Fwd: 2026 Forbes Ecology ANR Training Flyer.pdf

[Sherryn Ciavaglia]

Hi all,

Here is another event to have on the radar for 2026. 

Forbes Ecology is running another Assisted Natural Regeneration course in 2026. This is a two day course held over a weekend (see dates on the attached flyer). The first day is an intensive dive into all the theory behind the skill of assisted natural forest regeneration. Much scientific basis is presented to support the approaches taken, stemming from Dr. Adam Forbes own work during his doctorate, subsequent consultancies, as well as the work of colleagues in the field.  

Day two puts all the theory into practice. Three different sites are visited, varying in their context and capacity for regeneration. Participants engage in observation and discussion about the various aspects involved in a site assessment, reinforcing the information learnt on day one. 

I took this course in 2025 and found it to be incredibly interesting and engaging. The practical application of the underlying theory in group discussions onsite really helped to build my confidence in the skill set. An added perk has been the growing community of course attendees that continue discussions around examples of ANR in an ongoing Whatsapp group. When I did the course, my peers included representatives from council, Sustainable HB, local catchment groups, iwi, and organic growers, but I felt like it would be a really useful skill set for property owners who are looking to return any part of their property back to native forest as well. Planting is considered the last resort due to it's high materials and labour cost. This course teaches attendees how to read the land, work with what is already present and maximise the capacity for regeneration in the most financially efficient means possible. 

These skills are ideal to help us work towards the goals of Recloaking Papatuanuku (note: training is not affiliated with the Recloaking Papatuanuku project to my knowledge) 

Thanks for reading,

Sherryn.