Friday, 25 September, 2015 - 09:34

Kiwi innovators are being encouraged to submit their new idea for nature to be in to win a share of $75,000, as the nationwide search for new tools, gadgets and concepts that could change the face of conservation in New Zealand enters its final week.

Applications for WWF’s second annual Conservation Innovation Awards will close on Friday 2nd October. For the first time, entries are via a new crowdsourcing website: wwf.org.nz/innovation.

People from all walks of life-from researchers to backyard tinkerers and everyone in-between-are encouraged to apply their creativity to aid the work of frontline conservation volunteers throughout the country.

Designed to help innovators fast-track their ideas to development, the awards fall into three categories (product, community project and research) and offer $25,000 prize money to each category winner.

To date, nearly twenty ideas have been submitted with over 350 participants commenting on the ideas. Solutions proposed so far include: school children ‘adopting’ and monitoring little-known threatened bug species, a mobile phone app to identify and map beech flower masting, and an open source solar powered self-resetting possum trap.

Lee Barry, WWF’s Conservation Innovation Awards Coordinator, explains: "Entrants tell us they are enjoying the comments and feedback they are receiving live online on their ideas. They are taking these comments on board and refining their submissions.

"Crowdsourcing the awards in this way allows ideas to be fine-tuned to their full potential."

Entries will be judged by an independent panel which will look for entries that have practical application and clear benefit for grass roots conservation groups. Judges include Silicon Valley entrepreneur Matthew Monahan and conservation visionary Devon McLean.