Full house for Te Wāhipounamu community talks in Glacier Country

The free event brought together speakers from conservation, farming and tourism to share how World Heritage values and expanding predator control can shape a resilient local economy.

Former Department of Conservation (DOC) Director-General Lou Sanson drew on his experience to highlight the international significance of Te Wāhipounamu, noting that its World Heritage status could be better leveraged to both attract visitors, mitigate the impacts of a changing climate and fund conservation.

Predator control advocate Sam “the trap man” Gibson compared the opportunities of South Westland with those of his native East Coast, pointing to the benefits of investing in predator-free landscapes has in increasing nature’s resilience and ability to provide long term benefits for communities.

Fifth-generation West Coast farmer Katie Milne, former president of Federated Farmers, spoke about how the areas World Heritage status could be leveraged to improve market access and how predator control provides opportunities on‑farm, including improving farming resilience, productivity gains and marketing potential.

Tourism entrepreneur Trent Yeo, founder of Ziptrek Ecotours in Queenstown, highlighted how South Westland’s natural assets, can be utilised to diversify tourism offerings in Glacier Country and cater to the desires and expectations of visitors.

DOC South Westland Operations Manager Wayne Costello said the talks “were insightful, thought-provoking, and deeply enriching.”

DWC Nature Economy Project Lead and MC for the event, Zak Shaw said the strong turnout showed how passionate the community is about the region’s future.

“What stood out tonight was the passion across all sectors, from farming to tourism to conservation. Collaboration is what will help South Westland grow a strong economy without losing what makes it special,” he said.

Event organisers wish to acknowledge Mana Whenua of the area, Kāti Māhaki and communicate thanks to the following sponsors for their contributions - Franz Josef Four Square, Glacier Country Tourism Group, Scenic Hotel Group, Fox Franz Heliservices, DOC and DWC.

Presenters: Sam Gibson, Lou Sanson, Katie Milne, and Trent Yeo