LANDSLIDE GEO-EDUCATION AND RISK (LAGER)
Join us for an international conference to learn, share, and discuss the management, communication and education of landslide risk.
NAU MAI, HAERE MAI – WELCOME!
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.
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, volcanic activity and tsunami 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.
Our theme “Landslide Geo-Education and Risk” brings together the full lifecycle of landslide risk management. It encompasses the need to educate the next generation of landslide risk managers, the need to robustly understand landslide risk, and the need to communicate that risk to the public and decision-makers so that real change is implemented. We believe that bringing together JTC1 and JTC3 to work together on landslide risk assessment, education, communication and outreach is a great opportunity to effect real change.
CONCEPT PROGRAMME
This conceptual programme is likely to change in its details as we work through the requirements of JTC1 and JTC3.
Monday
NZ Public Holiday
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance that commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations, and the contribution and suffering of all those who have served.
We will pay our respects in the morning and use the afternoon as a reserve day with potential additional activities such as training, workshops and field trips.
Tuesday
Training
Learn from industry experts in the field of landslide risk management. Topics may include:
- Geoscience and risk communication
- Media training for geoprofessionals
- C25 Engineering Geological Models for landslides
Wednesday
Susceptibility, Data & Risk
Presentations on landslide inventory, susceptibility and risk assessment best practice. Workshops on landslide data management.
Thursday
Risk to Policy
Presentations on managing and mitigating landslide risk. Workshops on landslide risk assessment guidelines and practice.
Friday
Outreach & Education
Presentations and discussions on communication of risk to stakeholders, education of public and policy-makers, and professional development for geoprofessionals and academics.
Saturday & Sunday
Field Trips & Excercises
Queenstown is known as the “adventure capital of the world”. We propose to offer three field trips suited to a range of interests. We may also add a two-day optional exercise to develop:
- Fieldwork material for post-graduate, undergrad and secondary school students
- Professional education modules (e.g., landslide training information for emergency managers)
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Early Bird Deadline:
TBC
LaGER 2026 Conference will be held in
Queenstown New Zealand
POSSIBLE FIELD TRIPS
Various field trips that relate to conference topics are currently being explored.
SUPPORTING PROJECTS
A number of Supporting Projects are helping to inform the LaGER 2026 Conference.
ABOUT QUEENSTOWN & NEW ZEALAND
With its towering mountains and lakeside location, Queenstown is a hub of adventure, bursting with adrenaline and fun.
Find out some of the fantastic adventures you can experience here, or watch the video below.
CONFERENCE SUSTAINABILITY
New Zealand, Queenstown, and the New Zealand Geotechnical Society are committed to creating a better future for our communities, environment and economy.
Queenstown Lakes' Destination Management Plan, Travel to a Thriving Future, is our roadmap to achieving a regenerative tourism and a carbon zero visitor economy by 2030. It will ensure that our district remains a special place for future generations, and a place we can continue to be proud to share with visitors for years to come.
This conference will be fully aligned with these goals, and further information will soon be made available on the specific actions we'll be taking to reduce the environmental impact of our activities.
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR NEW ZEALAND
In early 2023 a series of severe weather events triggered over 150,000 landslides in the North Island of New Zealand, causing 11 deaths and over NZ$14 billion of direct costs, and triggering a national state of emergency for only the third time in New Zealand’s history.
New Zealanders were already aware of the importance of landslides hazards; they are a common experience, and in November 2016 a magnitude 7.8 earthquake triggered tens of thousands of landslides in the South Island of New Zealand, causing years of disruption to infrastructure and several hundred landslide dams which posed a significant hazard to people.