Science Centres: Aquatic Biodiversity and Biosecurity

Get clicking and get your photos in. The deadline for the New Zealand biodiversity photo competition is 30th July 2010.

All New Zealanders are being encouraged to celebrate New Zealand’s unique plant and animal life by entering in this national photo competition to mark the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity. The Department of Conservation, NZ National Commission for UNESCO, NIWA, and Forest & Bird are seeking entries for winning photographs of our wonderful native wildlife.

Don’t forget to encourage your children and get clicking as a family, and be in to win.

As there is a children’s photographic section.

The themes of this competition are: Biodiversity of land and sky, Marine and fresh water biodiversity and People and biodiversity.

So what is Biodiversity? “It’sthe variation of life at all levels of biological organisation. It refers to plants, animals and micro-organisms, the genes they contain, and ecosystems and ecosystem processes they form,” says NIWA chief scientist biodiversity and biosecurity, Don Robertson.

The competition will be judged by wildlife photographers Craig Potton, Kim Westerskov, and Norman Heke. Winning entries receive cash prizes: winners of each theme, under both young and adult categories, will win a cash prize of $300.The overall winner will receive a $1000 cash prize and runner up $500.

The winners and runners up will see their photos featured in International year of Biodiversity displays in 2010 and 2011. Prizes will be presented at an awards ceremony.

There are two entry categories:

Young entrant – less than 18 years of age

Adult entrant – 18 years and older

The closing date for entries is 30 July 2010 and photos can be sent via email to photos@doc.govt.nz

The presentation of these awards will be during Conservation Week 2010
12 - 19 September.

To find out more about the competition visit:

www.doc.govt.nz/biodiversitycaptured

Biodiversity is life, biodiversity is our life. Ko te koiora kanorau, he tauoranga, ko te koiora kanorau to tātou tauoranga.

For further comment please call:

Shelley Biswell

Department of Conservation International Year of Biodiversity Co-ordinator

Tel: 021 985 843