WORD FROM THE CHAIR

A word from the Chair

The start of the year began with enthusiasm and excitement for a new year. A fresh start, or more appropriately, a new leaf, can be very appealing, especially after the interesting year that was 2020. As we head towards the end of 2021 and into 2022, it is natural to reflect on how the year went – or even, how it didn’t go.

While the year may have been full of disruptions and continued uncertainty, as an organisation, we have managed to achieve a lot. I am grateful for our knowledgeable team of regional representatives, the focused leadership from our senior leadership team and our growing and passionate team in head office for their contribution in taking QEII from strength to strength and our 2021 Annual Report is a testament to this.

As well as covering all things financial, the annual report also highlights some of the Trust’s major achievements for the year including new covenants approved, monitoring visits undertaken, partnering with others, and supporting members with The Stephenson Fund. An excerpt can be found on pages 38-41 and the full version of the annual report will be published on our website.

This issue of Open Space introduces some new pieces of work for us, including an outline of what the Trust is working on as part of the Government’s Jobs for Nature programme on page 14. QEII has been approved for additional funding over the next four years and the team has been preparing for this for much of the year. This means we can significantly increase protected areas throughout Aotearoa New Zealand and provide some extra support for covenantors in certain areas. We also have several articles focusing on ungulates, a growing issue on both private and public conservation land; on page 6 we have a story about the Jacksons from the Waikato, who have four covenants on their farm, which has been in their family since 1880; and you can find out more about our recently launched fundraising programme, Partners in Protection – Ōhākī, on page 20. As we head into the holidays, I wish you all a safe and happy summer and we’ll see you in 2022.

Bruce Wills

Chair