Great News for Fiordland Conservation Trust

Fiordland Conservation Trust is really pleased to announce that Greg Hay of Peregrine Wines has agreed to take on the role of Patron of the Trust. This follows the resignation of John Davies from the position. The Trust extends its gratitude to John especially for the work done in the challenging setting up phase of the Trust.

Greg Hay is no stranger to the Trust. “It is a real privilege to be appointed the patron of the Fiordland Conservation Trust. We at Peregrine Winery have a very real understanding of their goals, objectives and passion, through the conservation projects we have funded and participated in together since the Trust’s inception. The Trust, its committee and supporters have already, in a very short time, shown just what can be achieved by forming partnerships between businesses and birds, helping to save some of our rare and endangered, endemic birds. I look forward to working with them and endeavoring to help tell this great story.”

Peregrine Wines sponsored their first Trust project in 2008. 39 tieke / saddleback were translocated to Te Kakahu o Tamatea / Chalky Island. In 2010, another 36 tieke were moved to the sanctuary of Bauza Island which guards the entrance to Doubtful Sound.

The sale of Peregrine’s award winning pinot noir, Saddleback, fittingly helped pay for both transfers. Greg’s hands-on approach meant he and his team became physically involved as well. The two projects have been important in helping bring our saddleback bird to ‘recovering’ status, a far cry from the mid-1960s when the entire known population was almost wiped out by a rat invasion on Big South Cape Island.

Peregrine’s third Trust project in 2011 heralded a truly historic conservation moment not just for the Trust as managers of the project, but for the whole of New Zealand. For the first time in 120 years since Richard Henry’s translocation work on Resolution Island in the 1890s, a native species was reintroduced onto the island sanctuary. 60 mohua, the beginnings of a population of hopefully thousands, now fly in freedom on Resolution. Intensive pest eradication work by the Department of Conservation over the last 5 years has transformed Resolution Island in Dusky Sound into a very large island sanctuary.

As co-owner of Peregrine Wines, Greg obviously loves his wines. He loves Fiordland too and escapes to the southern fiords whenever he can on the Pembroke, a boat that he along with a number of other notable New Zealand characters, owns and uses. And there is no doubting his passion for his conservation work.

“We are very lucky to have as our Patron someone as enthusiastic and committed as Greg,” Murray Willans, chair of the Fiordland Conservation Trust said. “We look forward to continuing our work together in the years ahead.”

Greg Hay has more than earned his position as Patron of Fiordland Conservation Trust and promises to take the role seriously, continuing with his unique style of involvement and advocacy, both for the Trust and for the conservation of our threatened and at risk species.

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