1. Producing a science extension magazine
Producing a science extension magazine
Ballance Agri-Nutrients
Ballance needed a science communicator to write articles and project manage production of their bi-annual science extension magazine ‘Grow’.
Groundwork liaises with subject matter experts to write a range of articles, including communicating relevant findings from research papers.
I am very impressed with the environmental policies special edition of Grow. It is well laid out, very informative and an altogether excellent publication.
Ian Williams, Ballance Agri-Nutrients shareholder and Pioneer Brand Products Forage and Farm Systems Specialist
1.Strengthening NZARM
Strengthening NZARM
The New Zealand Association of Resource Management (NZARM)
NZARM wanted to shift management of its secretariat from a voluntary position to a more formal arrangement, supported by strong administrative systems.
Groundwork provides ongoing secretariat services to NZARM, including maintaining their membership database, and providing accounting and financial reporting.
Groundwork has proved to be very efficient and has a range of competent staff to help. The staff are always prompt and polite with responses and our books now look much better than under our old regime. I would definitely recommend Groundwork to similar organisations that need such services.
Ross Abercrombie, former President, NZARM
1.Extending learnings from a farming within limits conference
Extending learnings from a farming within limits conference
Waikato Regional Council
Waikato Regional Council wanted to extend the learnings from the Tools to Farm Within Limits conference.
Groundwork managed production of short videos from the event (participant and speaker interviews and critical points from presentations) which were hosted on a Vimeo channel.
1.Supporting the Local Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy
Supporting the Local Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy
Waikato Regional Council
The council wanted to catalyse biodiversity change on private land.
Groundwork managed a collaborative engagement process, conducted interviews with Waikato farmers excelling in biodiversity restoration, produced three videos conveying key messages, featuring farmers supporting biodiversity on their land and identified tools to support landowners protect and restore biodiversity, as well as synergies and conflicts amongst the tools.
1.Investigating liveweight monitoring on dairy farms
Investigating liveweight monitoring on dairy farms
Cognosco
Cognosco wanted to know how dairy farm owners, managers and sharemilkers use liveweight data to make decisions.
Groundwork used focus groups and a survey to explore current weighing technology and data use, and how farmers wanted to use it in the future. A thorough analysis and comprehensive report presented the rich data that emerged.
Groundwork were professional, reliable and personable. They delivered on what was required.
Chris Compton, Research Project Manager, Cognosco
3.Supporting large scale predator free initiatives
Supporting large scale predator free initiatives
Predator Free NZ Trust
The Predator Free New Zealand Trust wanted to strengthen the predator free regional and subregional project network, and upskill community engagement and project coordinator staff working across diverse projects.
Groundwork trained lead community engagement providers from seven landscape scale restoration projects around New Zealand.
2.Growing team capacity and effectiveness
Growing team capacity and effectiveness
DairyNZ
The Feed and Farm Systems team needed to better define their team in order to grow and enhance collaboration with other business units.
Groundwork facilitated a workshop to clarify the team’s vision and aspirational goals. We then provided facilitation coaching and support for the team leader to complete the team’s strategic analysis.
1.Supporting a collaborative process to develop the Lake Taupo Catchment Zone Plan
Supporting a collaborative process to develop the Lake Taupo Catchment Zone Plan
Waikato Regional Council
Waikato Regional Council wanted to develop the Lake Taupo Catchment Zone Plan collaboratively with the zone committee. This required a well designed, tightly run facilitation process.
Groundwork facilitated a series of meetings with experts, gathering and capturing knowledge in reports for the zone committee. We facilitated a collaborative working group process with the committee to develop the zone plan, and supported them in using cloud-based collaborative tools to progress work between meetings. The successful collaborative process resulted in the zone committee taking ownership of the plan.
I was impressed by the succinctness and clarity with which Groundwork recorded what was happening in the meeting and the way they framed it into a very professional looking outcome.
Allan Kirk, Taupo Zone Manager, Waikato Regional Council
3.Informing change in effluent management practice
Informing change in effluent management practice
DairyNZ
To support improved effluent management in Northland, DairyNZ needed to understand influences on farmer behaviour.
Groundwork developed a research plan, conducted interviews with farmers and project stakeholders and delivered the findings and recommendations in a report to inform DairyNZ strategy.
2.Managing a multi-stakeholder collaborative process to build National Science Challenge research projects
Managing a multi-stakeholder collaborative process to build National Science Challenge research projects
The New Zealand Biological Heritage National Science Challenge
The New Zealand Biological Heritage National Science Challenge needed to develop work plans for the initial projects outlined in their funding proposal.
Groundwork involved 140 scientists and stakeholders throughout New Zealand across six days of workshops, supported by cloud-based collaborative tools, to write the strategic focus and initial research programmes.