Our people

Skip to content

CONTACT US

GET INVOLVED

ABOUT US
WHAT WE DO
GET INVOLVED
NEWS
RESOURCES
CONTACT

Menu

ABOUT US
WHAT WE DO
GET INVOLVED
NEWS
RESOURCES
CONTACT

Te Ara Kākāriki team

Letitia Lum

Te Ara Kakariki Coordinator

Letitia Lum

Te Ara Kakariki Coordinator

Letitia has been a coordinator for Te Ara Kākāriki since 2018. As the main contact for the trust, she works with landowners, funders, volunteers, trustees and ecologists to get more Greendots planted in Canterbury. A love of growing plants inspired Letitia to study Horticulture at Lincoln University. She has worked in several plant nurseries as well as running a busy family takeaway business with her husband for over 20 years. Previously Letitia volunteered with several other organisations to carry out native planting, in 2017 she attended her first Plantout with Te Ara Kākāriki and was inspired by the vision of the trust and seeing everyone involved contributing in their own way for the greater goal of improving Selwyn biodiversity. Contact Letitia about the trusts funding, if you are a landowner wanting to plant your own Greendot or if you want to volunteer for one of our spring Plantout days

Email:office@kakariki.org.nz

Lou Drage

Kids Discovery Plantout Program Coordinator

Lou Drage

Kids Discovery Plantout Program Coordinator

Lou is passionate about establishing more Greendots across the Plains and believes that together we can create stronger, healthier communities for our native plants and the birds and invertebrates that they support. As the Kids Discovery Plantout Facilitator, she works with Enviroschools facilitators and teachers to create a bespoke programme where students can get hands on restoring a local site with native planting as well as teaching them about ecosystem communities. As the Kaimahi for Nature Restoration Team Supervisor, Lou oversees our Field Restoration Team as they plant and maintain our two Legacy Sites at Ahuriri and Springfield and assist Landowners with restoration projects in the Otahuna area. Growing up on the West Coast Lou’s family introduced her to the beauty and importance of New Zealand’s natural habitats. She’s enjoyed many outdoor adventures in our amazing natural environment. Lou has studied Parks and Recreation Management at Lincoln University and has taught at Castle Hill, the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre and Outward Bound. She then moved on to delivering Environmental Education programmes with primary schools in Waitaha Canterbury. Over the past ten years she has completed a native restoration project on her family’s farm in Banks Peninsula. They have planted the waterways and created bird corridors for tūī, bellbird and kererū. Contact Lou about our Kids Discovery Plantout Programme or Kaimahi for Nature Team

Email:greendot@kakariki.org.nz

Su Langdon

Greendot Coordinator

Su Langdon

Greendot Coordinator

Enjoying her rural garden in West Melton, Su was privileged to see a fantail with three fledglings flitting about in the trees. She was reminded of one of her key drivers for joining TAK, to help with planting of native habitat to encourage more birds and make their lives a little easier. As a born and bred Cantabrian she is passionate about Waitaha Canterbury and ensuring we look for opportunities to increase biodiversity and encourage our native flora and fauna. Connecting with TAK was the perfect way to do this, given their commitment to the Selwyn district, where Su now lives. Su first became involved with TAK as a volunteer planter in 2019 and loved the vision of the group. An opportunity to volunteer as coordinator support with TAK was one not to be missed. Her key reflection from her time in the role was that the work involved in the coordination of public Plantouts is richly rewarded by spending time with people who share a similar vision. It’s so satisfying to see what a group of like-minded people can achieve when they work together towards a shared goal. Su looks forward to ongoing work with TAK, volunteers, landowners, and funders – a great group of people working together with a shared vision.

Email:office@kakariki.org.nz

Nicola Hely

Greendot Coordinator

Nicola Hely

Greendot Coordinator

Nicola first volunteered at a Te Ara Kākāriki Plantout in 2014, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of working together with like-minded people to do good for the environment. She enjoys spending time outdoors tramping and mountain biking. Nicola’s background is in international education, and 6 years working at Darfield High School gave her an appreciation for the Selwyn District. After volunteering regularly over the years, she took on the role of Coordinator to assist with coordinating the 2021 Canterbury Plantouts. Increasingly concerned about the state of our environment, climate change, Nicola was keen to get involved with Te Ara Kākāriki and build on her experiences as a volunteer. She enjoys working with landowners and the wider TAK team to organise and run successful Plantout events for volunteers.

