Kiwi innovators have embraced WWF’s nationwide search for new ideas for nature – sharing new tools, gadgets and concepts that could change the face of conservation in New Zealand.
WWF’s second annual Conservation Innovation Awards, supported by The Tindall Foundation, were run on a open crowdsourcing website, which closed for judging at the beginning of the October.
People from all walks of life—from researchers to backyard tinkerers and everyone in-between—were encouraged to apply their creativity to aid the work of frontline conservation volunteers throughout the country.
Designed to help innovators fast-track their ideas to development, the awards offer $25,000 prize money to three winning ideas.
In total, thirty-three ideas were submitted and 760 participants commented on the various entries. Solutions proposed included school children ‘adopting’ and monitoring little-known threatened bug species, a mobile phone app to identify and map beech flower masting, and an open source solar powered self-resetting possum trap.
Winners will be announced at a ceremony in Wellington on 5 November.
Watch this video to hear what last years winners have to say about the awards here.