Wakatipu Community Foundation Announces $36,000 Grant from the Morgridge Family Foundation for Conservation Efforts to Revitalise Lake Hayes

Grant to The Nature Conservancy to improve land management for freshwater lake and address water quality issues

(QUEENSTOWN)In February, thanks to a long-time friendship with locals Kristen and Marc Holtzman, philanthropist Carrie Morgridge and her team embarked upon a four-day visit to the Wakatipu Basin, hosted by the Wakatipu Community Foundation (WCF). After several days of touring and visits to the area, Carrie and her Morgridge Family Foundation (MFF) team forged a great bond with our community and pledged to help facilitate philanthropic endeavours alongside the WCF. Although Covid-19 has disrupted some of those plans, the WCF fully anticipates a continued robust relationship with the MFF. The MFF is keen to partner with local grassroots organisations to augment their efforts for greatest impact. As long-time supporters of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Lake Hayes grant is the first MFF grant for our area facilitated by the WCF. TNC will be working with the Friends of Lake Hayes to identify and plan the implementation of sediment and nutrient control mechanisms to improve the health of the lake.

From The Nature Conservancy, New Zealand

“The Nature Conservancy Aotearoa New Zealand are thrilled that, thanks to the wonderful generosity of the Morgridge Family Foundation, we are able to partner with Friends of Lake Hayes to help restore the health of Lake Hayes. We look forward to continuing TNC’s relationship with the Morgridge Family Foundation, and building new relationships with the Friends of Lake Hayes and the Lake Hayes community. The lessons learned through this work will have important on-going benefits for the many waterways and communities throughout New Zealand facing similar issues.”

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Page 2 – Wakatipu Community Foundation

From Alexa Forbes, Otago Regional Council

“As a regional council representative for this area I am thankful for this help to a wonderful project. I commend the Wakatipu Community Foundation for their work in sourcing this calibre of funding, am very grateful to the Morgridge Family Foundation and as always, delighted by the work of the indefatigable Friends of Lake Hayes. While restoration work is essential, we also need to ensure a strong planning and regulatory framework prevents damaging activity.”

From the Wakatipu Community Foundation

"I am grateful to the Morgridge Family Foundation and The Nature Conservancy for this generous grant which will help restore and transform the ecology of Lake Hayes to it's original beauty," said Jennifer Belmont, Founder of the Wakatipu Community Foundation. "I am pleased that the Wakatipu Community Foundation could help facilitate such an impactful gift to our community."

From the Morgridge Family Foundation:

"When the Morgridge Family Foundation (MFF) first visited New Zealand, the team was struck by the country's natural beauty. MFF is pleased to act as an accelerator between our longtime friend The Nature Conservancy and the grassroots community efforts of Arrowtown scientists to conserve Lake Hayes. There's no doubting the great environmental impact these efforts will have. MFF looks forward to continuing our strong relationship with the Wakatipu Community Foundation and sparking a spirit of philanthropy in Arrowtown and beyond."

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