Risk assessment, communication and education
The New Zealand Geotechnical Society has successfully bid for and won the rights to host an international conference on landslide risk and geo-education. Proposed as a joint conference of two Joint Technical Committees, such an event has never been attempted in the past. Our proposal was warmly welcomed by the three International Societies that NZGS represents in New Zealand and by our colleagues in the Australian Geomechanics Society. Sign up now on our conference website http://landsliderisk.nz/ to ensure you’re kept informed about this exciting event.
The New Zealand Geotechnical Society is delighted to welcome you to the First International Joint Workshop of JTC1 and JTC3 on Landslide Risk Assessment, Communication and Geo-education. We will share the latest research and develop best practice guidelines in the stunning New Zealand city of Queenstown.
Co-hosted with Joint Technical Committee 1 (Natural Slopes and Landslides) and Joint Technical Committee 3 (Education and Training) this will bring the best international expertise together to discuss how we can improve our assessment of landslide risk, and our communication of that risk to the public, as well as the education of geotechnical engineers and engineering geologists in landslide risk management and communication.
Landslides are one of New Zealand’s most significant natural hazards. Since 1760 there have been at least 1,500 deaths from landslides in New Zealand. More fatalities have occurred from landslides than from earthquakes (501), volcanic activity (179) and tsunami (1) combined over the last 160 years.
Queenstown is particularly vulnerable, making it an ideal venue for a conference about landslides. More than 50% of the land around the town is mapped as known landslides, with the underlying quartzofeldspathic schist very susceptible to deep seated failures. The largest failure is the Queenstown Hill Landslide, with an estimated volume of 240M m³.
Draft programme
We will work on our programme with JTC1 and JTC3 representatives. Our current draft programme includes:
- Day 1 – training and courses
- Day 2 – Susceptibility to risk
- Day 3 – Risk to policy
- Day 4 – Risk communication and education
- Day 5 – Field trips
More details are available on the website and will evolve as we clarify details with the Joint Technical Committees.
Sustainability
One of our reasons for choosing Queenstown as a venue is their commitment to achieving a regenerative tourism and a carbon zero visitor economy by 2030. We are working on plans to make this the most sustainable conference ever hosted by the New Zealand Geotechnical Society.
Possible field trips
We will collaborate with the Joint Technical Committees and local volunteers to confirm field trips, which are expected to include the following. More details are available on the conference website.
Clyde Dam
With a focus on landslide investigation and remediation, this trip to the Clyde Dam will pass through Kawarau and Cromwell Gorges. The tour will include visits to the stabilised landslides showing the scale of work undertaken and sharing lessons learned.
Glenorchy Resilience Project
With a focus on education, natural hazard communication, and community resilience, this trip will visit the stunning village of Glenorchy. This tour will investigate how a natural hazards adaptation strategy was developed and is being implemented with the community.
Milford Sound Landslide-induced Tsunami Cruise
A Milford Sound landslide-triggered tsunami may leave no survivors, with as many as 3500 dying if the wave hits during the peak of the tourist season. This field trip will explore the decision-making process required to balance the public interest in visiting this natural wonder with the potential risk it poses.
Supporting projects
Sliding Lands – Hōretireti Whenua
The Hōretireti Whenua Sliding Lands programme will create national-scale landslide models that can forecast where rapid and dangerous landslides are likely to be triggered by earthquakes and rainfall events.
Landslide Watch Aotearoa
This programme aims to move away from expensive local reactive (post-event) in-situ monitoring to pro-active (pre-event) space-based observation across all Aotearoa.
Landslide Risk Management Guidelines (AGS2007 update project)
The New Zealand Geotechnical Society and the Australian Geomechanics Society are working in partnership on an update to the guidelines to reflect lessons learned since they were published in 2007.This work is expected to be approximately 80% complete by April 2026, and the conference will be used as an opportunity to involve international experts on this important project.
University of Canterbury PMEG relaunch
UC’s Professional Master of Engineering Geology (PMEG) is the only programme of its kind in Australasia. This conference will help provide a springboard for the field-based elements of the programme, bringing in international expertise to support the team, and has the potential to deliver a significant field-based training programme alongside the conference.