Special Award
Sponsored by Environment Southland's Councillors
Winner - Doug Speden.
The one-man pest eradication society.
When the sun sinks, Doug Speden loads his four wheeler onto its trailer, picks up his Browning automatic shotgun and heads out the drive for another night causing mayhem among the local pest animal population. He does it for love – certainly not for money.
In the last 15 years, Doug has killed over 5688 rabbits, 815 possums and 1405 hares. That's not counting the magpies and the feral cats – or the pig he found wandering around the Edendale nursery one night.
Doug is out there practically every night doing his bit to keep down animal pests around Eastern and Southern Southland. Doug sees it as his sport – he just enjoys being out there on his four wheeler – often with a farmer on the back – getting rid of agricultural pests.
He exemplifies the community spirit that the environment awards are all about, and the judges had no hesitation in naming him winner of the Environment Southland Councillors' Special Award.
Environment Southland is the brand name of Southland Regional Council.