Over 250 attendees from five countries dialed in to view the first webinar in the new international ‘Art of Connecting’ series on 3 June 2021.

The ‘We are Nature’ webinar, hosted by Eamon Nathan, CEO of Reconnecting Northland, focused on the critical connections between human and environmental health and how we can protect, restore and enhance these through conservation.

The expert line-up of speakers included keynote presentations by Tim Christopherson, Chief of the Terrestrial Ecosystems Unit at UN Environment and renowned social scientist and Maori astrologer, Mutua Rereata Makiha. The keynotes were followed by wildlife ecologist, Dr Peggy Eby; independent researcher of Indigenous knowledge and composer, musician, and storyteller, Dr Charles Royal; ecologist, Dr Adam Cross; and Operations Manager for the Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation, Tahnee Adamson.

Run by the Conservation Across Large Landscapes Australia New Zealand (CALLANZ) network the Art of Connecting series seeks to aid the practice and science of connectivity conservation through the sharing of knowledge, tools and lessons learnt.

Presentations were followed by an animated Q&A panel session during which speakers fielded key questions from the audience.

The next webinar in the series, which will focus on connectivity conservation as a natural solution to the climate and biodiversity crisis, will be held on 6 September 2021.