Thriving cities: Reweaving ecology, culture and community
What makes a thriving city? Join our monthly Webinar series to explore the path to thriving cities in Aotearoa New Zealand by examining research from the People, Cities & Nature team on:
Urban planning and design for biodiversity
Cultural partnerships for urban restoration
Protecting wildlife and managing pests
And uncovering microbiomes in the soil and air that can impact human health.
This event brings together researchers, practitioners, and communities to share knowledge and explore urban ecological restoration and design in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Urban birds
This is a three-part webinar series exploring how we can plan and design cities in Aotearoa to better support biodiversity, presented in collaboration with the Aotearoa BiodiverCity team (Aotearoa BiodiverCity).
The opening session sets the scene for Aotearoa BiodiverCity, an initiative exploring how biodiversity can be better integrated into the design, development and management of urban environments. Dr Danielle Shanahan and Professor Claire Freeman will discuss what will happen to nature in New Zealand cities under a business as usual scenario, and how urban planning and design can help create healthier, greener and more biodiverse places.
Webinars 2 will introduce the New Zealand Biodiversity Factor, a suite of freely available online tools to evaluate biodiversity across urban development projects, from individual buildings and residential subdivisions to industrial sites, to help you enhance your design’s performance for people and for nature.
Webinar 3 introduces the Aotearoa Design for Urban Biodiversity Guide, which offers a new approach to designing buildings, neighbourhoods, and urban environments that support biodiversity. Grounded in the Aotearoa context, the guide provides a practical design process, principles, strategies and case studies to help integrate biodiversity into architecture and urban design. This webinar introduces the free online guide and explores how the built environment can contribute positively to thriving urban ecosystems.
Together, the three webinars will provide valuable insights and practical resources for ecologists, architects, landscape designers, planners, local government professionals, developers and researchers working towards more sustainable, biodiverse cities.
Sign up below to receive information about upcoming Webinars.
Previous Events
Presenters: Professor Nicky Nelson (Victoria University of Wellington), Dr Chris Woolley (Zealandia) and Diana Methner (PhD student at Victoria University of Wellington)
Date: 27 August 2025
Urban lizards
This Thriving Cities webinar explored the challenges and opportunities of conserving urban lizards in Aotearoa New Zealand. Dr Chris Woolley discussed how lizard populations are impacted by land development and gaps in legal protection and planning. Professor Nicola Nelson and PhD candidate Diana Methner highlighted issues with current mitigation translocations and the need for stronger evidence and consistency in habitat enhancements. Together, the speakers called for better monitoring, early planning, and shared knowledge to improve outcomes for urban lizard conservation.
Use the link on the right to view the webinar recording. Or download the Q&A Resource answering all the questions from the webinar - even the ones we didn’t have time for in person.
Urban Lizards Webinar
Q&A Resource
Presenters: Professor Stephen Hartley (Victoria University of Wellington) and Tamara Encina (Victoria University of Wellington)
Date: 27th August 2025
Predator control in urban environments
This webinar explored predator control in New Zealand cities with Professor Stephen Hartley and PhD researcher Tamara Encina-Becker. Drawing on Predator Free Wellington case studies, they demonstrated biodiversity gains for wētā, fantails, and lizards, alongside challenges like rising mouse populations, offering practical lessons for urban restoration and planning.
Use the link on the right to view the webinar recording.
Urban Predator Control Webinar
Presenters: Professor Bruce Clarkson (University of Waikato) and Sera Gibson (Taranaki Mounga)
Date: 1st October 2025
Case Study of Māori-Led Restoration
Explore how urban ecological restoration in Aotearoa is guided by Kaupapa Māori principles. In this Thriving Cities webinar, Sera Gibson and Professor Bruce Clarkson share insights from the Taranaki Mounga project—empowering iwi, integrating Mātauranga Māori, and restoring connections between people, place, and biodiversity across urban and landscape scales.
Use the link on the right to view the webinar recording.
Māori-Led Restoration
Presenters: Dr Kasey Kiesewetter (University of Waikato) and Dr Craig Liddicoat (Flinders University)
Date: 29th October 2025
Microbes in urban restoration
This webinar explores the role of microbial communities in urban ecosystem restoration. Dr Kasey Kiesewetter (University of Waikato) presents research on how soil microbiomes change across restored and unrestored sites in New Zealand cities, while Dr Craig Liddicoat (Flinders University) discusses links between soil biodiversity and human health. Hosted by Rachel Nepia for the People, Cities and Nature programme, the session examines how microbial diversity influences ecological recovery and resilience in urban environments.
