Profiling our working group: Julie Buunk

Next up in our team spotlight is Julie Buunk. Julie was the first to join our working group!

What inspired you to become involved in the Wairau Nature Network?

As a keen tramper and ex-DOC field worker I’m drawn to natural places. I live on our family farm in the Fairhall area. My father started planting small areas of the farm in native trees and shrubs around the year 2000, these plants are now of a decent size. This got me thinking if one person working alone can produce such inspiring results then what would happen if people worked together across the district?

What’s the biggest environmental challenge you think the Wairau catchment

faces right now?

The lack of indigenous biodiversity, the Wairau Catchment (in particular the lowland areas) is a highly modified productive landscape, in most cases spare spaces such as riparian strips are largely dominated by woody weeds and other invasive exotic species.

Can you share a project or achievement from the Network that you are most proud of?

I am very excited about the progress of the Wairau Nature Networks mapping program. When completed, this will allow members of the public to easily see where there is existing native vegetation, and how best to connect these areas with new plantings.

How do you see the role of community partnerships in restoring and protecting local ecosystems?

Vegetation restoration is hard work; the planting is really the easy part. By sharing the workload, not only can we achieve more, but it also creates a personal connection to the project. By neighbouring properties collaborating, communities sharing knowledge and even resources, we can effectively work together and start to connect native areas to form corridors or stepping stones across the landscape.

What makes the Wairau area so special to you?

I’m from two local farming families, born and raised on the plains. Within the generation before mine, any remaining native species were removed from the family farm. How amazing it would be to have these remnants still and protect them!

The peaks, ranges and side tributaries of the catchment are my tramping playground. An annual walk-in camping trip to a clearing beside a pristine river in the Richmond Ranges has become a tradition for my children to share with family friends.