Our Thinking

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) members adopted a resolution at the 2016 World Conservation Congress and members’ assembly which, for the first time, defined the use of nature for simultaneous benefits to biodiversity and human well-being. According to the resolution, nature-based solutions are defined as “actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits”.  The crucial role of nature-based solutions in addressing the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss was highlighted in a COP27 session organised by the IUCN. At…

The news that we’re partnering with Urchinomics to form Urchinomics Aotearoa is a significant milestone for impact investment project development leader EnviroStrat, and exemplifies what’s possible when you bring together global and local expertise and capital. We’ve successfully collaborated with Urchinomics, the leading global urchin (kina) ranching and kelp restoration company over the past 18 months Kinanomics pilot. Following the success of the pilot, Urchinomics Aotearoa will scale its operations to tackle the pressing ecological and climate challenges posed by overpopulated kina barrens that have decimated kelp forest ecosystems throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand operations are expected to kickstart…

EnviroStrat CEO, Dr Nigel Bradly joined Sally Paterson from Live Ocean Foundation for a webinar hosted by Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge to share their perspectives from the UN Oceans Conference 2022. They highlighted the science-based and innovative solutions to improve the ocean’s health as well as discussing what New Zealand is doing well, where we need to do better and where the opportunities lie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYKSixvLlmc&t=2s Recorded: Tuesday 30 August 2022.

Watch Dr Nigel Bradly’s presentation to the Changing Tides Tai Tōrua: Ocean resilience in Aotearoa conference | June 2021. There are some great initiatives happening in New Zealand at the moment, but what’s important is that they are scalable and repeatable to be able to generate the scale of restoration required. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcC5vZEFU1Y

In the last few decades, Aotearoa New Zealand’s rocky reef coastal ecosystems have undergone significant changes. We’re now facing a massive ecological challenge, but it’s one that most people don’t know about because it’s happening under the water. Vast stretches of our seafloor that were once abundant with dense kelp forests have been overtaken by exploding populations of kina (sea urchins) which have grazed the kelp down to bare rock.  The combination of the removal of kina’s natural predators (like snapper and crayfish) through commercial and recreational fishing, impacts from land use and warming oceans have led to a proliferation…