Appointments to the New Zealand Game Bird Habitat Trust Board

The Minister for Hunting and Fishing, Hon. Todd McClay, has appointed board members to the New Zealand Game Bird Habitat Trust.

The Game Bird Habitat Trust is an independent public entity established under the Wildlife Act 1953. Its functions include improving New Zealand’s game bird habitat and the habitat of other wildlife.

The Minister has reappointed Chair Andy Tannock, Andy Garrick, Mark Sutton and Chantal Whitby (nominated by the New Zealand Fish & Game Council) and Neil Candy (nominated by Ducks Unlimited New Zealand Inc.) along with Erin Garrick (nominated by the Director-General of Conservation).  All appointments are until 30 June 2027.

Each year, the six Board members consider applications to fund projects for the protection, restoration or creation of habitat for game birds and other wildlife, disbursing grants from revenue the trust receives from the New Zealand game bird habitat stamp programme.

Funding is provided through the game bird habitat stamp programme which makes an important contribution to habitat conservation in New Zealand. 

Five dollars is paid towards this programme from every game bird hunting licence sold, which means hunters contribute a significant amount to habitat conservation every year. 

This, combined with the sale of stamps and other products to collectors in partnership with NZ Post, allows the Trust Board to distribute grants ranging in size from $2,000-$80,000 annually to landowners throughout the country.

Since its establishment in 1993, the Trust has allocated over $2.5 million for conservation projects on both public and private land.

The Minister acknowledged the contribution made by the retiring member of the Board, John Cheyne who was first appointed in 2011 and has devoted 13 years to the work of the Board.

"Board members give their time and knowledge on a voluntary basis, and I would like to thank them all for their contributions."

Further information and a grant application form is available on the website: https://www.fishandgame.org.nz/environment/nz-game-bird-habitat-trust/

Caption: Outgoing trustee John Cheyne with Chair Andy Tannock at Takitakitoa Wetland in Otago