top of page
Search

Connect & Inspire 2026 – Bringing People Together for Te Taiao

  • 24 hours ago
  • 2 min read

In just one month’s time, our community will gather for one of the most anticipated environmental events in Rodney East — Connect & Inspire 2026.

This is more than just a conference. It’s a space for connection, learning, and collective action. A place where decision-makers sit alongside volunteers, where funders meet grassroots champions, and where science and mātauranga Māori are woven together in service of te taiao.


Why Connect & Inspire Matters

Across our rohe, people are restoring waterways, planting native trees, protecting wildlife, and strengthening community resilience. Yet many of us face similar challenges — funding pressures, volunteer fatigue, biodiversity loss, and the need for stronger collaboration.

Connect & Inspire was created to respond to those challenges.

This year’s themes include:

  • Funding the future

  • Engaging communities

  • Weaving mātauranga Māori & science

  • Restoring species

  • Confronting challenges

  • Inspiring collective action

Together, these conversations will equip and empower everyone attending — from strategic leaders to the day-to-day doers who roll up their sleeves and make things happen.


An Exceptional Lineup of Speakers

We’re honoured to host an extraordinary group of speakers who are driving real change across Aotearoa. From national environmental leadership to on-the-ground species recovery, our keynote speakers bring practical insight, inspiration, and lived experience.

They are leading initiatives, shaping strategy, restoring ecosystems, and championing communities. Their stories will leave you motivated, informed, and ready to take action.


This Event Is for You

Connect & Inspire isn’t just for decision-makers. It’s for:

  • Volunteers and restoration champions

  • Community group leaders

  • Fundraisers and governance members

  • Iwi and hapū representatives

  • Environmental professionals

  • Anyone passionate about protecting our land, waterways, and wildlife

If you care about te taiao, you belong in the room.


Spaces Are Limited

To ensure meaningful connection and quality conversations, attendance is capped at 120 people.

If you’re planning to join us, now is the time to register:


And if you know someone who should be there — a volunteer, a colleague, a community champion — please share the event with them.

The more we connect, the stronger our collective impact. 🌿

 
 
bottom of page