New Biodiversity Guardians committee brings in more expertise

The Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay Guardians AGM last night in Taradale has led to exciting new additions to the Guardians committee.

New to the committee are Stephanie Murphy, planner at Hawke’s Bay Airport; Troy Duncan, Field Officer for the QE2 Trust; Nathan Burkepile, recently appointed officer for the Landcare Trust; and Ngaio Tiuka, Director Environment and Natural Resources Unit for Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated.

Reappointed to the same positions were Connie Norgate (Chair, and DOC manager), Marie Taylor (Deputy Chair and owner of Plant Hawke’s Bay), Kay Griffiths (The Conservation Company), Amelia McQueen (EIT), Mark Mitchell and Keiko Hashiba (regional council biodiversity team) and Biodiversity HB project manager Genevieve Bennett.

Members also voted for Christine Cheyne to represent the wider Guardian members on the Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay Foundation Board, alongside the Guardian Committee Chair. Christine brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in biodiversity, as she lectured at Massey University in resource management and has held several terms on Conservation Boards and environmental panels.

Connie Norgate, Guardians Chair, says the committee members bring a wealth of experience in conservation and biodiversity, and one way or another, are champions of Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay.

“We will continue to grow our membership and work to complete the actions set out under the region’s biodiversity strategy.  We also support the Biodiversity Foundation to grow and administer the endowment fund with the long-term goal of $50 million, which is essential to building a sustainable future for Hawke’s Bay,” she says.

The Guardians will be holding their first annual forum event -  “Bio Buzz” - on 28 October at Aramoana in Central Hawke’s Bay.  Later this year the Guardians will also announce some of their first grants for biodiversity projects.

25 September 2018

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