6 years, that idea helped turn an entire urban peninsula in Wellington into a predator free zone - strengthening not just local biodiversity, but the social fabric of the community itself.

What started with backyard trapping is now a network of volunteers working alongside Predator Free Wellington to hold the line and push the vision further.

Motivations varied. Some wanted more birds, others just needed a good night’s sleep. But the outcomes stacked up: healthier homes, new friendships, and stronger community resilience.

From Darryl’s quiet leadership in social housing to trap boxes built in garages, this is conservation powered by trust, action, and momentum. As Dan puts it, “If the people want this badly enough, the pressure will come on and the politicians will listen and it will be funded.”

So if you think conservation only happens in the bush, think again. Urban centres are key to a predator-free Aotearoa. And every person counts.

Here are some of the key topics we discussed:

• How a simple backyard trapping idea grew into Predator Free Miramar.
• The importance of keeping things simple and fun to build long-term momentum.
• What it takes to build trust and participation across a diverse urban neighbourhood.
• Stories of unexpected local champions.
• The broader impacts of backyard trapping.
• Why mindset was important to achieve predator-free status.
• The ongoing challenge of keeping Miramar peninsula rat-free.
• Why urban neighbourhoods are key to a predator-free Aotearoa.
• Tips for starting backyard trapping in your own community.
• And much more…

🧑‍🦱 About Dan

Dan Henry is the driving force behind Predator Free Miramar, an initiative he co-founded in 2017 aimed at eradicating introduced predators from the peninsula. Under Dan’s leadership, this community project has blossomed from a small group of dedicated trappers to a thriving network of over 1,000 households, successfully removing more than 10,000 predators and allowing native wildlife to thrive.

Dan’s hands-on approach includes personally delivering traps, training residents, and hosting community events, which has fostered a strong sense of shared purpose and pride among locals. His efforts have led to a remarkable resurgence of native bird populations and increased sightings of wildlife like mokomoko (lizards) and wētā. Working alongside Predator Free Wellington, Dan and his team of volunteers have not only eliminated rats from the Miramar Peninsula – a world first in an urban environment – but they have successfully maintained that predator-free status for more than a year.

🔗Learn more:

• Predator Free Miramar Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/PFMiramar
• Dan’s Predator Free Resource: www.pfw.org.nz/site/assets/files/1329/predator_free_miramar_-_how_to_kill_rats_and_engage_a_community.pdf

🎙️Learn more about the podcast at www.conservationamplified.org

Commercial pine forests and kiwi conservation: contradiction or opportunity?

“We know kiwi are happy to live in commercial forests. And we know that of New Zealand's landmass, I think it's something like 7% of that landmass is covered in commercial forests of some description.”

That’s about 1.8 million hectares of a largely untapped habitat many people overlook!

In this episode, forestry specialist Craig Balsom from Save the Kiwi explains the sometimes surprising role New Zealand’s pine plantation forests can play in kiwi conservation.

Craig shares how Save the Kiwi and forest owners are working together to map kiwi presence and train harvest crews on how to detect kiwi sign. He also highlights how some forestry companies are already doing a great job with predator control efforts and strict dog management rules within their estates.

Alongside these efforts, updated guidelines and a new research project are helping to answer tough questions about how modern harvesting impacts kiwi today.

Craig also addresses how working with industry comes with risks, especially the danger of greenwashing: “We step into these spaces, only if we know that the people or the company (...) that we're partnering with are being open and honest and transparent about what they're wanting to achieve and why they're wanting to achieve it.” That means doing due diligence and choosing partners carefully.

If we balance it right, pine forests could significantly increase kiwi habitat in Aotearoa and complement traditional conservation efforts.

Here are some of the key topics we discussed:

• When it was discovered that kiwi live in pine forest.
• Current practices around keeping kiwi in plantations safe.
• Why forestry companies are motivated to support kiwi conservation.
• New research into how modern harvesting affects kiwi.
• How well-managed pine forests can complement conservation efforts.
• Examples and case studies.
• Potential greenwashing issues.
• And much more…

🧑‍🦱 About Craig

For the past two years, Craig Balsom has been working with forestry companies as Save the Kiwi’s in-house forestry specialist. With almost 30 years’ experience in commercial forestry, Craig has been able to utilise his industry knowledge to assist Save the Kiwi in encouraging and supporting more pine plantations to embrace predator management.

A key focus has been providing updated forestry guidelines for plantation owners and managers. Pine plantations offer a significant untapped resource for kiwi with a multitude of fauna. Craig has been championing the effective use of the infrastructure that companies already have in place (particularly access roads and personnel) to make the most of a fantastic biodiversity opportunity for an industry that is often seen as having a poor environmental impact.

