Media Release

20th Annual Southland Environment Award winners announced

Southland’s environmental champions have been recognised at the 20th Annual Southland Environment Awards in Invercargill tonight [Wednesday 5th August].

There were 33 nominees, representing all corners of the region.

Those recognised by the awards are:

- Malcolm and Margaret MacKenzie were awarded the Councillors’ Special Award. Doing the right thing for the environment has been at the forefront of Malcolm MacKenzie’s mind during his 65 years of farming at East Limehills. Malcolm and Margaret’s commitment to running a productive farm where the environmental outcome is taken into account with every decision made, as well as their commitment to a large number of local groups and trusts, was recognised with this award.

- Kids Restore the Kepler project, winner of the Schools Award. This project is about restoration and preservation of birds, as well as pest control in the Kepler. It involves over 450 kids aged two to 18 from all of the five learning centres in the Te Anau basin

- Waiau Riparian Project, winner of the Community Group Award. This project has benefitted from landowners and agencies working together. So far, over $135,000 has been spent, fencing 22kms of tributaries in the Waiau area. The Riverton Heritage Harvest Festival was highly commended.

- Aaron Wilson was presented with the Individual Environment Award. Aaron was recognised for not only his innovative on-farm practices, but also the work he’s done beyond his farm gate establishing a Water and Land group in Balfour and encouraging farmers to be involved so they can influence positive change. Clive Geddes was highly commended.

- Ken Murch Contracting, winner of the Commercial Award. Ken Murch Contracting collects bale and silage wrap, containers and chemical drums from farms across Southland. His passion and innovation impressed the judges, as did the amount he’s collected this year - an incredible 500 tonnes of recyclable material. The Fiordland Lobster Company was highly commended.

- Mike and Frank O’Brien of Monowai were named winners of the Farming Award. Their 2500 hectare sheep and beef property provides a great example of using innovation to benefit the farm and the environment. In 2011 they installed a state of the art water scheme, delivering water via the 9kms of pipe from a spring to troughs across the farm.

- The Fiordland Conservation Trust is the winner of the Achiever Award. The Trust was established over eight years ago and is an innovative and proactive trust aimed at promoting collaboration on biodiversity projects in Fiordland. Highly commended in the Achiever award was Paul Gay.

- A Special Award for Local Enhancement was awarded this year to Erle Dale. Erle is a vibrant and active 87 year old who is constantly coming up with ideas to enhance the physical environment he shares with other rest home residents. In the past six years, he has transformed the outside of the home to include gardens for veges, herbs, fruit and berries, as well as a meditation garden.

ENDS

5.08.15

Results:

Schools (sponsored by Milligans Seeds and the Department of Conservation)

Community Group (sponsored by NZAS)

Individual (sponsored by Forsyth Barr)

Commercial (sponsored by ANZ)

Farming (sponsored by AWS Legal)

Achiever (sponsored by Real Journeys)

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