Chatham Islands, New Zealand

The Chatham Islands Conservation Board are seeking the communities interest in establishing a Conservation Trust in order to empower and enable the Chathams community to invest in the protection of its natural heritage values.

The establishment of a Chatham Islands Conservation Trust is proposed to allow the community to take ownership of conservation on private land and will provide a mechanism through which to apply for funding not available to other organisations (eg DOC).

The long term goal of such a Trust would be to protect and restore a full suite of forest, wetland and coastal ecosystems to Chatham and Pitt Islands and possible longterm milestones could include for example, eradication of possums on the Chathams, the restoration of black robin to Chatham Island and parea to Pitt Island.

The Chatham Island Conservation Board decided at their meeting in May that the initial step towards the development of a Conservation Trust was identifying possible trustees that would represent a cross section of the island community. A public meeting will be called in August 2008, with a view to discussing objectives and directions of the Trust and nominate Trustees.

If you would like more information on the outline of the Trust and how it could work, or would like to become a trustee, please contact Conservation Board member, Lois Croon, 03 3050 492 or email