Bruce C Gull bows out

After faithfully serving the Southland community for more than 20 years, Environment Southland’s educational mascot, Bruce C Gull, is bowing out.

Brucie has had a very successful career, promoting environmental messages and initiatives to both children and adults through his involvement in many educational campaigns. He has also made numerous appearances at events all around Southland and hosted his own birthday party event most years.

Environment Southland director of operations and environmental information, Warren Tuckey said Brucie had been more than just a personality. “He was a working mascot who inspired generations of children to think and act responsibly towards the environment. That’s a huge achievement.”

Brucie’s initial purpose was to promote the 3R’s waste message: reduce, reuse and recycle; and it remains what he is best known for. However, promoting this type of waste management is now very well taken care of by Wastenet.

As a mascot, Brucie no longer represents the strategic direction of Environment Southland as the region’s manager of natural resources and our ‘Big 3’ priorities – water quality, air quality, biodiversity and biosecurity.

Membership of the Brucie’s Buddies Club (children aged 4–14 years) has been waning and the club is now closed. Brucie will say goodbye to his members in the last issue of the Brucie’s Buddies magazine, which has just been sent out.

Mr Tuckey said parents and caregivers of children in the club had been written to advising them of the decision.

“It’s sad to see him go, but Brucie’s work for us is done.”

Environment Southland Chief Executive Rob Phillips said the decision to end Brucie’s role and close the Brucie’s Buddies Club wasn’t taken lightly.

“Brucie has been part of Southlanders’ childhoods for a generation, so it wasn’t an easy decision, but we have to be realistic about his contribution in terms of what we want to achieve in the future.

“I’d like to thank all the organisations and families who have been involved with Brucie over the years. Without their support he wouldn’t have been such an enduring success.”

Environment Southland’s education team will continue to deliver a strong programme supporting teachers, schools and communities. This includes the water programme to connect children and adults with local water ways, and assisting with estuary/rocky shore studies and monitoring. New resources and support are also being developed for teachers on topics such as biodiversity, biosecurity, soil and land use change.

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