Team, Patrons & Trustees
Laura Wragg
Cathy Donnelly
Coordinator
Milly McHardie
Te Ara Dirkse
Ailie Rundle
Tracy Stockman
Marielle Haringa
Juliet Ramson
Put on this earth as a 'single-use rebellion' who prefers to fill her pockets with reusables than take the easier wasteful route. It was her kids that made her more conscious of the need to pave a better future. Juliet finds ways to spread her passion for environment through advocacy, and community driven events in Rotorua
Lucy Crone
Excited to be joining the Envirohub team and bring the Predator Free BOP programme to Rotorua backyards! Lucy loves getting involved with projects that support a healthy and regenerative environment, and which encourage us to rethink and reimagine our everyday choices to reduce our impact. Favourite thing to do is a cup of coffee in the garden listening to birdsong. Looking forward to increase bird chatter as we establish more traps in home gardens.
Patrons
EnviroHub is lucky enough to have two Patrons that are legendary in their own fields but also recognised in the environmental arena. Our current patrons, offer support and a wealth of knowledge to our team. They have over time been facilitators, contributors and speakers at our Sustainable Backyard events. More about them and the valuable work they do below.
Ruud Kleinpaste
After arriving in NZ in 1978 from the Netherlands, Ruud worked in various environmental jobs before settling down to 14 years in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF). In 1987 he started a talkback radio show (Ruud’s Awakening) in which he offers environmentally friendly horticultural tips to gardeners. The success of the show made him better known as “the Bugman”.
Ruud retired from MAF in the mid-1990s for a career as an ecological consultant. This has led to television work in and outside New Zealand, which has brought further fame for his environmental causes. These include promoting environmentally friendly agricultural techniques, the protection of endangered native NZ birds, and most famously, the understanding and appreciation of insects, spiders, and other terrestrial arthropods. Ruud joined EnviroHub as a Patron in 2019.
Rob McGowan
Rob (known to many as Pa Ropata) is many things, and most recently the author of Tiwaiwaka – The Healing of the Mauri or the Whenua. An absolute must read for anyone interested in nature and a real ah ha moment when you read it. We have copies available at the EnviroHub office.
Rob has been involved in teaching and researching traditional uses of NZ Native Plants (Rongoa Maori). He’s been involved in many projects and groups and his work has seeing him championing Mother Earth for many years. His efforts landed him a spot on the 2020 Queens Birthday Honours List for services to Maori and Conservation. Rob joined EnviroHub as a Patron in 2019.
Board of Trustees
Mary Dillon
As well as being the current chair for EnviroHub Bay of Plenty, Mary is a busy lady and is well known and respected around the Bay of Plenty. She served as a founding board member of SociaLink and as Chair of the Environmental and Sustainability forum for SmartGrowth.
Mary served as an elected member of the Tauranga City Council for 21 years, including six years as Deputy Mayor. During that time, she has developed strong connections with local iwi and she values and respect Maori perspectives. Mary has a deep interest in the sustainability of our environment and in the development of local strong resilient communities.
Geoff Canham
Geoff is a Principal Parks and Recreation Specialist and Accredited Parks and Recreation Professional (ARPro) and Certified Parks Professional international (CPPI) and runs GCC, a specialist parks and recreation consultancy. He has 37 years’ international experience in parks agency/local government parks and recreation with New Zealand and international experience in parks and recreation leadership, planning and project management.
Geoff has won a multitude of awards for his contributions, has published many articles, and has given more than 15 conference presentations in New Zealand, Australia and the US. He is the current chair of the Industry Accreditation Board for the NZRA (New Zealand Recreation Association) and Geoff currently volunteers for Bay of Plenty National Park City/Region. He also serves on the Maungatautiri Reserve Committee, the BOP EnviroHub Board and convenes the New Zealand Parks Leaders Forum.
John Beech
John is an advocate for the environment and conservation, and he’s well-known and loved in the arts and event sector here in the Bay of Plenty. He enjoys working with creative environmentally conscientious people and by using his knowledge of working for not-for-profit organisations over the past decade he helps to support successful outcomes for the environment.
John, who has been involved with EnviroHub since 2019, says he enjoys the opportunity to further grow our environmental hub goals.
Mark Dean
During his teaching career, Mark was instrumental in establishing Ngamuwahine Outdoor Education Centre. Taking children into the outdoors and the bush led to a lifelong interest and passion for our native flora. While living in Oropi he started a small native plant nursery that grew to become Naturally Native New Zealand Plants Ltd, one of the countries larger nurseries.
In 2016, Mark was elected as Councillor on the WBoP District Council. He is immediate past chair of the Dune Restoration Trust of NZ, Founding Chair of the Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust, and past Chair of the Rotary Centennial Trust for the restoration of the Kopurererua Valley wetland in Tauranga. He received the Loder Cup in 2011 for his contribution to the conservation of native flora, comprising work across a range of commercial, community and national involvement.
Kylie Willison
