A Southland woman's desire to protect conservation and preserve native species for future generations & More News Here

When Estelle Leask started volunteering on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island greater than 30 years in the past, she was shocked to be taught she was one in all only some Ngāi Tahu who had been there.

She couldn’t imagine her folks didn’t have entry to their very own island, so requested herself: “how can we change that?”

Now, partly thanks to her dedication there’s energetic co-management of the island between Iwi and the Crown.

Her love of conservation had led to her being named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for providers to conservation and Māori on this yr’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.

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Leask (Ngāi Tahu, Te Whakatāea, Ngāti Ruanui) says working with kākāpō on Whenua Hou is life-changing.

Her drive for the safety of the native parrot and different species is the reason she needs to give future generations.

“I don’t want to be responsible on my watch to explain to the next generation ‘sorry, we couldn’t do it’. Especially iconic species like kiwi and kākāpo. How can we be Kiwi without kiwi?”

Growing up in Bluff with a mom from Rakiura and a father from Whakatāne, Leask learnt from an early age what being a kaitiaki meant.

“That realisation and sadness of losing native species because of pests.”

Leask additionally dedicates her time to Te Korawai Whakahau, a community-based facility and native plant nursery that’s rising timber for the restoration of Bluff Hill.

The Jobs For Nature fund allowed them to make use of younger folks to do the work.

“It’s been a game-changer for us – 30,000 trees have been grown and will go towards restoring the mana of Bluff Hill.”

It was essential additionally to give birds a secure haven, she stated.

Leask has had lots of assist from her husband, who encourages her to volunteer in the neighborhood.

When she first found she was up for a Queen’s Birthday Honour, she was shocked.

Then got here the disbelief.

“I said ‘I don’t want this’. I didn’t feel I was deserving.”

But Leask’s older sister talked to her and made her realise it was not about her, however slightly a staff effort deserving of the award, she stated.

“I don’t feel I’m being singled out, but accepting in a humble way for everyone who supports this.”

Leask is a member Te Rūnanga o Awarua in Bluff and a Senior Environmental Advisor for Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.

Her contributions to conservation vary from checking traps to offering strategic course for programmes.

Since 2008 she has been chairperson, volunteer co-ordinator and Te Kowowai Whakahou Native Plant Nursery Co-Ordintory for the Bluff Hill Motupōhue Environment Trust.

She led an initiative for college students from the Southern Institute of Technology Environment Management course to help with elements of the Trust’s work.

In 2018, Leask joined the Southland Conservation Board and is now a director on the Board of Predator Free 2050 Ltd and Predator Free New Zealand Trust.

She helped the Department of Conservation develop its working relationship with Ngāi Tahu. She led the event of two Ngāi Tahu Aspirations paperwork for the Maukahuka – Pest Free Auckland Islands Project and Predator Free Rakiura.

Leask is the Murihiku Iwi Liaison to DOC for Predator Free Rakiura and a trustee on the Whenua Hou Komiti.

She additionally helps numerous Southland environmental volunteer programmes together with the Kākāpō Recovery Programme, Descendant Guided Tours on Whenua Hou, Otatara Community Nursery, Motu Piu/Dog Island Restoration Project, and the Bluff Community School Native Plant Nursery.

Formerly, Leask was a Ngāi Tahu consultant on the Takahē Recovery Group. She is a present Kea Conservation trustee.

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