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2024 Conservation Awards

On July 13th the Piroa Conservation Trust (PCT) held its annual awards night to celebrate the work of volunteers and recognise some special individuals across a variety of categories.

This year the SUPREME AWARD went to the incredible Susan Steadman. A number of years ago it became evident that Tara Iti (Fairy Tern) were on the brink of extinction. Susan refused to accept extinction was inevitable. Her commitment has helped to prove that given adequate protection Tara Iti can survive. Susan also drives PCTs education programme, curriculum development and direction along with leading the in-classroom delivery. This year she has successfully expanded the programme to reach eight schools in the local area. It is hard to find another individual who dedicates as much of her life to conservation volunteer work as Susan. It was unanimous that there was not a better person than Susan to receive the supreme award.

NATIVE HABITAT RESTORATION AWARD - Goddard Family. A whitebait spawning site was identified on the Goddard family farm near Waipu. The Goddards made their property available as a demonstration site where pest management has been introduced and over a thousand trees were planted to enhance survival prospects for the whitebait.

NATIVE HABITAT RESTORATION AWARD - Goddard Family
WEED WARRIOR OF THE YEAR
Christine & Mike Silvester. 
TRAPPER OF THE YEAR
Phil Brimacombe

WEED WARRIOR OF THE YEAR went to Mangawhai locals Christine & Mike Silvester. They started by eliminating a couple of privet trees on their boundary and ended up by eliminating every privet within one km of their place along with various other invasive plants. They are also founding members of our newly formed weed SWAT team.

This years TRAPPER OF THE YEAR award went to Phil Brimacombe. Over the past six years Phil has devoted many hours to trap checking along the Waipu sandspit during winter months, and also working with a group servicing traps up Cullen Rd. These trap lines are doing a key job of keeping mustelid numbers down and as a result kiwi presence was confirmed in this area two years ago.

The ROOKIE OF THE YEAR went to Steve Pelham. When it comes to bush bashing Steve is a machine. He’s been training for years by competing in ultra-endurance events such as 100km Oxfam Walk/run (winning team 2009). Steve is a can-do guy who has immediately become a valuable member of the Waipu Kiwis team.

MYNA TRAPPER OF THE YEAR award went to Lynn Davies.  A few years ago Lynn Davies noticed an increase in the number of Myna birds in and around her property. She read that Mynas are territorial and aggressive toward other birds and have been known to remove native species from their nests for their own use. Since then, Lynn has been honing her mynah trapping skills and has reduced numbers by almost 150 in her neighbourhood.

TAMARIKI TRAPPER OF THE YEAR - Louis Clarkin.  Louis Clarkin is out there on the trap lines with his grandmother (sometimes). It’s only a matter of time before he catches the bug. In anticipation he got an award certificate with $20 stapled to the back.
 

The ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Steve Pelham. 

MYNA TRAPPER OF THE YEAR Lynn Davies.

TAMARIKI TRAPPER OF THE YEAR - Louis Clarkin

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