Use the link on the right to view the webinar recording.
Microbes in Urban Restoration
Presenters: Dr Kiri Wallace (University of Waikato & Eco-Index) and Dr Andrew Barnes (University of Waikato)
Date: 25th of November 2025
Urban forest soil biodiversity and restoration
In this Thriving Cities webinar, University of Waikato researchers Dr Kiri Wallace and Dr Andrew Barnes unpack the importance of soil biodiversity in urban forest restoration. They explain the roles of fungi, invertebrates and microbes in supporting healthy ecosystems, share new research from sites across Aotearoa, and highlight how soil communities evolve as restored forests mature. The session offers practical guidance for monitoring soil health and for restoring biodiverse, resilient urban soils—emphasising plant diversity, habitat complexity and the value of organic matter.
Use the link to view the webinar recording.
Urban forest soil biodiversity and restoration
Presenters: Wiremu Puke (Ngaati Wairere) and Dr Erana Walker (University of Waikato)
Date: 16 December 2025
Maramataka in Urban Restoration
This webinar explores how Indigenous knowledge systems can guide urban ecological restoration in Aotearoa New Zealand. Featuring kōrero from Ngāti Wairere cultural historian Wiremu Puke and University of Waikato researcher Dr Erana Walker, the session highlights Iwi- and Hapū-led approaches to restoring biodiversity, reviving place-based knowledge, and strengthening connections between people, whenua, and thriving cities.
Use the link to view the webinar recording.
Maramataka in urban restoration
Presenters: Jacqui Theis (University of Otago) and Yolanda van Heezik (University of Otago)
Date: 25 February 2026
Assessing Urban Biodiversity
In this Thriving Cities webinar, Rachel Nepia (People, Cities & Nature) is joined by Professor Yolanda van Heezik and PhD researcher Jacqui Theis (University of Otago) to explore innovative tools for measuring and enhancing urban biodiversity in Aotearoa New Zealand. As cities intensify under medium-density housing policies, the session highlights why biodiversity is essential for ecosystem services, human wellbeing, and climate resilience, and introduces practical assessment tools including the New Zealand Biodiversity Factor and Garden Star. Together, these tools support planners, designers, councils, and homeowners to integrate meaningful biodiversity into developments, streets, buildings, and backyards.
Use the link to view the webinar recording.
Assessing Urban Biodiversity
Presenters: Professor Martin Breed (Flinders University) and Dr Greg Jacobson (University of Waikato)
Date: 26 June 2026
Urban Environmental Microbiomes
Urban spaces are shaped by invisible microbial communities in the air and soil. In this Thriving Cities webinar, Professor Martin Breed (Flinders University) and Dr Greg Jacobson (University of Waikato) explore how urban aerobiomes and soil microbiomes connect to biodiversity, restoration, and health — from immune training through green-space exposure to microbial links in New Zealand's lizard populations. Hosted by Rachel Nepia, People, Cities and Nature.
Use the link to view the webinar recording.
Urban Environmental Microbiomes
Presenters: Dr Shaun Awatere (Bioeconomy Science Institute) and Dr Erana Walker (University of Waikato)
Date: 29 July 2026
Kaupapa Māori Frameworks for Assessing Urban Restoration | Kākano Tool
This webinar explores how kaupapa Māori frameworks can reshape urban restoration assessment. Dr Erana Walker and Dr Shaun Awatere introduce the Kākano tool and discuss how mātauranga Māori, kaitiakitanga and mana whenua leadership can support more meaningful, culturally grounded restoration outcomes for councils, practitioners and communities.
Use the link on the right to view the webinar recording. Or download the Q&A Resource answering all the questions from the webinar - even the ones we didn’t have time for in person.
Presenters: Neil Fitzgerald (Bioeconomy Science Institute) and Dr Ann Schelesselmann (Bioeconomy Science Institute)
Date: 25 September 2026
Urban Birds
Explore how birds move through urban environments and what this means for restoration. Dr Anne Schlesselmann and Neil Fitzgerald share research on bird diversity, forest connectivity and kākā movements, highlighting practical insights for creating more bird-friendly cities.
Use the link on the right to view the webinar recording. Or download the Q&A Resource answering all the questions from the webinar - even the ones we didn’t have time for in person.