Craig (Ngāti Hei) has also prioritised engaging iwi and the shared kaitiakitanga that is fundamental to the Save the Kiwi kaupapa.

🔗Learn more:

• Website: www.savethekiwi.nz
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/savethekiwinewzealand
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/savethekiwinz

🎙️Learn more about the podcast at www.conservationamplified.org

“I hold hope for the future of kea in that they are smart and adaptable birds, but we really need to act to help them on their way.”

And it takes a special kind of people to do exactly that: you need equal parts physical endurance, technical mountaineering expertise, and adaptive problem-solving in some of Aotearoa’s most challenging environments.

Picture this: walking a thousand metres straight up alpine terrain with tramping packs loaded with camping gear and scientific equipment. Then spending days catching and banding kea, or triangulating radio signals with directional aerials through unmarked backcountry to locate a single nesting female. This is the reality behind the data points that drive kea conservation.

In this episode of the People Helping Nature Podcast, Lydia McLean from the Kea Conservation Trust (KCT), takes us behind-the-scenes and reveals what really happens in the rugged reality of alpine conservation fieldwork.

KCT’s projects range from nest survivorship studies, where motion-activated cameras reveal what's happening around individual kea nests, to understanding entire population trends. Through collaborative trials with DOC and Ngāi Tahu, KCT also supports the testing of breakthrough predator control methods that could transform how we protect kea.

This hands-on approach proves that protecting the world's only alpine parrot requires innovation matching their intelligence - and demonstrates why understanding the realities on the ground is essential for effective conservation at scale.

Key topics discussed:

• What a typical day of kea field work looks like.
• The diverse range of projects KCT leads and supports.
• Differences between eastern and western kea populations.
• How kea are threatened by predators.
• The importance of landscape-scale predator control.
• Testing a new method of using 1080 and why it’s needed.
• How to report your kea sightings and get involved.
• And much more…

👩About Lydia:

Lydia (PhD, MSciComm, BSc) began working with kea in 2017 after deciding to put her tramping and mountaineering experience into conservation. Her PhD focused on kea foraging behaviour and diet to better understand how to protect them from traps and poisons intended for predators. She now works for DOC in Fiordland as well as managing the KCT’s field programme in the Southern South Island.

🔗Learn more:

• KCT’s website: www.keaconservation.co.nz
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/keaconservation
• https://newzealandecology.org/nzje/3599
• https://www.jstor.org/stable/26775032
• https://newzealandecology.org/nzje/3341
• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03014223.2021.2021249

🎙️Learn more about the podcast at www.conservationamplified.org

New Zealand's most intelligent native bird is at risk of fading away, despite being highly visible around tourist hotspots.

Kea, the world's only alpine parrot, captivates hearts and minds with their vibrant personalities and remarkable intelligence comparable to that of a four-year-old child.

These charismatic birds skillfully navigate harsh mountain environments, yet face a range of threats pushing their population to dangerously low levels - just a few thousand individuals spread across 3.5 million hectares.

In this episode of the People Helping Nature Podcast, Tamsin Orr-Walker, co-founder and chair of the Kea Conservation Trust (KCT), explains how these birds were decimated by a century-long bounty that killed 150,000 kea and continue to struggle with introduced predators, lead poisoning, and harmful human interactions.

"There was a perception that kea were doing well, that they didn't have any problems," explains Tamsin. But evidence gathered over the last few decades proves that this is far from reality.

KCT's work encompasses a wide range of activities, including removing toxic lead from old buildings, nest monitoring, research, advocacy, and more.

Through community partnerships and targeted conservation efforts, Tamsin and her team are working to ensure these remarkable alpine parrots continue to soar throughout the South Island’s mountains for generations to come.

Here are some of the key topics we discussed:

• Fascinating kea facts.
• The shocking history of humans hunting kea.
• The devastating impact of stoats and feral cats on kea populations.
• Why lead poisoning from old buildings is as deadly as predation.
• KCT’s inspiring efforts to protect kea from the many threats they face.
• The scientific and conservation importance of having a captive population.
• The "Keep Kea Wild" pledge that KCT is developing.
• What not to do when you’re in kea country.
• How to report your kea sightings and contribute to their conservation.
• And much more…

👩About Tamsin:

Tamsin is co-founder of the Kea Conservation Trust and has been the Chair since its inception. Tamsin manages the Trust’s day to day operations and coordinates KCT’s projects and partnerships. She was appointed a MNZM for services to kea conservation in 2020 and represents the KCT on the Kea Recovery Group.

🔗Learn more:

• KCT’s website: www.keaconservation.co.nz
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/keaconservation
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/keaconservation

🎙️About the podcast:

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.

Listen in and follow us to start or deepen your journey.

Find out more about Conservation Amplified at www.conservationamplified.org.