An Overdue Update

Apologies for the long gap between posts - it's not because nothing has been happening, but because we've been a too busy!

What has been happening?

We now have charitable status.

We have the very talented Elise Lepple working on marketing material.

We nearly have a full complement of world-leading experts in our Advisory Group. We are hugely thankful to:

• David Mules (WWF-Tindall Foundation Connecting Northland Project).
• Assoc. Professor Philip Seddon (Department of Zoology, University of Otago).
• John Barkla (Ranger Partnerships, Department of Conservation).
• Rebecca Stanley (Partnership and Education, Auckland Botanic Gardens).
• Dr Colin O'Donnell (scientist, Department of Conservation).
• Dr John Innes (scientist, Landcare Research).
• Dr James Russell (Senior Lecturer, Auckland University).
• Clayson Howell (Technical Officer, Department of Conservation).
• Dr Marieke Lettink (FaunaFinders).
• Dr Warren Chinn (Technical Officer, Department of Conservation).
• Dr Robin Mitchell (Golder Associates)

We're still on the lookout for good marine, freshwater and community/Iwi liaison people (if anyone knows any body particularly talented in either of these fields then please let me know).

We've met the Minister of Conservation and will soon meet the new Director General of the Department of Conservation.

We're in discussion with various groups to gain their support in conservation initiatives.

We've got various funding bids in to help get us started.

Early indications are that we may have raised over a million dollars already (more on that in a later post).

Flock of endangered brown teal (Anas chlorotis) that have been released into a new site on the Coromandel Peninsula. Brown teal were common throughout NZ but the South Island subspecies was declared extinct last month. The North Island subspecies was struggling with potentially viable populations only occurring at two or three sites in the last decade. A concerted effort by several organisations has improved the situation, but there is still a long way to go. These birds are at a flock site where they choose their mate for the coming breeding season.

Image Is Everything

The Endangered Species Foundation of NZ now has a professional image developed by Acumen Republic:

The logo was developed to contain themes of land, air and water based on a caring heart background. We also wanted it to look professional and crisp and of course distinctive. We think Acumen have pulled off this brief superbly.

Elements of this logo can be used in different ways and combined with other devices in our publications and communications. Having a good image to give a good professional first-impression for the Endangered Species Foundation is critical and we're looking forward to taking it out to the New Zealand community.

Acumen undertook this work pro-bono as the staff and managers wished to be involved in a worthwhile cause that they could support using their specific talents. We think they are showing what forward looking companies value - a business that integrates with its community to the benefit of both.

Our next step is to develop our promotional material. Again, Acumen are very generously and professionally supporting us in this.

A Reality!

The Endangered Species Foundation of New Zealand is now a legal entity!

Dame Cheryll Sotheran, Prof. Sir Alan Mark, Kerry Prendergast, Neil Thorsen, Dr Jane Marshall, John Walsh (Acumen Republic) and Richard Allan at the signing of the Foundation's Trust Deed. Richard Dore absent.

It has taken a lot of work by many people over the past couple of months with fantastic support from Kensington Swan Lawyers to develop our Trust Deed, which was signed by our Trustees on the 18th March.

The Mission of the Endangered Species Foundation is:

"to provide a professional funding organisation through which successful projects are completed to help achieve the Goal of preventing any further extinctions of New Zealand’s unique indigenous biodiversity and their habitats”

Our objectives are to:

1)     support the active conservation of New Zealand’s unique places, plants and animal life, particularly for those species that are at risk of extinction;

2)     prevent further extinctions by facilitating the implementation of world-leading  efficient and effective management programmes for those species in imminent risk of extinction (the “rarest of the rare”);

3)     support research that provides conservation managers with tools that can be used to redress the threats to New Zealand’s indigenous biota;

4)     assist and cooperate with persons and organisations sharing similar aims;

5)     facilitate the hands-on involvement of local communities;

6)     provide information to interested parties, including local and central government about the appropriate management of endangered species.

Being a legally-recognised body means we can now progress to raising funds for supporting urgent conservation projects, and to help us with this we have been busy preparing a start-up business plan. This business plan explains how we plan on raising our $30 million fund!

An important spectator to the signing of the Trust Deed was John Walsh from the communication company Acumen Republic. More on this very exciting development in the next post!!

 

If you would like a copy of our Business plan email Mike mike.thorsen@xtra.co.nz. A copy of the Trust Deed will be available once we have been approved as a charitable organisation.

Introducing The Last Of Our Trustees

Finishing our introductions of trustees we have Emeritus Professor Sir Alan Mark and Richard Allen:

Richard has been in private legal practice in Wellington for the last 18 years and has worked in both large and small firms. He now runs his own practice with an emphasis on property transactions, trust and asset planning and small business matters. He has wide experience in trust administration, including three years at a statutory trustee company prior to entering into private legal practice. Richard is very interested in protecting New Zealand's natural resources and recognises the need for sustainable conservation. He and his family have supported various charities in this area, over the years.

Alan with some of his beloved alpine tussock grasses

Alan has had a lifetime interest and involvement in conserving our indigenous plants and ecosystems. As a professional plant ecologist based at the University of Otago, he has been involved, with support from the Hellaby Indigenous Grasslands Research Trust, researching the pure and applied ecology of the upland snow tussock grasslands and associated mountain lands, aimed at their sustainable management. Alan has been an untiring advocate for conservation of the high country’s biodiversity and importance for baseline research and ecosystem services, particularly the very high water yields from its upland snow tussocklands which he has researched. In addition to high country conservation, he accepted a 1969 invitation by the Government to assess the likely environmental impacts of the proposed raising of Fiordland’s Lakes Manapouri and Te Anau, and later was appointed Chair of the Lake Guardians to apply this research to sustainable lake management. His research efforts, with about 190 scientific papers published, as well as contributions to the ecological understanding and conservation of our indigenous ecosystems, have been recognised with various awards and honours, including a Fellowship of the Royal Society of New Zealand, the Society’s Hutton Medal and Fleming Environmental Award, the Loder Cup, and the inaugural Awards of New Zealand 1994. Alan has also received a Distinguished Life Membership of the Forest and Bird Protection Society, Life Membership of the N.Z Ecological Society and the Ecological Society of America and Honorary Membership of the N.Z. Alpine Club, as well as a CBE (1989) and KNZM (2009), for contributions to scientifically-based conservation in New Zealand. 

So we are  very lucky with the range and experience of our trustees. Our next step is signing the Trust Deed. This is scheduled for 25th of January. After that, it's all on!