Conservation board thanked for its work

Acting Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson has thanked the members of the East Coast Hawke's Bay Conservation Board for their hard work, with the board to be disestablished with effect from today due to a reconfiguration of boundaries.

"I would like to pay tribute to the members of the East Coast Hawke's Bay Conservation Board for their contributions to the conservation, protection and management of New Zealand's natural and historical heritage in the East Coast and Hawke's Bay region," Ms Wilkinson says.

"I would also like to acknowledge the Board's support for the reconfiguration of the conservancy boundaries."

Department of Conservation organisational reviews led to the decision to disestablish the East Coast Hawke's Bay Conservancy and expand Bay of Plenty and Wellington Conservancies. 

The current Bay of Plenty and Wellington Conservation Boards will have their areas of jurisdiction similarly expanded and are getting new names that reflect those areas.

Conservation boards provide links between the community and Department of Conservation, and represent the public interest in the department's work and conservation in general. 

It is the Minister's intention to ensure the new boards are representative of the communities across their expanded areas.

Nominations from interested members of the public in East Coast and Hawke's Bay for appointment to the enlarged conservation boards are now being sought.