Obituary: Noeleen Clements

Forest and Bird, Issue 281, 1 August 1996, Page 51

Obituary: Noeleen Clements

NORTHERN BRANCH activist, botanist and longstanding fighter for conservation, Noeleen Clements, died in April after a year-long battle with cancer. Noeleen and husband Toby ran the branch’s botanical rambles for many years, acted

as rangers for the Hewitt Reserve and educated hundreds if not thousands of people about trees, ferns and orchids. Noeleen’s book on native orchids became a standard text for botanists and DoC. She received DoC’s Conservation Award in 1994. Toby and Noeleen were branch committee members for many years, assisted with Limestone Island’s restoration and built a large beautiful native plant garden amid restored bush on their farmlet at Ruatangata near Whangarei. Noeleen died the day before a large open day, planned and promoted by the branch, was to be held on the property. In accordance with Noeleen’s wishes, the function went ahead. Around 300 people attended — most of whom knew nothing of the family tragedy — and over $1,500 was raised for conservation. It was somehow appropriate that events proceeded. Noeleen would never allow a fuss to be made about anything; she just got on and did a wonderful job of caring for native plants and ensuring other people cared for them too. Her passing is a huge loss to conservation in Northland. Jack Craw