High calibre candidates for High Country Advisory Group
Tuesday 2 August 2018 High calibre candidates for
High Country Advisory Group
The Chief Executive of Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) today announced the members of the new South Island High Country Advisory Group.
Andrew Crisp says he was delighted with the number of applications and was pleased at the value so many people saw in working together with government through the group.
“In just four weeks we had 33 applications, demonstrating how passionately people feel about this iconic area,” says Mr Crisp.
“So many high calibre candidates applied that we have increased the number of members in the group. We had originally planned to appoint up to six members of the public, but with so many highly skilled applicants, from such diverse backgrounds, we have increased the number to ten.”
The Advisory Group will see LINZ
adopt a new way of working in the High Country.
“It’s
really important to us that we’re hearing directly from a
range of people who can provide us with expert advice and a
local perspective. We have members with experience in
sectors such as the environment, farming, industry, iwi and
government.
“As stewards of this land, we have a
responsibility to ensure the unique and special place that
is the High Country can be enjoyed for generations to come.
Reaching out to work with others will ensure that we’re
doing the best job possible both now and in the
future.”
The High Country Advisory Group will have a total of 13 members. Alongside the nominated members will be representatives from LINZ, the Department of Conservation and Ngāi Tahu.
The Group will provide advice and insights to the Commissioner of Crown Lands and LINZ to enable greater transparency and communication in the management of Crown land in the South Island High Country. They will also look for collaborative projects, identify examples of good practice and recommend activities to support work programmes.
The Group is expected to meet four times a year and members are appointed for two years. The first meeting is due to take place in September.
Advisory
Group:
Colin Drummond -
Nominated by Federated Farmers
Colin is a lease
holder and farms on Erewhon Station, a 14,000 hectare acre
property at the top of the Rangitata Gorge. The Station runs
merino sheep, Hereford cattle, deer and includes a large
Clydesdale Horse Stud.
Edward
Ellison – Nominated by Ngāi
Tahu
Edward is a sheep and beef farmer on the Otago
Peninsula. He is also an independent environmental
commissioner for numerous hearings and is active in Ngāi
Tahu and rūnanga governance.
Jan
Finlayson – Federated Mountain
Clubs
Based in South Canterbury, Jan is the
Vice-President of Federated Mountain Clubs. She is also a
farmer and a former chair of the Canterbury-Aoraki
Conservation Board.
James Guild –
Current Chair QE II National Trust and Chair Molesworth
Steering Committee
James has farmed High Peak Station
at Rakaia Gorge since 1973. The farm has diversified from a
traditional sheep and cattle breeding station to include
deer, forestry, bee-keeping and tourism ventures. James is
also the former chair of Canterbury Aoraki Conservation
Board.
Mike Harding – member
of the Ministry for the Environment Biodiversity
Collaborative Group
Based in Geraldine, Mike is an
independent environmental consultant. He has broad
experience working as an ecologist and an expert witness
specialising in the high country.
Geoff
Holgate – Walking Access Commission
As
a consultant ecologist contracted to Walking Access
Commission, Geoff brings decades of experience working
across a number of organisations involved in land
management. He has previously worked on tenure review as
well as pastoral land management for Landcorp and Lands and
Survey. Geoff is based in Canterbury.
Di
Lucas – Rural landscape planner and past chair
of the Nature Heritage Fund
Di owns Lucas Associates,
which regularly works with land owners, iwi and other groups
in resource planning, sustainable land management, heritage
management, landscape ecology and restoration. Christchurch
based, Di originates from Bendigo and still manages the
family farm lease there.
Jen
Miller - Forest & Bird and MfE Biodiversity
Collaborative Group
As Group Manager Conservation
Advocacy for Forest and Bird, Jen brings some key expertise
to the group. Based in Lyttelton she is well connected to a
wide range of organisations who have a stake in
conservation.
Jonathan Wallis –
Chair High Country Accord
Jonathan is a High
Country farmer and leaseholder based at Minaret Station on
the western shores of Lake Wanaka. Jonathan is the Managing
Director of the Alpine Group, a family owned business with
interests in aviation, tourism, processing and export.
Madeleine Wright – Environmental
Defence Society
Madeleine runs the litigation
programme of the Environmental Defence Society. She is also
the Society's representative on the New Zealand Land and
Water Forum and the Biodiversity Collaborative Group. She is
based in
Auckland.