Waihora Ellesmere Trust

Kerry O’Brien (Chair) - Kerry has lived in Lincoln for well over 20 years. His interest in the health of Lake Ellesmere leads directly from windsurfing on the lake 20-30 days each year. Being part of the Waihora Ellesmere Trust provides the opportunity to promote improved recreational use of this resource. Kerry has created a website which collects wind information from sailing sites around Canterbury, displaying this information on the one up-to-date page. See www.howisit.co.nz

Brett Painter – Brett joined the Board due to his interests and enthusiasm for research-based solutions to Lake and catchment problems. His involvement with the Selwyn Water Allocation Liaison Group and upbringing in Greenpark means he is very familiar with issues affecting the Lake.

Hamish Rennie - Hamish grew up on the family farm opposite the Selwyn Huts and spent many hours on or in the river, Lake and margins. He has returned to Ellesmere in 2007 after 20 years working in central government departments and Waikato University. A senior lecturer at Lincoln University in resource management law and environmental planning, he is also tending a small orchard established on land owned on the Selwyn.

Peter Chamberlain- Peter is chairman of Harts Creek Streamcare Group and a long time farmer on the tributary (Harts Creek) to Lake Ellesmere.

Rob McPherson – Rob has a 140 year family association with the Lake. He has professional involvement through working at Lincoln University with water and environmental issues and research. Rob has an ongoing interest in natural and local histories and ecology.

Kelvin Coe- Kelvin’s family have farmed the Lake edge for several generations, and were some of the original European settlers. Kelvin is Mayor of Selwyn District, past president and current treasurer of North Canterbury Federated Farmers, and a founding member of Selwyn Sustainable Agricultural Society.

Colin Hill - Colin has been a Lake edge farmer for 30 years, and is chairman of LII Drainage Committee. He is also a member of the Ornithological Society with a keen interest in the ecology of the Lake.

Ken Hughey – Ken is a Professor at Lincoln University (Environmental Management Group) and has had a long research, fishing and ecological association with the Lake throughout his career.

Judith Kidd- A resident since 2005 and passionate advocate of biodiversity and restorative landscapes, Judith is a plant science technician at Lincoln University and spent 10 years in a similar position in the Institute of Natural Resources at Massey University, Palmerston North.

Kate Bonifacio - Kate and her husband are raising their family on a lifestyle block adjacent to the Lake. A keen interest in the Lake and its environs have led the family to establish a wetland restoration area and riparian management programme on their property which has some of the Lake’s tributaries. This interest in the Lake and its management led Kate to complete a Masters degree in Environmental Policy at Lincoln University and she now works as a Resource Management Planner.

John Lay – An arable farmer in the lake catchment for 45 years, John also lectured at Lincoln University for 20 of those years and retired in 2004 from the position of Director of the  Applied Management and Computing Division. John is now the Executive Chairman of an International company producing software for Agriculture.

Grant Bonniface – Grant’s family has been involved with the Lake and surrounds for over 100 years. His family farm borders the Lake between the LII and Selwyn Rivers and they have a bach at Selwyn Huts.  Much of Grant’s childhood was spent at the Selwyn Huts accessing the Lake and its tributary rivers for fishing, shooting, swimming and boating. He has continued to have an interest in the intrinsic values associated with the Lake environment. This interest has led Grant to commence plantings along the Lake margins.

Stephen Brailsford – Living on the banks of the Halswell River, Stephen has been a WET Trustee for most of the last five years. He has his own restoration consultation business and has a history of forestry and lifestyle block development. He is now in his fourth decade of tree planting!  Stephen works and recreates in the Waihora Ellesmere catchment and is a keen fisherman and duckhunter, spending much time on the tributaries and the Lake.

Ruth Markham-Short – Originally from Nelson but with local family connections, Ruth has recently moved to the area for postgraduate study in Environmental Policy at Lincoln after working as a solicitor in Auckalnd.  Ruth enjoys running and tramping and looks forward to helping address some of the many issues facing Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere as a WET Trustee.

Many thanks to retiring Trustees Clem Smith and Michael Nutt who have both made a huge contribution to WET over many years.

Last updated October 2011