2025 Environment Southland Community Award winners
Environmental Action in Biodiversity and Biosecurity
Kindly sponsored by ILT
Winner: Tuatapere Pest Control Charitable Trust
The Tuatapere Pest Control Charitable Trust is a volunteer group dedicated to protecting and enhancing the ecological health of rare native species at Tuatapere Scenic Reserve.
The group’s work began with a small number of traps set in the remnant forest and has since expanded to cover much of the reserve.
The group targets a wide range of pests including possums, rats, stoats, mice, and feral cats, all of which damage the ecosystem through browsing on native plants and preying on birds, reptiles, and invertebrates.
The groups have undertaken fundraising to invest in tools such as self-resetting traps, with their efficiency allowing the volunteers to cover an expansive area of the reserve.
Judges were impressed by the group’s strong community spirit, their ability to scale up from humble beginnings.
Environmental Leadership and Innovation in Business
Kindly sponsored by Milford Sound Tourism
Winner: Southland Carbon
Founded by Andrew and Toula Finlayson, Southland Carbon turns forestry residues and plant material into biochar.
The process captures carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere as the material decomposes.
The resulting biochar is long-lasting, remaining stable in soil for up to 1000 years.
Biochar is used in several ways – when added to livestock feed, it can reduce methane emissions and improve nutrient use.
In soils, it helps retain fertiliser, reducing nitrous oxide emissions and limiting runoff into waterways. In watercourses, biochar can trap nutrients and contaminants, which can later be returned to land.
Awards judges were impressed with the Finlaysons’ development of their business from humble beginnings into an emerging entity aiming to help address a range of environmental issues in Murihiku Southland..
Environmental Action in the Community
Kindly sponsored by Real NZ
Winner: Kew Bush Education and Restoration Programme
Kew Bush is a rare patch of kahikatea forest in Invercargill, restored by the Friends of Kew Bush since the 1990s.
In 2024, SIT’s School of Environmental Management partnered with the group, turning the site into both an outdoor classroom and a living laboratory.
This collaboration enables volunteer-based restoration and education to work hand in hand.
Friends of Kew Bush have made outstanding progress, with pest control and planting allowing native species to flourish.
Students undertake their studies with on-the-ground conservation, from planting and ecology through to pest management and research.
Judges praised the two groups’ community and tertiary collaboration, which has seen Kew Bush evolve into a place of incredible biodiversity, as well as research, learning, and public enjoyment.
Environmental Action in the Community
Kindly sponsored by Real NZ
Highly Commended: Waikawa Catchment Group
Established in 2009, the Waikawa Catchment Group is a community-led initiative focused on improving water quality and environmental health in the Waikawa River catchment.
Over time, the group has built strong partnerships and undertaken extensive mahi, including developing an Integrated Catchment Management Plan, and secured expert support to address key issues of erosion and sediment loss.
The group’s flagship work to date has been their ‘Slow the Flow / Erosion Mitigation Project’. The project has delivered seven on-farm sub-projects that balanced farming needs with ecological restoration.
Judges commended the group’s ability to unite landowners around shared goals, their focus on practical solutions, and the impressive scale of outcomes achieved in a relatively short time.
Environmental Action in Education
Kindly sponsored by Fonterra
Winner: Mararoa School
Mararoa School may be small, but it is driven by big environmental ambitions and a strong commitment to its surrounding region.
Environmental projects are central to school life, with students immersed in the Enviroschools programme through hands-on mahi.
Along the way, tamariki dive into practical learning experiences building knowledge they share with their families, and build on after leaving the school.
From tree planting, to beekeeping and managing the school gardens, the students are dedicated to their role as kaitiaki of their school grounds and the wider region.
These projects connect students and the school with their local community and create opportunities that further expand the positive footprint they’re leaving on their region.
Judges praised Mararoa tamariki’s eagerness to undertake and build on their knowledge and the importance the school places on environmental awareness and learning.
Environmental Action in Education
Kindly sponsored by Fonterra
Highly Commended: Deep Cove Outdoor Education Trust and Fiordland Marine Guardians – Fiordland Education Programme
The Fiordland Marine Guardians, led by John Cushen, are collaborating with the Deep Cove Outdoor Education Trust to deliver a new and innovative marine education experience.
Now, through this partnership, a dedicated marine education programme has been developed for tamariki attending Deep Cove school camps, with additional resources designed for Southland classrooms.
The marine programme is designed to offer strong learning opportunities through captivating experiences, such as a virtual reality journey that immerses learners in Fiordland’s remarkable marine environment.
Judges noted how the programme blends cutting-edge technology with practical skills to create a lasting impact and engaging learning.
Environmental Leadership in Farming
Kindly sponsored by Wynn Williams
Winner: Chris & Andrea Bulleid - Glengordon Farm
Glengordon Farm is a Northern Southland family sheep and beef, where Chris and Andrea Bulleid lead a dedicated focus on protecting and enhancing their patch of Murihiku Southland.
The Bulleids have a broad environmental focus, which includes tackling water quality and flow, fostering native plant species, improving biodiversity, and undertaking pest animal and plant management.
