The 33rd AGM of Ducks Unlimited held over the weekend of 27-29 July 2007 at Suncourt, Taupo, was well attended and highlights which will be more fully produced in October Flight magazine are as follows:
The Bill Barrett Trophy was presented to an astonished Graeme Berry of Mangaone, Ohakune - his partner Jane Davies was partner to the subterfuge involved in getting Graeme to actually attend in the middle of his busy ski season with Turoa Lodge.
Di Pritt, also party to the above subterfuge - found herself equally astonished as the recipient of the Ducks Unlimited Lifetime Achievement Award for her work with the society since the tender age of 22.
More amazement continued on the night of the dinner, silent auction and grand auction conducted by the hilarious and witty Bob Wood. Tony Sharley, Manager of Banrock Station's Wine and Wetland Centre and who oversees Banrock Station's Global Conservation Programme worldwide, presented a cheque for $70,000 to President Ross Cottle for Ducks Unlimited's Wetland Care New Zealand work. Tony was enthusiastically applauded as he presented this generous donation.
During the day, a coachload of members visited the Wairakei Pastoral development which is a venture Ducks Unlimited has assisted with - turning former pine forest into usable dairy farmland, over 25,000ha which two years ago was a basic site with dams and ponds dug out, now planted and developing into habitat for wildfowl and grazing for dairy cattle. Efficiently fenced, the Wairakei Pastoral Ltd development continues its progress with wetlands and long riperian strips with copses of amenity trees, helped along the way by DU. For more details see Flight 127, April 2006.
Anne and Dave Johnston treated us to the sight of their magnificent wetlands - one of New Zealand's largest private wetland areas - at Reperoa. Barbecued sausages and Banrock wine for lunch.
On Sunday, Tamsin Ward-Smith gave an entertaining talk with slides, on the subject of Cape Kidnappers' Ocean Beach Wildlife Preserve. Their aim is to return the peninsula to a place where it may once again be able to support native flora and fauna characteristic of a Hawke's Bay coastal ecosystem. At 2200ha, the Preserve will be the largest type of coastal and forest habitat under protection in New Zealand.
Weather was kind, and we had a good time networking and were only sorry more members could not come to enjoy the weekend.
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