2012 Encore Awards

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, friends in conservation:

Welcome to the 2012 Encore Awards ceremony. I’m delighted to join Greater Wellington Regional Council, the Department of Conservation's Wellington Hawke's Bay Conservancy and the Wellington Hawke's Bay Conservation Board in recognizing those who have made a difference in our local community.

New Zealanders identify strongly with conservation. For many, recreation in the outdoors helps to improve health and wellbeing and creates a sense of personal achievement. The benefits of conservation are, however, even more widespread and penetrate more deeply into our economy, our prosperity and our future wellbeing as a country.

Community conservation is about actively involving people in projects that sustain and improve the natural environment.

The Wellington region has a well-established tradition of community involvement in conservation and that is what this evening is all about.

The Encore Awards are an opportunity to showcase the outstanding work being done in our communities, reveal how it is transforming our region, and inspire others to take similar action. We are here tonight to honour the nominated individuals, groups, school communities, businesses and landowners for their efforts in protecting and improving our valuable natural resources. We celebrate your dedication, passion, persistence, innovation, and leadership.

Your efforts to improve conservation, the region's biodiversity and to reduce the impact of your activities is an investment in our country's prosperity because our environment plays a central role in our health and well-being, and wealth. Our stunning natural environment and special places that are part of our history and culture draw thousands of overseas tourists to our country, creating 1 in 10 jobs and generating $20 billion for our economy.

Conservation is the responsibility of all New Zealanders, not just the Department of Conservation. Conservation leadership for a prosperous New Zealand means working together with all our communities, and collaborating with other agencies, to develop and share knowledge, tools and techniques, with our communities.

Through a new joint initiative called Nature Central, a collaborative team from the Department of Conservation, Hawke's Bay Regional Council, Horizons and Greater Wellington Regional Council is looking into ways to co-manage natural resources and recreation projects across the lower North Island. Nature Central explores more efficient ways of agencies working together in areas of common interest and with common principles, to make us more effective and make it easier for our communities to work with us.

Judging by those gathered here this evening it's clear that the Wellington region is already a place where ecological sustainability and conservation is a priority for many of our communities, and that these communities possess a wealth of skills and knowledge in the areas of restoration and biodiversity.

The number of projects in the Wellington region never ceases to amaze me. From the work the Friends of Queen Elizabeth Park are doing restoring wetlands, to family plantings days with the Woodridge Planters to trapping possums with the Donnelly Flat Ground Control Volunteers, and to restoring native forest alongside mountain bike trails with the Makara Peak Mountain Bike Supporters Club.

Wellington has a wide array of opportunities for individuals to become involved with, and lead, conservation, restoration and recreation projects.

These projects remind us that conservation is not just the responsibility of DOC – it is everyone’s responsibility. Communities, like-minded organisations, schools, iwi, and businesses all have a role to play in helping protect New Zealand’s natural environments for future generations and achieve our vision of New Zealand as the greatest living space on Earth.

We have 7 awards to present tonight with 15 finalists, and they have all displayed exceptional community and environmental stewardship. I am told that in many cases it was very difficult for the judges to narrow it down to just one winner.

So before I present the first award - the School Environmental Project Award - I just want you to join me in congratulating all the participants in this year's Encore Awards for their inspiring achievements and dedication and hard work in making the Wellington region such a magnificent place.

Thank you and have a wonderful evening.