In this episode, we’re talking with Dr Leslie Van Gelder who wears many interesting hats including as Chairperson of the QLDC Climate Reference Group and is a leader, mover and shaker of multiple projects in and around Glenorchy at the tip of Lake Wakatipu where she lives. Leslie is an archaeologist, a writer and an educator, and is equally passionate about our past and our future.
Although she lives on a fairly hard-to-reach location at the foot of the Southern Alps and is clearly very involved in her local community, Leslie is also Professor of Education at Walden University which has its headquarters in Minneapolis some 14,000km away, but serves students around the world.
Leslie shares her insights on community resilience, conservation efforts, and the importance of hopefulness in challenging times. She discusses some recent achievements in Glenorchy, including the Dark Skies Project and the Southern Lakes Sanctuary, highlighting the power of community collaboration and the role of technology in conservation.
She emphasises the significance of gratitude and connection in building a strong community, encouraging listeners to take small actions that contribute to a positive future.
Time codes and topics
00:00 Celebrating Community Achievements in Glenorchy
04:42 The Dark Sky Sanctuary Project
11:03 Challenges and Learnings in Conservation Efforts
16:54 The Southern Lakes Sanctuary and Predator Control
23:03 Innovations in Predator Management Technology
23:46 Innovative Conservation Technologies
26:13 Community Engagement in Conservation
28:56 Understanding Liminal Spaces
34:29 Navigating Hopefulness in Challenging Times
39:49 Empowering Local Action for Change
44:24 Building Community Connections
The poem Leslie couldn’t remember …
Useful links
Dr Leslie Van Gelder’s website - here
QLDC’s Climate Reference Group - here
A brief interview with Radio New Zealand - here
A recent profile piece in the Otago Daily Times - here
Leslie’s TEDx talk from 2015 - here
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