Trustees to visit nationally significant Wetland

Tomorrow and Wednesday Marlborough hosts the annual meeting of the New Zealand Game Bird Habitat Trust (NZGBHT).

The NZGBHT has been a major funder of the Para Wetland restoration project, and has funded a significant amount of the willow clearance to date. This will be the first opportunity that the trust will have to view the Wetland.

Locally based trustee Susan King says “the Trust board members are based all around New Zealand so it’s great that we have been able to arrange to have our yearly meeting in Blenheim, and that all board members get a chance to see the Para Wetland and the great progress that has been made so far with willow clearance.”

“In 2010 the Para Wetland was identified by the NZGBHT as strategically the best wetland in the country for restoration, and is Marlborough’s largest remaining freshwater wetland.” adds Ms King.

That decision also took into account which wetland had the most potential for restoration, had a high profile location and good public access, provided significant game bird habitat that could be restored or enhanced, and had potential educational values.

The primary purpose of the Game Bird Habitat Trust Board is to distribute funding for the development and enhancement of habitat for the benefit of game birds and other wetland inhabitants.

The Game Bird Habitat Trust is the sole body dedicated to providing financial backing for shooting and conservation in New Zealand. According to Ms King it has been influential in supporting many projects by recognising that often a modest grant is all that’s needed to enable projects to proceed.

The New Zealand Game Bird Habitat Trust, established under the 1953 Wildlife Act, exists primarily to improve New Zealand game bird habitat and, secondarily, to improve the habitat of other wildlife.

ENDS

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