A Cheeky Calendar for a Cheeky Bird

The story of Canterbury University Tramping Club’s Tasteful Nude Calendar is a story of connection and success. It’s most likely a story kea would like. Especially since the aim of the project is to help protect a native bird in decline. It demonstrates how creative community initiatives can highlight the plight of endangered taonga species like kea and show how we can all play a part in protecting them.

The idea of a tasteful nude charity calendar is not new. The first nude charity calendar was produced in the UK in 1999 by a local branch of the Women’s Institute to raise funds for Leukemia Research. Many other sports clubs and charity organizations around the world followed. In New Zealand, linking this entertaining venture to a specific conservation cause is new and it was the Canterbury University Tramping Club (CUTC) that pioneered it.

B Calendar – Lucas Larraman, Axl Radzyner, Zara and Karl Anderson

The first page of the Club’s 2024 Tasteful Nude Calendar. Photo and design: Lucas Larraman, Axl Radzyner, Zara and Karl Anderson

It started as a bit of fun…

The Tasteful Nude Calendar has been part of CUTC tradition and has been made before, informally and in small numbers. When Lucas Larraman, current captain, came on board, the idea sparked his enthusiasm. Going outside and getting nude was appealing and sounded like guaranteed fun outdoors. Lucas wanted to create a safe space for others to get involved and enjoy it. For Poppy Gane, also a club’s captain, the activity developed quite spontaneously while tramping with close friends at Otago University TC. At one stage, skinny dipping became quite comfortable. It felt inspiring to see people so comfortable and confident in the company of others. She wanted to take part and experience it herself. After joining CUTC and meeting Lucas, it became obvious they both wanted to inspire others to discover this freedom and to bring the calendar to fruition.

Getting people involved and creating a safe space is a skill. For people to feel ready to participate in such activity, it generally depends on how long they have been in the club, how long they’ve known the leaders and the relationship they have with them. Normally, it doesn’t happen on trips where new members are present. “You need to be careful on what trips it happens on. You need to be emotionally aware of the people, space and how everyone is feeling. We obviously don’t want to make others uncomfortable. It is important to keep it completely optional and also be aware of others in the area, like trampers and families,” the captains explain.

The beauty of club tramping is that people spend a lot of time together. They get to know each other well and develop trust quickly. For Poppy and Lucas, it was interesting to observe how some people got excited and perceptive about the idea straight away, while others were eager to contribute as a support crew – they would offer to take photos or keep an eye on the clothes or the gear during the shooting.

“The most important thing is making sure everyone consents before and after the photo is taken, and also that they know it’s okay to pull out at any stage,“ explains Lucas. ”Everyone gets to look at it to make sure they are okay with that photo. As a model, you are vulnerable, especially when you’re making the photo publicly available.”

Joining the university tramping club is as much about taking part, as it is about growing your skills. CUTC on a bushcraft trip. Photo: Annie Huang

Linking fun to a good cause

The success of the informal calendars from previous years and the content gathered from various trips contributed to the idea of linking the project to a good cause. It became obvious very quickly it would be for the conservation of kea. “Our club’s home ground is Arthur’s Pass NP, which is a home ground of kea,” explains Poppy. “We are out there, in the mountains, sharing the environment with this curious, intelligent bird, which is endemic to the Southern Alps and also features in our club’s logo. It felt natural to support that cause.”

Lucas and Poppy consider the company of kea a privilege. This clever, playful, social bird is unfortunately in decline – the bird’s charming characteristics often contribute to that and can work against them. Highly valued as one of the most intelligent bird species in the world, it is listed as nationally endangered and vulnerable, with approximately less than 7000 individuals left in the wild after a government bounty spanning 100 years claimed at least 150,000 kea. The main threats now to kea include introduced predators, non-target pest control accidents (traps and baits), lead poisoning and ongoing human conflict. Because of kea’s insatiable curiosity and therefore tendency to interact with people and their property, human-kea conflict has grown to an extent unprecedented with other endemic birds.

“We humans are probably the number one reason why the kea population is declining. We wanted to acknowledge that and support Kea Conservation Trust and the amazing mahi that they do.” Lucas reflects on human-kea conflict and the reasons for collaborating with the Trust.