Email:office@kakariki.org.nz

Ash Lennon

Kaimahi for Nature Restoration Team Leader

Ash Lennon

Kaimahi for Nature Restoration Team Leader

Coming soon.

Anna Bennetto

Kaimahi for Nature Restoration Team Member

Marcus Arts

Kaimahi for Nature Restoration Team Member

Rebecca Jelfs

Kaimahi for Nature Restoration Team Member

Doug Reid

Kaimahi for Nature Restoration Team Member

Colin Meurk

Restoration Ecologist

Colin Meurk

Restoration Ecologist

Dr Colin Meurk has a long association with Te Ara Kākāriki Greenway Canterbury, introducing the Greendot concept through the Meurk & Hall 2006 paper on spatial optimisation of forest/habitat patches in cultural landscapes. He has adjunct positions at Canterbury and Lincoln Universities and is a Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research Associate with over 40 years’ experience throughout New Zealand and globally in the areas of biogeography, conservation biology, ecological restoration, landscape ecology, integration of biodiversity into cultural landscapes, and citizen science (iNaturalist NZ). He has worked extensively with local government, iwi and the wider community across the country in restoration and landscape design and on-the-ground projects. He has taught and supervised under-graduate and post-graduate students in these topics over many years and been invited regularly to give public lectures. His theoretical models for optimising landscape design for conservation have been adopted both in New Zealand and Australia. Examples of specific projects include the Christchurch Waterway Enhancement Programme, Travis Wetland protection and restoration, design of Otukaikino wetland partnership, Ngati Whatua and Ngai Tahu projects, Christchurch 360 Trail and Te Ara Kākāriki. His work has been recognised through many awards and in 2021 received the Queens Honour, being made an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Ecological Restoration.

Diana Roberts

Restoration Ecologist

Diana Roberts

Restoration Ecologist

Di Robertson has been providing ecological advice for Te Ara Kākāriki since 2016. Di enjoys the opportunity for mutual learning with landowners to get the right trees in the right place, and the best ways to take care of the future forests / plant communities. Di has worked as an ecologist for 30 years, mainly in Canterbury and the South Island. She had a senior role at Boffa Miskell, an environmental consultancy, which she left in 2015 after 16 years, and now enjoys working predominantly in restoration ecology. With another hat, some of her work now also focuses on individual and community well-being. Di also loves being in the outdoors and sharing our wonderful natural environment.

Alan McDonald

Restoration Ecologist

Alan McDonald

Restoration Ecologist

Alan has been providing ecological advice to Te Ara Kākāriki since 2012. Originally from Ireland, Alan has been in New Zealand since 2002 and in Canterbury since 2006. He brings over 30 years of knowledge and experience within restoration, nurseries and weed management in New Zealand, the United States and Ireland. Currently he works at Trees That Count as National Restoration Manager. Alan is passionate about educating landowners and the community on the merits of native restoration. He lives in Christchurch with his wife Kate and two children - who are often at plant outs. Alan is also Chair of the Port Hills Park Trust Board management committee and is former trustee of Greening the Rubble.

Te Ara Kākāriki trustees

Craig Pauling

Co Chair

Craig Pauling

Co Chair

Ko Ōtūmatua te maunga Ko Huritini te awa Ko Te Waihora te hāpua Ko Whakaraupō te moana Ko Ngāi Tahu, Kāti Mamoe, Waitaha, Ngāti Mutunga ōku iwi No Ingarangi, Kōtimana, Wēra ōku tūpuna pākehā Craig is a founding trustee of Te Ara Kākāriki and is currently Co Chair. He is passionate about the protection and restoration of indigenous biodiversity, particularly as it relates to Ngāi Tahu mahinga kai (traditional food) species and practices. Craig has been involved in a number of ecological restoration projects across Canterbury and the South Island, and is currently a Councillor on Environment Canterbury for the Ōpuna/Christchurch West Ward. Craig previously worked for Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and New Zealand owned consultancy Boffa Miskell, as a Strategic / Environmental Advisor. He is also heavily involved in waka ama (outrigger canoeing), being the President of local club Te Waka Pounamu, a former Aotearoa New Zealand Representative and multiple National and World Champion. Craig lives in Halswell with his wife Janyne, and their three tamariki, Mihiroa, Meihana and Tainui.

