Network Confers Awards For Native Plant Protection
New Zealand’s leading guardians of the country’s native plants have been recognised with awards from the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. The awards recognise the depth of feeling for New Zealand’s indigenous flora, and the remarkable efforts of a range of people and organisations.Individual Award
Wayne Bennett receives this award for his efforts to lift the profile of ecological restoration planting and eco-sourcing in the Waikato. The judges say the award acknowledges a vast accumulation of knowledge on native plant propagation, fruiting and flowering phenology and restoration planting. He has also been heavily involved in projects to save threatened flora such as Cook’s scurvy grass. Contact: Wayne Bennett: 07 8247167
Community Award
Forest and Bird’s Home Nursery in Wellington receives this award. The nursery has provided endemic plants for land restoration in and around Wellington for the past 15 years. More than 150,000 plants have been raised from eco-sourced seeds. Contact: Gary James: 04 938 6751
Council Award
The Marlborough District Council receives this award for its Significant Natural Area (SNA) programme. Marlborough’s SNA project has extended across privately-owned land throughout southern Marlborough and the Marlborough Sounds. The Network’s judges commented that it is a model for achieve conservation gains in partnership with land owners. Contact: Nicky Eade: 03 520 7400
Nursery Award
Kerikeri Shadehouse, a community-based nursery providing plants for restoration projects, has won this award. It has provided inexpensive plants for restoration and revegetation projects in the region. Over 8 years the nursery has provided more than 50,000 eco-sourced plants. Contact: Rod Brown: 09 407 4294
School Award
This year two schools received awards. Paroa School, on the South Island’s West Coast, receives an award for a Little Blue penguin project which began in 2005. The project now grows pigao/pikao plants in tunnel houses for planting along the dunes.
Maruia School, in the Buller district of the South Island, receives an award for its work with two threatened plants: Melicytus flexuosus and Coprosma wallii. Contact Paroa School: Peter Bayliss 03 762 6709 Contact Maruia School: Dina Ahradsen 03 523 8860
Lifetime Achievement
Geoff Davidson of Oratia Valley, West Auckland, receives the Life Time Achievement Award from the Network’s National Council. This award recognises Mr Davidson’s work to save species from extinction, running the country’s top nursery (Oratia) and being part of major initiatives to protect plants and plant communities. Contact: Geoff Davidson Tel: 09 818-6467
Posted: 13/10/2007