Conservation Minister Sandra Lee has announced the appointment of a new Board member to the government body that helps protect valuable biodiversity on private land, the Queen Elizabeth the Second National Trust.

"I am pleased to welcome Dr Susan Bennett of Te Anau to the Trust board," Ms Lee said. "Dr Bennett is a farmer with a significant QE II national trust covenant protecting part of her property for the enjoyment of future generations. She will bring to the board the perspective of rural landowners who are the core constituents of the Trust. Their commitment to the ongoing care and management of covenanted areas enables the Trust to succeed in its goal, " she said.

"Dr Bennett also has significant botanical skills which I am sure she will find useful in her role as a QE II national trust board member, " Ms Lee said.

The purpose of the Queen Elizabeth the Second National Trust is to encourage and promote the provision, protection and enhancement of open space for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of New Zealand.

While it is possible to sell or donate land to the Crown or to a territorial authority as a reserve, many landowners want to continue to own their land while protecting its values for future generations to enjoy. This can be achieved with a Queen Elizabeth II National Trust open space covenant.
An open space covenant is a legal agreement between the National Trust and a landowner to protect an identified feature or site. Covenants are almost always owner-initiated, reflecting the landholder’s goodwill to this form of protection. Covenants are registered against the title for the land and are legally binding, usually in perpetuity. Management of covenanted land remains with the landowner or leaseholder, in accordance with the terms negotiated for each covenant agreement.
To date over 1,500 open space covenants have been registered nationwide, covering over 54,500 hectares. These protect a variety of open spaces and biodiversity, including indigenous forests, shrub lands, wetlands, lakes, coastline, tussock grasslands, tracts of rural landscape, archaeological sites and geological formations.

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