Peter Joyce

Co Chair

Peter Joyce

Co Chair

Peter became a Te Ara Kakariki trustee in 2015 and took on the role of Co Chair in 2020. Since retiring from the University of Otago, Christchurch Medical School in September 2016, he has been able to devote more time to protecting and enhancing native biodiversity in Canterbury. He now works voluntarily to assist local efforts to combat global challenges of climate change with the trust through the trust and through regular work at Hinewai Reserve. Peter enjoys the local bellbirds, fantails, kingfishers, grey warblers, native pigeons and other birds; nevertheless, is looking forward to welcoming a more native habitat onto his own land. Peter and his wife Annabel are the owners/managers of Tai Tapu Sculpture Garden; whose mission is to support contemporary New Zealand sculptural practice and to enhance native biodiversity in Canterbury. The sculpture garden will not only try to re-establish a matai, totara and kahikatea dominated valley forest, but will also be a home for appropriate endangered and at risk Canterbury native trees and shrubs. Peter recognizes that too much of Canterbury’s original native bush has been destroyed, and believes that the recreation of new areas of native bush from the Southern Alps to Banks Peninsula is vital to an appropriate future for Canterbury.

Sue Cumberworth

Secretary

Sue Cumberworth

Secretary

Sue has been involved with Te Ara Kākāriki since 2008, initially on the then management committee, and later as a trustee. With her passions for both farming and NZs native flora, fauna and landscapes, the Te Ara Kakariki vision was an obvious choice for Sue to be involved in. She works as an agricultural facilitator, which includes supporting farmers to achieve good environmental practice and outcomes on-farm within strong and successful farming businesses. Whether camping, tramping, biking, or skiing, Sue loves being in New Zealand’s wonderful outdoor environments. She lives with her family on a small lifestyle block near Tai Tapu in Selwyn District, which she describes as a paradise now that they have a daily dawn chorus of resident korimako-bellbirds. This she says is a wonderful result of the native plantings by her family, neighbours and local community over the last 15-20 years.

Pam Aldersley

Treasurer

Pam Aldersley

Treasurer

Pam moved to Springfield with her husband Pete and young family in 2009. Inspired by tramping trips over the years, their goal with the property was to create the effect of a tramping hut, where the house was set nestled in amongst native vegetation. Having had no experience with planting, they planted a few hundred native plants around their house. There was a fairly steep learning curve but they soon discovered that planting is addictive! Pam and Pete’s first contact with Te Ara Kakariki was in 2014 when they applied for assistance as landowners. In 2016, Te Ara Kakariki put a call out for trustees. Pam felt like it would be a good opportunity to give back to TAK in acknowledgement for their help and support, and so she has been a trustee since this time. Pam and Pete are continuing to plant on their property, with over 15,000 plants planted since their arrival. The family are loving seeing pīwakawaka and korimako return to the property.

Johannes Welsch

Trustee

Johannes Welsch

Trustee

Johannes has been involved with the Trust as a volunteer, acting coordinator and now trustee since 2011. He is originally from Germany with a background in forest science and ecology. After having spent almost 2 years in South America working on social, agricultural and reforestation projects throughout the continent Johannes studied at Lincoln University completing both his Master’s degree and PhD with a focus on native vegetation on Canterbury farms. Currently working at Environment Canterbury as Central Zone delivery manager for Chch biodiversity and land management team he has a passion for cross-country running (i.e., the Luxmore Grunt (part of the Kepler) or the Routeburn Challenge). His study, work and hobbies all relate to the natural environment and have build Johannes’ love for the wild native bush and the high-country of New Zealand. Therefore, it was an obvious choice for him to be actively involved through the trust to try and bring back a bit of native vegetation into the Canterbury Plains.

