John Sumich was the deserving winner of the “Kahikatea” award, for an outstanding individual volunteer taking action on a local environmental issue. As John is tackling all the environmental issues in one, with his “From the Ridges to the Sea” idea, his idea for Ark in the Park led to Auckland’s largest conservation project (currently 2270 ha), his aspiration to reintroduce pateke led to “Habitat te Henga” and the wish to connect Ark in the Park to Matuku Reserve and the Te Henga Wetland led to Matuku Link. If an award was ever deserved, it was this one!  He accepted the award in his own characteristic doctors humor, by saying “A prune can start a movement but without backup there is no result”, paying tribute to all those involved in Ark in the Park and his other projects.

But he wasn’t the only one: Derek March, Waitakere Rivercare and Matuku Link volunteer, received a “Judges Commendation” in this category, as did Annalily van den Broeke (Matuku Link secretary).

This was a lovely night with so many familiar faces from all the projects in the Waitakere Ranges, it felt like one big family! If you missed it, make sure you nominate someone next year: they invite nominees as well as nominators ;).

Annalily

All images by our Te Henga ‘neighbour’ Liz March.

John Sumich was the deserving winner of the “Kahikatea” award, for an outstanding individual volunteer taking action on a local environmental issue. As John is tackling all the environmental issues in one, with his “From the Ridges to the Sea” idea, his idea for Ark in the Park led to Auckland’s largest conservation project (currently 2270 ha), his aspiration to reintroduce pateke led to “Habitat te Henga” and the wish to connect Ark in the Park to Matuku Reserve and the Te Henga Wetland led to Matuku Link. If an award was ever deserved, it was this one!  He accepted the award in his own characteristic doctors humor, by saying “A prune can start a movement but without backup there is no result”, paying tribute to all those involved in Ark in the Park and his other projects.

But he wasn’t the only one: Derek March, Waitakere Rivercare and Matuku Link volunteer, received a “Judges Commendation” in this category, as did Annalily van den Broeke (Matuku Link secretary).

This was a lovely night with so many familiar faces from all the projects in the Waitakere Ranges, it felt like one big family! If you missed it, make sure you nominate someone next year: they invite nominees as well as nominators ;).

Annalily