Biodiversity Film Competition Winners Announced

Peter and Martin Langlands and Kaikoura Suburban School are the winners of the MyBiodiversity Film competition.

Peter and Martin’s winning entry was a film about Australasian Bittern called “Matuku” and Kaikoura Suburban School focused on local efforts to protect the Huttons Shearwater.

The MyBiodiversity Film competition is a joint initiative between Environment Canterbury and the Regional Biodiversity Coordinator. Entrants were tasked with making a film featuring the native biodiversity of Canterbury to celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity and drew 15 entries from across the region.

The judge, Regional Biodiversity Co-ordinator Wayne McCallum, was impressed by the calibre and diversity of entries.

“We received films that explored everything from blue duck in the South Canterbury hills and the lives of bell birds around Christchurch, through to efforts in Kaikoura to conserve the last global populations of Huttons Shearwater,” he says

As the winner of the over-15 category, Peter and Martin used music and recurring images to illustrate the majesty and plight of the threatened Australasian Bittern/Matuku.

“I found their approach fresh and innovative. The film left me with an appreciation of the bird and the struggles it faces to survive in Canterbury. Great effort,” says Mr McCallum.

The junior category winners Kaikoura Suburban School drew inspiration from the celebrated Huttons Shearwater.

“I loved all the films in the junior category and it was hard to pick a winner. What I especially liked about the Kaikoura entry was the different approaches that were used to describe the conservation efforts to protect this unique bird.”

Other notable entries included a film about efforts to protect Talbots Bush in Geraldine, another on backyard biodiversity and a wonderful film on bell birds, featuring human actors dressed as birds and predators.

Mr McCallum says that a DVD will be made available featuring the winning films and a selection of the other excellent entries.

Winners of each category will receive a quality Canon camera and can nominate their favourite Canterbury biodiversity project to receive a donation of $500. Prizes will be presented in the Victoria Square amphitheatre on October 15 at 12:30 pm as part of the Biodiversity Express launch which the public are welcome to attend.

The winners can be viewed at www.canterburybiodiversity.org.nz