OUR PEOPLE: CLARE MOORE

A day’s work for Nelson-Marlborough rep Clare Moore can see her boating out to an isolated Marlborough Sounds property, fighting her way through dense Golden Bay rainforest or navigating the vast spaces of a remote sheep station.

Clare loves the variety and getting out to explore the region. “There are a lot of remote places and a lot of really interesting people who live in those remote places,” she says.

The region that Clare shares with fellow rep Tom Stein covers the breadth of the top of the South Island, from lush Golden Bay in the west to the islands and coves of the Marlborough Sounds and the dry southern Marlborough hill country.

She started working with Tom, who is her neighbour in Linkwater, between Pelorus and Queen Charlotte Sounds, as a monitoring assistant in 2019 and became a full-time rep in mid2022. “It makes team meetings pretty easy when I can just pop next door. It’s so helpful to have him so close, especially while I’ve been learning.”

Clare and Tom help with about 300 covenants in the region, and both may travel for days at a time to cover more distant properties - but it isn’t always just a matter of jumping in a vehicle.

“We’ve got a few covenants that are out on islands in the Sounds and quite a few that are boat access only. Going out there can be quite fun but sometimes logistically challenging too,” she says.

Clare enjoys the discoveries that can be made in some of the most isolated places. “I really love the surprising covenants, the ones that you don’t expect to be in such good, or close to original, condition. They’re tucked away and you’d never know they’re there until you peep over the brow of the hill.”

After studying ecology and conservation at university, she worked at various jobs with the Department of Conservation and a company in Nelson, doing ecological restoration, before joining QEII.

“I really enjoy helping people to problem solve. If they’re having problems with particular weeds or pests or not knowing quite what to do in a situation, it’s satisfying helping them work that out.”

“I don’t have all the answers but can usually find someone who does. I like meeting people and getting to know them, which I think is as important as getting to know the covenant.”

But the exchange of information goes both ways and Clare says she learns a lot from landowners about unfamiliar plants and ways of dealing with problems. She’s energised by the owners’ enthusiasm for their covenants.

Clare on a site visit in Rai Valley

“I like meeting people who are really passionate about their patch of bush or their wetland or whatever it might be. It’s about understanding landowners and why they care about their covenants – and I’ve had many a lovely cup of tea and a biscuit in my three years.”

She also enjoys working with the QEII team, a diverse and fun group of people who are always willing to share their knowledge. Among the serious issues facing Marlborough, as well as other areas, are fast spreading weeds such as old man’s beard and pest animals, especially goats and deer.

Clare grew up in Southland but has lived in the top of the south for around 18 years. She and her husband and two young children moved to their 2.5 ha Linkwater lifestyle block about five years ago.

About two-thirds of the former farmland is 20-year-old regenerating bush, including kānuka, māhoe and ponga. The couple are gradually reducing the amount of remaining pasture, propagating and planting locally sourced native seeds, as well as growing food.

For a complete change of pace, Clare plays bassoon with orchestras in Nelson and Blenheim but family life, like work, is mostly based around the outdoors. Taking their small boat out into the Sounds, tramping and camping are among their favourite ways to relax.

“Any kind of exploring in the outdoors, that’s our favourite thing to do as a family.”

Dan, Clare, Kaea and Jody before their tramp up Lees Creek, Nelson Lakes.