In case you missed it—the conference programme is now available to download. Registrants will receive a hard copy of the programme in the conference satchel upon arrival, so there is no need to print it out.

We have also made recent changes to the website to reflect the most up-to-date information in the programme.

Those of you attending workshops and/or field trips should have received an email regarding the leaders, programme, venue, etc. for your specific activity.

We look forward to welcoming you to the conference at the Conference Registration and Welcome Function at Te Papa in Icon (Level 2) on Sunday 24 November. You can pick up your conference satchel and name tag at Registration from 16:30, followed by the Welcome Function which starts at 17:30 and runs until 20:00. The Welcome Function is free for all conference delegates and includes canapés (from 17:30–18:30), one drink ticket (followed by cash bar until 20:00), and special after-hours access to the Te Taiao / Nature exhibition (from 18:30–20:00).

Ngā mihi nui
Nā Rewi Elliot and Heidi Meudt
Co-organisers of the 2019 ASBS–NZPCN Joint Conference
e: plants2019nz@gmail.com

There is only one week remaining for anyone who hasn’t committed to participating in the 2019 ASBS–NZPCN Joint Conference to register and pay. The programme is drafted and we have sent confirmation emails to participants to let them know about their presentations (if you haven’t heard from us, shoot us an email to check in).

You can grab a copy of the simplified programme now, we hope to the final in your hands soon.

On Wednesday, 27 November, all early career researchers, students, young (and young-at heart!) attendees are welcome to come to an informal social networking evening involving sampling some of Wellington’s beers and having dinner together. Our plan is the following:

• 18:00—meet at Panhead (1 Tory St) for a pre-dinner drink (or leave from Te Papa together after returning from field trips)
• 18:45—leave Panhead and head to Mac’s Brewery (4 Taranaki St) for 19:00 dinner
• 20:15—after dinner drinks at venue TBC.

Attendees are responsible for their own drink and food costs incurred. Please RSVP by 1 November by contacting Todd McLay (Todd.Mclay@csiro.au) to register your interest (or ask questions about the plan). The above itinerary may be adjusted depending on numbers. We will endeavour to include everyone who wants to join in, but we may have to cap the numbers by ‘first come, first served’.

For travel from 1 October 2019, the New Zealand Government requires certain visitors and transit passengers to have a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA).

Please check to see if you require an NZeTA for your travel to New Zealand for the conference. If you do need one, make sure you apply for your NZeTA at least 72 hours prior to departure. Australian citizens travelling on an Australian passports do not need an NZeTA.

We recommend all visiting conference participants check the Immigration New Zealand website for details.

Ferns–Wellington Waterfront, by Christopher Neugebauer

Early bird registration and abstracts have now closed. So far, we have over 170 attendees registered and paid coming to the conference in November, about 25% of whom are crossing the ditch from Australian institutions to attend. We have also received about 80 abstracts. The scientific committee is now assessing the abstracts and hope to have word to everyone by the end of the month about their acceptance. We will do our best to honour special requests but cannot guarantee that they can be accommodated.

Keen to come to the conference but haven’t registered yet? It’s not too late! You can still register. Standard registration fees apply:

• Society members (NZPCN or ASBS): $420
• Non-members: $525
• Students, unwaged or retired: $260
• Single day: $260

Please continue to spread the word to your colleagues and in particular your students. The conference will be a great networking and professional opportunity for the more than two dozen students who have already registered to attend.

Or perhaps you have registered and paid for the conference but would now like to add a workshop, field trip or dinner to your registration? That’s easy too. Just go to the payment page, add the extra item(s) to your shopping cart, and pay. Remember to use your original registration code (your last name plus a number) so we know who the payment is for.

And don’t forget to check out our Other Events page—there’s a lot of other stuff happening just before, during and after the conference that might be of interest to you as you make your travel plans.

As always, for any questions, please get in contact with the conference organisers.

We’ve had a flurry of activity this week with many new registrations, payments and abstracts coming in. So we’ve decided to extend both the abstract deadline as well as the early bird registration deadline to Friday 30 August.

So if you haven’t already committed to join us this gives you an additional week to register, pay the cheaper registration fee, and get your abstract in! Remember that registration is a three step process, outlined on our website.

If you’d like to present a talk or poster at the conference, and have already registered and paid, simply complete the third and final step to submit your abstract by downloading the template and emailing it back to us by Friday 30 August.

[now extended for an additional week — Friday, 30 August]

Early bird registration and abstract submission close on 23 August—that’s only a week from now. Have you registered yet? It’s not too late! Join the attendees from Australia and New Zealand who have already registered, paid and submitted abstracts. We look forward to getting your registration and abstract next!

This year’s conference comprises three days of talks, one day of workshops (seven to choose from), one day of field trips (five options), a conference dinner, and a welcome reception. We have three exciting keynote speakers, a jam-packed programme with up to 75 talks by attendees, a poster session, and even a silent auction (new items continue to be added).

He taonga rongonui te aroha ki te tangata—Goodwill towards others is a precious treasure

In the interests of all participants and supporters of this conference, and as guests of Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, we are dedicated to creating a positive, supportive and rewarding experience for everyone involved in this conference.

We aspire to a fulfilling conference experience for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, religious beliefs, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, status, disability, physical appearance, political affiliation or technology choices.

We invite you to read through our Conference Code of Conduct, and think about how you can contribute to a positive and supportive meeting environment.

2019 ASBS–NZPCN Joint Conference, Taxonomy for Conservation — Ruia mai I Rangiātea

This year’s conference comprises three days of talks, one day of workshops (seven to choose from), one day of field trips (five options), a conference dinner, and a welcome reception. We have three exciting keynote speakers, a jam-packed programme with up to 75 talks by attendees, a poster session, and even a silent auction.

Early bird registration and abstract submission closes on 30 August—that’s only one month from now. Join the attendees from Australia and New Zealand who have already registered and paid. We look forward to getting your registration next!

Check out our conference website for all the details. Email the conference organisers with any questions or email NZPCN Secretary Matt Ward with offers for the silent auction.

We invite you to register for the 2019 Australasian Systematic Botany Society and New Zealand Plant Conservation Network joint conference to be held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, New Zealand in the last week of November.

The conference theme, Taxonomy for Plant Conservation — Ruia mai i Rangiātea aims to capitalise on the vast expertise of our two societies. There will be multiple upskilling workshops, three days of symposia, and a chance to explore Wellington’s forests and rugged coastlines on our five different full-day field trips. Registration, payments and abstract submissions are all open from today.

Be sure to register and pay before mid-August to make the most of the early bird discount. Students, if you aren’t a member of either society already be sure to sign up, as student-presenters are eligible to apply for student assistance to attend.

Feel free to contact the organising committee by email if you have any queries: plants2019nz@gmail.com, otherwise we will keep subscribers to this web site up to date with developments, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for announcements.

Ngā mihi nui
Nā Rewi, Heidi and the Organising Committee