Aubrey Tai
Catchment Care Coordinator, Marlborough District Council
Aubrey is the guy to call if you're interested in funding for fencing, dung beetles or native planting. He usually shows up with bikkies to have a yarn with you about your goals for the property and how we might be able to help. When he isn't grabbing a pie in Havelock between site visits, you can find him hunting, fishing or somewhere in nature.
Shannon Huntley
Kaitiaki mō Te Hoiere Awa Coordinator, Te Runanga o Ngati Kuia; and Te Hoiere Working Group Member
Raised in Waikawa, Shannon is a DOC Nelson Ranger Programme graduate and former RNZAF Firefighter. As part of Te Hoiere Project, he's leading the work plan for Ngati Kuia to restore Ruapaka Wetland near Canvastown. Between organising contractors and looking after the Ngati Kuia field crew, Shannon can be found spending time with his young family.
India Hamill
Environmental Scientist – Freshwater Ecosystems, Marlborough District Council
India grew up in Marlborough, and isn't the only freshwater ecologist in the family. As part of Te Hoiere Project, she's looking at barriers to migration for native fish and understanding their habitats across the catchment. When she isn't knee-deep in fish habitats, you can find her alongside Aubrey as part of Council's waiata group, Ngā Manu Tioriori – Song Birds.
Clare O'Rourke
Team Leader - Te Hoiere Bat Recovery Project, Forest & Bird; and Te Hoiere Working Group Member
Clare grew up in Te Tau Ihu, hunting and fishing, swimming and tramping. As a field team leader for Forest & Bird's bat project, she also works with volunteers from the community to protect and restore the habitat of our beautiful pekapeka tou roa. Get in touch with Clare if you're keen to volunteer.
Antonia O'Donnell
Education Coordinator, Te Hoiere Project; and Te Hoiere Working Group Member
Antonia is passionate about teaching future generations to carry on this important work to restore the mauri of our land and waters. She started Rai Valley Conservation Kids in 2018, which has now merged with Conservation Kids NZ which runs across all of Marlborough. For Te Hoiere Project, she leads our educational programme from monitoring the health of waterways to activities to learn about local species. Get in touch with Antonia if you're a school or youth group interested in learning more.
Wendy Sullivan
Marlborough Catchment Coordinator, New Zealand Landcare Trust; and Te Hoiere Working Group Member
With more than two decades of experience in a range of conservation roles, Wendy's passion is supporting grassroots efforts. While Wendy works for NZ Landcare Trust across Marlborough, she's helping Te Hoiere Project to support the formation of community-led catchment groups and their activities in our sub-catchments. If you're interested in starting a catchment group with others in your area, get in touch with Wendy to see how the Project can help.
Karen Morrison
Catchment Coordinator, Linkwater; and Te Hoiere Working Group Member
Karen is a Linkwater farmer who has released dung beetles on her farm, improved fencing, planted natives and much more. Get in touch with Karen if you're interested in joining the Linkwater Catchment Group or just want to know what it's all about.
Kristin Aldridge
Catchment Coordinator, Rai and Surrounds; and Te Hoiere Working Group Member
Kristin is a familiar face to local dairy farmers, working at Fonterra-owned FarmSource Rai Valley as manager and technical sales rep. She sees her roles as complementary, from advising farmers on crops to discussing options for protecting waterways. Get in touch with Kristin if you're looking to join the catchment group for Rai, Ronga or the surrounding area.
Veronika Merkle
Catchment Coordinator, Kaituna; and Te Hoiere Working Group Member
When Veronika isn’t homeschooling the kids, tending to the animals, or weeding her family’s restoration project in her back creek, she’ll be rallying the community in Kaituna—from south of Havelock down to Camerons Road.
Originally from Germany, Veronika lived in Marlborough for nearly a decade before settling into Long Valley in 2016 with her husband and three children. The family was drawn to the native bush and diversity of land uses in Okaramio, where Veronika is keen to chat to the community about how to get involved with the Project.
Read more about Veronika and how you can get involved in Kaituna.
Denis Marfell
Catchment Coordinator, Lower Pelorus and Whakamarino (Wakamarina); and Te Hoiere Working Group Member
Denis has lived on his 40-hectare lifestyle block near Canvastown for about 50 years, with a few sheep and a little bit of forestry. Today, he has a front-row seat to the Ruapaka Wetland transformation, as his State Highway 6 property is one of two landowners that border the 14-hectare project led by Ngati Kuia. As a member of the Canvastown volunteer fire brigade since 1989 as well as 20 years as president of the Pelorus Rugby Club, you’d be hard-pressed to find a local that doesn’t know Denis. If you’re keen to have a yarn about freshwater and the Project, give him a ring or find him at the Trout on Friday evenings.
027 277 0344
Rachel Russell, Te Hoiere Programme Manager
Ruihana Hamuera (Lewis Smith), Ngāti Kuia
Heli Wade, Te Hoiere Project Manager
Sally Neal, Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau
Sioban Harnett, Marlborough District Council
Pete Hamill, Marlborough District Council
Phil Clerke, Department of Conservation
Mandy Noffke, Forest & Bird
Daria Erastova, Forest & Bird
Angela MacKenzie, Top of the South Wood Council
Lea O'Sullivan, Waka Kotahi
Jane Mitchell, Fonterra
Don Pointon, Havelock Community Association
Simon Langley, Ministry for Primary Industries