Sean Rooney

Trustee

Sean Rooney

Trustee

Coming soon

Charles Mullins

Trustee

Charles Mullins

Trustee

Charles joined the trust as a trustee in 2023. He is a lawyer by profession and a Senior Associate at Godfreys Law in Christchurch. Charles is a general practitioner and his areas of practice include trusts, estates, relationship property, commercial and property law. He and his wife and daughter live outside Leeston on a lifestyle block where they grow cherries. They were introduced to the work of the trust when a friend told them about Greendots and in 2020 they planted one on their property. Charles says seeing the trees grow is a great source of satisfaction although battling the grass and weeds has proved a challenge at times. He was keen to get involved in the trust to support the work of restoring biodiversity and would love to see Greendots spread throughout the lifestyle blocks of the Canterbury plains.

Adele Wolt

Trustee

Adele Wolt

Trustee

Coming soon.

Patron

Emeritus Professor Ian Spellerberg

Patron

Emeritus Professor Ian Spellerberg

Patron

Ian is Emeritus Professor of Nature Conservation at Lincoln University. He is a well-respected New Zealand environmental scientist and founding member of Te Ara Kākāriki Greenway Canterbury Trust. Ian has been planting trees all his life. He fondly recalls the first time when at primary school his class planted trees in celebration of the publication of World Festival of Trees by the Food and Agricultural Organization (1954). A passionate voice for New Zealand’s native ecology and environmental education (and tree hugger), he has worked hard to promote and cherish planting of native trees. He has authored and edited over 20 books about sustainability, the environment, and native plants. Now semi-retired, he continues to be a spokesperson for environmental and conservation issues. Ian and his wife have a 120-year-old farmhouse in central Canterbury. He enjoys gardening, writing, editing, and mentoring as well as following and promoting the growing success of Te Ara Kākāriki. Ian is an ongoing financial supporter of Te Ara Kākāriki.

Our mission

Te Ara Kākāriki Greenway Canterbury Trust is an incorporated Charitable Trust with the goal of increasing biodiversity in Canterbury.

Our mission is to create a ‘Greenway’ – a corridor of native biodiversity Greendots between the Waimakiriri and Rakaia rivers, linking the mountains to the sea Ki uta ki tai.

Join our mailing list for updates

We’ll send you regular updates on planting days and other useful news (we will not share your details with third parties)

Full Name

Email

Phone

Contact details

Email us
TAK treasurer email
1/199 Cossars Rd,
Tai Tapu, Christchurch 7672
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

What we do

Greendot Programme
Jobs for nature
Kids Discovery Plantout Programme
Plantout days

Greendot Programme
Jobs for nature
Kids Discovery Plantout Programme
Plantout days

Get involved

Volunteer
Donate
Plant your property
Partnership opportunities

Volunteer
Donate
Plant your property
Partnership opportunities

Resources

Planting advice
Ecosourcing
Plant communities
Financial assistance
Pest management
Monitoring

Planting advice
Ecosourcing
Plant communities
Financial assistance
Pest management
Monitoring

Our people

Te Ara Kākāriki team

Letitia Lum

Lou Drage

Su Langdon

Nicola Hely

Ash Lennon

Anna Bennetto

Marcus Arts

Rebecca Jelfs

Doug Reid

Colin Meurk

Diana Roberts

Alan McDonald

Te Ara Kākāriki trustees

Craig Pauling

Peter Joyce

Sue Cumberworth

Pam Aldersley

Johannes Welsch

Sean Rooney

Charles Mullins

Adele Wolt

Patron

Emeritus Professor Ian Spellerberg

Our mission

Join our mailing list for updates

Contact details

What we do

Get involved

Resources

News

Kōtare | Sacred Kingfisher

2023 Friends of Te Ara Kākāriki Meeting

Established Greendots Invite Biodiversity

Invertebrates Increase at Te Pae O Ahuriri

Website designed and sponsored by KOPARA

Ⓒ 2023 Te Ara Kakariki Canterbury Greenway Trust