Trustees
Gillian Bishop BA,MBA, Chairperson, has an extensive background in planning and development of contract frameworks in the health sector for the Department of Health, Central Regional Health Authority, ACC and as a consultant. She has lived beside the Waimea Inlet for the last 13 years and her passion for the estuary has resulted in her active participation in work to protect and enhance the estuary environment. She has provided leadership to the Waimea Inlet Forum since its formation in 2010 to ensure that the community has a voice in decisions affecting the Inlet. Gillian has been part of a small project team working to restore Bell Island Spit and involved in other restoration projects and environmental initiatives through Plant Right Now, a community network focused on restoration around the Waimea Inlet. Gillian has recently joined the Tasman Environmental Trust and looks forward to the opportunity to increase the number of projects supported by the Trust.
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Martin Heine, Deputy Chairperson, has been a national park ranger and conservation manager in a career spanning 40 years in Canterbury and Nelson-Marlborough. He studied botany at Canterbury University, has a particular interest in ecological restoration of forest sites in the Moutere area and a passion for beech trees. Martin left the Department of Conservation in 2012, and joined the Tasman Environmental Trust in the same year. He currently works part-time providing community liaison for the Native Habitat Tasman programme.
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Gavin O’Donnell -Representing Federated Farmers - Gavin is a farm business manager with over 30 years experience in the pastoral farming sector where he has represented Nelson Federated Farmers at both provincial and national level for many years. His wide practical experience has shown him that we must all ensure the cumulative stresses placed on the environment do not degrade the environment beyond its ecological adaptive capacity. He is actively involved with both the Nelson City and Tasman District Biodiversity Forum groups where he has a particular interest in facilitating their aims and objectives within the rural environment. He is also a Trustee of the Tasman Environmental Trust nurturing and fostering small community groups of enthusiastic volunteers who have dreams and plans for environmental enhancement and restoration but lack the resources and skills to see their projects through to a successful conclusion.
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Justin Hall is a management consultant working with businesses to develop strategy and their governance processes. He has 20 years management experience in the horticulture and cider-making industries. Over recent years he has developed an interest in business opportunities around reduction and utilisation of waste alongside alternative methods of food production and how these can make a positive difference for the environment. Firmly anchored in Mapua with his wife and two teenage sons, he hopes his business acumen can assist the TET to develop and achieve its long term environmental goals for this beautiful region that we live in.
rk Manson I come from a line of tree lovers and am proud to be involved in the TET. I make my living from dairying and are known throughout the district for having an environmentally caring attitude to my farm; as were my parents before me. Stepping back from the day-to-day running of the farm has become a priority and I now spend my time recording music and making short art films.
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Trevor Tuffnell has a background in the Construction and Rental industries, both in local management and national executive roles.
Trevor is a Tasman District Councillor and he acts as the liaison conduit between the Trust and the TDC. He is the Deputy Chair of the Network Tasman Trust, is a member of the Nelson Tasman Business Trust and has involvement in other community activities. Trevor has a concern for environmental issues and sees the need to ensure that we protect and improve our area for future generations. |
Murray Poulter
Representing the Nelson-Marlborough Department of Conservation Board, Dr Murray Poulter, originally from Motueka, is a former NIWA Chief Scientist who now resides on a small block in Tasman. His research career included work in the UK, Germany, US, Canada and Antarctica before he took on management roles in NIWA. This work has given him a wide exposure to our terrestrial, aquatic and marine environments, their sensitivities, stresses and mitigation options. Murray is joint owner of a QE II covenanted plot of native bush, along with a short section of the Tasman Valley Stream. With a keen interest in the local environment and an appreciation of the impact co-ordinated community efforts can bring, Murray looks forward to contributing to the Trust’s future achievements. |
Executive Committee
Sky Davies, Trust Manager, grew up in the Motueka Valley and has recently returned to the area with her husband and two children. Prior to her role at Tasman Environmental Trust, Sky worked as a research team leader for the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, carrying out environmental investigations. In that role her main focus was on conservation related issues including pest control and native bird conservation.
Prior to having a family, Sky spent many years travelling. Some of her adventures included working as a white-water raft guide in the United States, a three-year stint in Bolivia working in community development, and living on a canal boat in the UK. Sky has a Bachelor of Resource Studies degree from Lincoln University, and a Master of Science degree in environmental policy from Oxford University, where she studied as a Commonwealth Scholar. |
Lindsay Vaughan is a committee member who was the Trust’s Administrator from 2003 until he retired in 2016. He has qualifications in botany, forestry and business management, and worked in the forest industry for 28 years in Nelson, Marlborough and Rotorua. He returned to Nelson in 1998 to manage the Forestry Diploma course at NMIT before joining Tasman District Council as a biosecurity and biodiversity coordinator. He has been impressed by the changes within the Trust over the last couple of years that have significantly increased its capacity and capability to work with landowners and community groups to restore and protect natural ecosystems.
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Neil Clifton has extensive experience in conservation at both operational and management levels in the former Department of Lands and Survey and the Department of Conservation. His 37 year career has included representing New Zealand on a number of overseas assignments
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Kathryn Brownlie, Treasurer, took up the position in 2015 and has a background in Management Accounting. She is involved with Battle for the Banded Rail which is working to restore habitat and trap predators on the Waimea Inlet to increase the numbers of Banded Rail and other shy margin-dwelling birds. Originally from the lower North Island, Richmond has been home for 15 years where she and her husband have enjoyed raising their three children in the Tasman region with all the outdoor opportunities it offers for recreation, sport and leisure.