New Conservation Appointments Boost Private and Māori Land Investment

Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka is pleased to announce new and returning appointments to two conservation bodies, promoting conservation investment on private and Māori land.

The Queen Elizabeth II National Trust and Ngā Whenua Rāhui play critical roles in supporting landowners and protecting of conservation values, encouraging private entities to think about naturing, says Mr Potaka.I am delighted to confirm such excellent appointments to strengthen both bodies and their mahi.

The QE II National Trust, an independent charitable trust working with private landowners to protect and enhance spaces of ecological and cultural significance through covenants in perpetuity, has seen the re-appointment of Alan Livingston as Chair, and the appointment of Debbie Hyland.

The Ngā Whenua Rāhui Komiti, which funds the protection of Māori land and helps protect native ecosystems on Māori-owned land, through kawenata, while allowing landowners to retain tino rangatiratanga (ownership and control). The Komiti will welcome the re-appointment of Mere George, alongside the appointments of Kipa Munro and Maui Solomon.

These two entities do great things supporting landowners and encouraging conservation. Conservation mahi in Aotearoa New Zealand relies on tangata whenua and landowners from across the rohe coming together for a common goal, and I look forward to seeing their great work going forward.