Scaling Up Conservation in the Southern Lakes (EP32 with Paul Kavanagh, Southern Lakes Sanctuary)

The Queenstown Lakes District is one of the most spectacular places on Earth - a picturesque landscape of mountains, lakes, and remote valleys where nature still feels wild.

But beneath the beauty lies a conservation challenge: around 40 native species in the region are threatened or at risk of extinction.

For decades, local communities have stepped up to protect these landscapes and wildlife, powered by volunteers putting in the hard yards. Now, Southern Lakes Sanctuary is helping to take that effort to the next level, supporting the mahi of six long-running conservation groups representing nearly 100 projects, landowners, businesses and hundreds of volunteers across 198,000 hectares, with plans to scale to 850,000HA over time.

In this episode, CEO Paul Kavanagh pulls back the curtain on what happens when communities get the backing they need: skilled staff, smart tech, and funding that lets them go further together.

From self-resetting traps to eDNA monitoring and beyond, this work is helping species like kea and mōhua return to the landscapes they once called home.

Takahē, once declared extinct, now roam the Rees Valley again - a testament to what’s possible through collaboration.

It’s a story of people, progress, and pragmatic action, showing how skilled professionals and passionate locals can work hand in hand to protect Aotearoa’s wildlife at scale.

Here are some of the key topics we discussed:

• How six established conservation groups joined forces to form Southern Lakes Sanctuary
• Managing volunteer fatigue by adding professional support to complement volunteer-led mahi
• Expanding predator control from 6,400 to 13,000+ traps and removing more than 70,000 introduced animals
• Why measuring biodiversity outcomes matters more than counting traps and the role of robust monitoring
• Threatened species management across the project area
• The critical role of sustainable, long-term funding and partnerships with business and philanthropy
• How AI-enabled, self-resetting traps and live mesh networks are transforming remote predator control
• The importance of working in urban and peri-urban areas as well as the back country
• And much more…

🧑‍🦱About Paul:

Paul worked as a field biologist in Ireland after graduating with an Honours degree in Zoology from University College Dublin. He moved to NZ from Ireland in 2009 to further his career in conservation. Paul was General Manager of the Kiwi Birdlife Park, a wildlife park dedicated to preserving some of Aotearoa’s unique native species, for over 12 years before his appointment to his role as CEO with the Southern Lakes Sanctuary.

🔗Learn more:

• Website: www.southernlakessanctuary.org.nz
• Report Takahē Sightings: www.southernlakessanctuary.org.nz/takahe-sightings
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/southernlakessanctuary
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/SouthernLakesSanctuary

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