About the trust

Fiordland Conservation Trust is a community-driven initiative supporting conservation projects in Fiordland and Southland. It has been established to provide independent funding and resources to further protect the natural treasures (taonga) of southern New Zealand.

Trustees are professionals with backgrounds in conservation, tourism and farming.

Trustees

Chair

Murray Willans

Murray has recently retired from the Department of Conservation after 19 years. He has most recently been responsible for managing the Biodiversity programme in Fiordland National Park. During the past few years there has been a growing emphasis on developing conservation projects which involve the community and local business. This partnership approach to Conservation is something that Murray believes brings great benefits to all involved and is something that he would like to see continue to develop further.

Murray and his wife Tarn have three young children. Together they own and run a mixed sheep and dairy grazing property in the Te Anau Basin.

 

Trustees

Frana Cardno QSO, JP

Residing in Te Anau, and providing over 30 years of community service to this growing township and the Southland region, Frana has served as Mayor to New Zealand’s largest Local Authority by area, the Southland District Council, since 1992.

Frana has a background in early childhood, founding the first kindergarten for Te Anau, and a tourism business partnership prior to becoming involved in local body politics.

Frana has held many positions of responsibility relating to her role in Local Government involving representing our region and New Zealand both nationally and internationally, especially relating to women’s affairs, community, health and education. She was also invited to attend the World Heritage Conference in both 2004 and 2007, these were held in Japan and China, countries that both have significant areas of interest; many valuable lessons were learnt regarding community participation and protection of World Heritage sites.

In 1993 Frana was awarded the Suffragette Medal; the Jean Harris Award 1997; United Nations Certificate of Recognition 2001; and the QSO (Companion of the said Order for Public Service) in 2001.

 

Kim Hollows

Kim's long involvement with Fiordland began in the early deer recovery days. Starting out initially as a shooter in an incredibly risky industry, Kim then went on to set up Fiordland Heli over 20 years ago. Fiordland Heli today is still involved with deer recovery, but is also heavily involved with conservation work and tourism in and around Fiordland.

With a lifetime of experience flying in Fiordland, Kim's knowledge of this area and keeness to show it to the world lead him to film production. He had a passion to be involved in producing a film that showcases some of the spectacular vistas of Fiordland that most do not get to see. Filmed with an incredible team over several years, from a helicopter pilots view of Fiordland, Ata Whenua is now being seen by tens of thousands of visitors every year in the purpose built boutique cinema in Te Anau. This film takes you on a journey from the tiniest rain drop to the most incredible mountain vistas and is absolutely unforgettable.

Kim is passionate about Fiordland and the conservation of this area.

 

Viv Shaw

Viv Shaw has a professional background in marketing and international business. After 15 years working as an academic, Viv moved to Te Anau where she runs a consultancy business. She has a strong interest in conservation and is Secretary of the Pomona Island Charitable Trust. In 2007 she was appointed to the Southland Conservation Board.

 

Mark Sutton

Mark is a born and breed Southlander, a keen fisherman, golfer and game bird hunter, and is very experienced in the field of conservation.

As well as being the QEII representative for the Waiau River catchment in Southland, Mark runs the field operations of the Waiau Fisheries and Wildlife Habitat and Enhancement Trust which funds habitat improvement within the Waiau River catchment as part of the compensation settlement for the Manapouri power scheme.

He was formerly a field officer for the Southland region of Fish and Game New Zealand for some 28 years.

 

Ron Peacock

Growing up on a farm in Murchison, Ron began his career in conservation as a National Park Ranger in the Nelson Lakes National Park, a position he held for 6 ½ years. Transferring to Fiordland in 1976, Ron continued to work in similar roles until 1993. His love of fishing lead to a Guided Fishing business following his resignation from DOC along with the establishment of a successful B&B. Ron and his wife Robynne opened the luxurious Fiordland Lodge in 2002, a natural extension of their past B&B and guided fishing businesses.

Ron is passionate about conservation and the wilderness, and knows Fiordland very well. He has travelled to Campbell and the Auckland Islands four times, and spent six months on an exchange in the Tasmania National Parks. Ron was closely involved in the pest eradication of Breaksea Island, and put together a sponsorship deal, which contributed greatly to its success. He is still actively involved in this organization.

 

Nick Torr

A long time resident of Te Anau, Nick has had a 30-year career in conservation management. This started with a 4-year traineeship with the NZ Wildlife Service, followed by a move to Te Anau to work mainly on Takahe. Following many years with DOC, Nick left to take up a role of independent contractor/consultant in 1998, specializing in threatened species management and island restoration. Some of the threatened species Nick has worked with include Alkahest, kakapo, blue duck and kiwi.

Nick has had a major involvement with many island pest eradication projects throughout New Zealand, from the Sub Antarctic Islands to the Kermadecs.