AGM and council meet in Wairarapa

Forest and Bird, Issue 269, 1 August 1993, Page 43

AGM and council meet in Wairarapa

THE SOCIETY’S annual general meeting and council meeting was held in Masterton on 25-27 June. The council adopted a policy on tourism. This aims to ensure that protection of the natural environment is of paramount

importance in the planning, marketing and management of tourism in New Zealand. The policy supports the establishment of a tourism trust fund to contribute towards facilities and education about the

adverse impacts of visitors on the natural environment. Copies of the policy are available from head office. Ending years of debate about the future of Bushy Park, the council also agreed to a recommendation from the executive and the Bushy Park Management Committee to sell the house and grounds for a nominal sum to a specially established local trust. The trust would be better placed to attract capital for the development of the house into a self-financing accommodation and conference venue. The bush itself will remain in society ownership. Booker-prize-winning novelist Kerri Hulme delivered the Sanderson Memorial Address and delighted councillors with her gentle but incisive observations of life as a conservationist in Okarito. Old Blue awards for outstanding contributions to conservation in this country were presented to Alan Webster for his contribution to the Gisborne branch, Isabel Morgan for service Over many years to the Napier branch and the Kiwi Conservation Club, Ian Wilson for developing the Far North branch and efforts to protect Northland’s natural heritage, Ines Stager and Peter Kellor for their conservation projects in the South Canterbury area and their work with the KCC, and Debbie McLachlan for her cou-

rageous efforts to preserve South Westland’s great rainforests. Debbie’s award was accepted on her behalf by next-door neighbour Kerri Hulme. Olga Langford, former national

secretary (1974-82) was given distinguished life membership by the council. Sadly, as this issue of the journal went to press, we learnt of Mrs Langford’s death. An obituary will appear in the November issue. A new national executive was elected during the weekend. President, Gordon Ell, deputy president, Jon Jackson, and treasurer, David Underwood, were re-elected unopposed, while four new executive members, Christine Henderson (Southland), Di Lucas (South Canterbury), Colin Ryder (Wellington) and Claire Stevens (North Shore) were elected to the executive committee. The executive decided to lodge a water conservation order for the Whanganui River. It also decided to appoint a consultant to examine the society’s management and administration. The consultant will be Deborah Battell from KPMG Peat Marwick who has particular experience with voluntary organisations.