In practical terms, that means extensive fencing of waterways and the reinstating and development of wetlands, as well as large-scale riparian planting, weeding and trapping.
Areas retired from grazing are planted with native species propagated by the Bulleids at their property.
Awards judges commended the Bulleid family’s long-term commitment to the restoration and protection of their property.
Individual Environmental Leadership or Action
Kindly sponsored by ANZ
Winner: Cam McCulloch
Cam McCulloch has been a driving force behind the Waiau Fisheries and Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Trust for nearly two decades.
His leadership has been marked by calm and clear decision-making and strong financial expertise that have given the Trust the stability and a basis to pursue its environmental successes.
Under Cam’s guidance, the Trust has delivered long-lasting environmental outcomes, protecting more than 3,500 hectares of riparian and wetland habitat across the Waiau Catchment.
He has overseen initiatives such as wetland creation, riparian fencing, and the development of 13 public accessways to the Waiau River along the Southern Scenic Route, connecting the community with their environment.
Judges commended Cam’s outstanding commitment, highlighting his strategic vision, strong leadership, and strong financial acumen.
Environmental Action in Waterway & Wetlands
Kindly sponsored by Fish & Game Southland
Winner: Flaxhill Farm
Flaxhill Farm is a coastal Murihiku Southland property where the Jennings family’s commitment to water quality is clearly evident in its spectacular indigenous biodiversity.
The Otara property has been farmed by generations of the Jennings family for 150 years, with Duncan Jennings at the helm, continuing a family tradition of strong environmental stewardship.
The farm features significant areas of retired gullies, filled with broadleaved forests, and wetlands featuring native flora and fauna.
Notably, the farm’s waterways are headwaters of Lake Brunton and tributaries of the Tokanui River.
Natural regeneration and careful land management have provided stepping stones for native plant, bird and macroinvertebrate species.
The judges commented the most notable factor for producing spectacular environmental results at Flaxhill Farm is Duncan and his family’s self-driven approach.
Environmental Action in Waterway & Wetlands
Kindly sponsored by Fish & Game Southland
Highly Commended: Wards Wetland
Wards Wetland was designed to demonstrate how farmers can create sustainable wetlands with big environmental benefits.
Driven by farmer Murray Wards and the Gore Catchment Group, the series of wetlands constructed at the Wards property provides a valuable space to develop and share wetland knowledge across wide cross sections of the local community, all while enhancing water quality and biodiversity in the surrounding catchment.
The award judges were especially impressed with the Gore Catchment Group’s collaborative mahi with many groups, businesses and individuals propelling the success of the project forward.
The judges also praised the project’s emphasis on education, with schools using the wetland as a living classroom, undertaking riparian planting and other hands-on learning opportunities.
Emerging Environmental Action Award
Kindly sponsored by Southern Land & Water Planning
Winner: Deer to Care
Deer to Care is a unique Murihiku Southland initiative that is making strong environmental gains while caring for our region’s communities.
Deer To Care’s hunters manage wild deer populations, with venison harvested and distributed to those in need.
Feral deer have a significant impact in Murihiku Southland, causing damage to native forests and plants, threatening biodiversity and hindering regeneration, as well as impacting farmland.
Since its beginnings, the group has recovered and processed hundreds of deer each year, turning a potential pest problem into a valuable resource.
Each animal removed both lessens browsing pressure on native flora and provides up to 30kg of organic protein.
Judges praised the group’s innovation, professional and strategic approach to their operations.
Councillors’ Award
Winner: Soft Plastics Recycling Te Anau
At just 11 years old, Zac Marsh has taken it upon himself to fill the need for an important recycling initiative in Te Anau. With no local system for soft plastic recycling, Zac took matters into his own hands by setting up Soft Plastics Recycling Te Anau.
Each week, he bikes around town with a trailer, collecting soft plastics that were likely destined for landfill. In just over a year, Zac has gathered around 100kg of soft plastics — the equivalent of 20,000 bread bags.
Every item is carefully sorted by hand before being sent away, with the material transformed into durable fence posts. Supported by 36 regular customers, Zac has made his system affordable and sustainable.
Awards judges praised Zac’s remarkable initiative, independence, and commitment at such a young age. His mahi serves as an inspiration for not only his fellow youth, but for those much older than him.
Kaitiaki Tohu Pou Award
Winner: Rebecca McLeod
A highly regarded marine scientist, Rebecca has dedicated her working life and much of her personal time to the protection of one of Murihiku Southland and New Zealand’s ecologically rare and spectacular regions.
Rebecca has been a Fiordland Marine Guardian since 2012 and stepped into the role of Chair in 2015.
Through her work with the guardians, she has given countless volunteer hours to protecting Fiordland’s incredibly unique environment, while balancing demanding professional roles.
Rebecca’s leadership has been central to the Guardians’ progress and continued dedication to the preservation and restoration of the world-renowned Fiordland region.
This includes the development of landmark strategic, regulatory plans in the Fiordland Marine Regional Pathway Management Plan, and the new Fiordland Marine Management Strategy 2025–28.
Judges praised both Rebecca's incredible expertise and her deep personal dedication to Fiordland’s future.
