From left: Tom Davies (Trustee), Anne Managh (Chair), Greg Corbett (Bay of Plenty Regional Council), Carmel Richardson (Trustee) and Nick Smith.Last week the Kaharoa Kokako Trust played host to Hon Nick Smith, the Minister for the Environment.
While on a whistle-stop tour of various other meetings in Rotorua, the Minister opted to have lunch with us and go for a bush walk.
We met Nick Smith earlier in the year when he presented us with the Supreme Green Ribbon Award, so this was a great opportunity for us to thank him more personally.
The Minister has a long-standing interest in conservation and admits to having a particular fondness for kokako. That makes us birds of a feather indeed!
Wearing his Wellington suit and shod in borrowed gumboots, he headed off after lunch in search of the elusive kokako. Despite the best efforts of Carmel Richardson, our eagle-eyed avian ecologist, none were seen or heard.
Still, we managed to impress the Minister with our beautiful corner of the world and with the work we are doing at Kaharoa. It was an honour for us to have him visit and we are certainly grateful for his support.
