REPORT: Kauri Rescue Community Engagement

Kauri Rescue: Community Engagement In A Citizen Science Biosecurity Project

September 2023

McEntee M. 2023. Kauri Rescue: Community Engagement In A Citizen Science Biosecurity Project. 75 p.

ABSTRACT

As part of a new tranche of funding provided to Kauri Rescue through the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge, within the Ngā Rākau Taketake – Saving our Iconic Trees programme, this report summarises a forensic analysis of Kauri Rescue’s community engagement over the five-year period from its commencement in January 2017 through until May 2023 including: ● Three years as a citizen science research project ● One year as an unincorporated community organisation ● Almost 1.5 years as a charitable trust

This analysis uses Kauri Rescue’s own community engagement data and has the objective of searching for patterns and trends that could inform both Kauri Rescue’s ongoing development and the formation of similar community organisations that could address other biosecurity issues. There is already significant community engagement in biosecurity issues such as invasive predator control, however with increasing and emerging biosecurity threats the Kauri Rescue model could be an effective, widespread and rapid community response to other biosecurity issues including, for example, myrtle rust or possibly even Caulerpa seaweed.