Find out more about how The 800 Trust won the award for its work in pest management and protecting native biodiversity in the eastern hill country in Taranaki.
Winner
The 800 Trust - For commitment to supporting pest management and protecting biodiversity in Taranaki.
The Trust is working with others to return kiwi to the eastern Taranaki hill country. They care for 2000ha of native forest and retired farming east of Stratford and have removed thousands of invasive species from the area.
Trust member Miranda Wells says: “It’s a real honour to win this award. For the regional council to select us for the mahi we’ve doing here in Taranaki is awesome.”
Highly commended
Nick Jones from Rewild
Rewild is a local conservation innovation company specialising in developing tools and technologies for use in landscape-scale pest and predator eradication and suppression. Nick Jones has demonstrated an admirable commitment to environmental protection and his work will undeniably make a positive impact on our environment.
Karen Hamer and Robert Crookbain
In 2019, Karen and Robert, farmers with a keen environmental conscience, made a pivotal decision. They purchased a 2.4ha indigenous forest remnant adjacent to their property with the express purpose of protecting it from future damage. Through their efforts, Robert and Karen have rescued a piece of nature and are leading the restoration of a chronically threatened ecosystem.
Marc and Karen Tuffield
The Tuffields have covenanted 915 hectares of old native and regenerating native forest on their property in South Taranaki. They joined the Key Native Ecosystem programme in 2016 and developed a Biodiversity Plan with the guidance of Taranaki Regional Council staff. Alongside others, they work hard on a predator control programme protecting brown kiwi and other wildlife in the area.