Indeed the focus of Kea Conservation Trust is to inspire local communities to take the agency in protecting kea and increasing awareness for threats impacting kea. Set up in 2006, the Trust assists in the conservation of wild kea in their natural habitat and to increase the husbandry standards and advocacy for captive kea in New Zealand. With funds from their donors, it supports field and captive kea projects to improve conservation and best management practices. Some projects focus on advocacy, education and community engagement promoting safe behaviour in kea habitat and highlighting threats to the birds (never feed a kea!). Others are research, monitoring and threat mitigation based. Many are funded and supported by local communities, businesses, and University of Canterbury summer scholarship programmes, as well as overseas organizations and researchers.

Photo: Bernard Spragg

Partnering with Kea Conservation Trust and sponsors

When presented with the idea of a Tasteful Nude Calendar, Kea Conservation Trust took it on board very keenly – a cheeky calendar for a cheeky bird! Before the calendar went into production, all images were looked at together with Tamsin Orr-Walker, Co-founder, Trustee, Chair and Trust’s Community Engagement Coordinator, and CUTC, to protect the Trust’s integrity and make sure the calendar aligned with the Trust’s brand image.

To add a layer of positivism and well-being, the club decided to include custom dates in the calendar. Random dates were picked and “wholesome” actions added to them, mental health reminders such as: go hug a friend, give your friend a call, try something new…

With a good cause behind their back, CUTC produced 250 calendars and sold close to 190. Large-scale print and production were made possible by local and national sponsors, who supported the cause and found the idea exciting. Many local businesses in Ōtautahi Christchurch were happy to help, as well as others around the country. The club wanted to work with local brands that are creating a positive change, supporting local communities and caring about sustainability and the conservation of nature. Local climbing gym Uprising, Kingswood Skis, Further Faster, Mons Royale, Wear on Earth, Bivouac Outdoor, Rollicking Gelato, Man in Your Head video production company, Kaitiaki o Ngāhere ecological restoration company and Ski Bum Life all got on board. This was a wonderful opportunity for the club to build new relationships and strengthen already existing ones.

It was also an opportunity to follow the whole process through – from an initial idea to a final product. This was especially satisfying. Lucas remembers the moment when the first printed copy landed in his hands: “Getting the first physical hard copy was such an out-of-it moment! The mahi we’ve been doing for the last year has actually come to fruition. It was happening. It was real!”

CUTC is “stoked as” with the outcome of the sales, which they managed through their club and with the help of Further Faster. All of the profits made from the calendars went to Kea Conservation Trust.

Besides supporting a conservation cause, this specific project granted other wonderful outcomes. It created a real sense of community, trust and a safe space for connection and engagement – important parts of outdoor culture that underpin the values of companionship and camaraderie in the wild.

Clubs are all about giving people a chance to experience the wonders of tramping and outdoors. Lucas believes: “That moment, after going on a few tramps, when the light bulb switches on and someone goes ‘Wow! This is amazing, this is something I can do! I dreamed about it and I’m here now.’ Seeing that moment happen for people, it’s amazing. It fills my cup.”

It fills ours here at FMC, too!

Disclaimer: No clothes or gear have been lost during the photo shoots through kea-human contact.

Shooting for the calendar also happens in winter months. CUTC on a snowcraft trip. Photo: Euan Robinson

A few kea facts

A flock of kea is known either as a ‘circus of kea’ or a ‘curiosity of kea’.
Kea is both singular and plural.
Fewer than 7000 kea are left in the wild.
Kea were considered guardians of the mountains for Māori during their search for Pounamu (greenstone).
The oldest known kea in captivity reached the age of 50 years.
Communication between kea is achieved through a combination of diverse vocalizations and body/feather postures and displays; some of which are not visible to us.
The kākāpō, kākā and kea have a common ancestor.
Kea-human conflict or illegal removal/killings of kea can be reported directly to www.keaconservation.co.nz/help-kea/kea-conflict-report/ or by emailing the Kea Conservation Trust at info@keaconservation.nz