For TRM’s 2018 Queens Birthday Honours…
Every little town has its own heroes. Some worthy Turangi recipients for 2018 awards include:
First is Peter. He retired from DOC a few years ago and to keep active he takes his little fox terrier Buddy “walkies” down the Tongariro River tracks every day.
Even in horrible weather, rain or windy or on cold days as seen in the image above, he can be seen walking the river bank.
A long time ago he called in as he had noticed TRM’s “security staff” (?) little Pumpkin watching them with envy. He kindly offered to take Pumpkin as well.
Now, every morning, as soon as she has been fed, Pumpkin patiently waits outside looking out for Peter. What a nice gesture.
We used to hope inmates could exercise Pumpkin – see image above on right – but now we rely on Peter. TRM’s elderly frail management are usually too weary after laundry duties (& fishing?) – see image below – so Peter provides Pumpkin’s essential recreation to wear her out every day.
If we lived in Auckland we would have to pay for a dog walker!
Next is TRM’s wading pole suppliers – some anglers would not survive without them! The 2018 new stock of anglers special wading poles has arrived for TRM inmates. It is often these little things in life that are so important. Tiny things that nice friendly people do in Turangi are never measured or considered in any official list. But TRM recognises and acknowledges them…
Next we have Wendy & Sue from Turangi ski hire. Every year since they started they have supplied TRM anglers with wading poles. These poles are brilliant, almost a third leg, when wading on slippery stones in the Tongariro. TRM always recommend them to anglers to avoid a cold wet dunking and prevent injuries. In fact many find the poles are so helpful in assisting their wading access that they often forget to return them… So at the start of each winter season TRM’s supply of wading poles are replaced by Turangi Ski Hire. How thoughtful and considerate. Great people.
Mr. CCD is TRM’s third recipient. He is so well known and appreciated by anglers, he hardly needs any introduction. Didymo Dave embraced the concept of “relentless positivity” for over a decade before someone else adopted his catch-cry. He is the best known face of conservation in this region. Any brief perusal of TRM Facebook indicates how passionate he is about the water quality and clean river environment in this region. He is a wonderful example of “Never, never give up” regularly taking on tasks that are too hard for Councils or DOC. For the third worthy winner of TRM’s Queens Birthday honours we repeat an older TRM Daily Report…
Didymo Dave……
Didymo Dave is such a local legend.
So often anglers ask the obvious questions:
Where does he get all the energy from?
Why don’t DOC employ him?
Where does he find the dedication and inspiration to look after our fishy environment so well?
How does he keep on going on a voluntary basis?
Why aren’t there more like him from local or regional Councils or DOC or Government Departments who are paid to do what he does?
But most of all they ask – who pays him?
Just a couple of days ago I caught him tidying up around the Tongariro Bridge Pool, removing noxious weeds, picking up rubbish, encouraging anglers re Check, Clean, Dry message, etc. I was with a visiting tourist angler from Brisbane who had been reading about Didymo’s accomplishments for many years and was so thrilled to meet the real man.
DOC (Department of Conservation) should be employing him!
Dave was buzzing he had discovered a heap of old ferret traps that had been discarded and was arranging to restore them and get them back out on the job. So I took the image above to illustrate them.
The Ministry of Primary Industries should be employing him! 
Some other TRM inmates were wandering around the river wondering where to go when they came across Didymo Dave on pest and weed eradication duties.
In no time they report they had the best fishing guide they could have imagined.
NZ Tourism should be employing him! The local kids think he is Superman – an absolute role model teaching them all about the importance of protecting the environment in such an entertaining yet instructive manner.
The Education Department should be employing him!
In this weeks local newspaper is a photo of Dave receiving a cheque from the proceeds of an annual fly fishing festival in Taupo – that indicates what local anglers think of him.
But he should not be relying on charitable fund or hand outs from events like that.
The local Taupo Council tourist office aka Destination Great Lake Taupo (DGLT) should be employing him!
Didymo has done more to raise awareness of the dangers of invasive species introduced to NZ waterways, more voluntary conservation work, more on monitoring and running trap lines for stoats, weasels, possums, rats, wild cats, etc. than any other single individual in any other Government funded agency.
The Regional Council should be employing him!
All anglers and others involved with conservation in the Taupo region salute and applaud him. It is time the Council and/or DOC created a Didymo Dave award for conservation contribution to society. But they can’t of course. Why?
Dave would keep on winning it.
Thanks Dave. You are a true Champion.
(Image on right is from 2007)
Below is a short video of Dave when he was operating the fish trap at Lake Otamangakau… He should have charged admission!
Last, but not least, are all the ‘anonymous’ donors of fishing gear – gratefully received by TRM for novice anglers to encourage them to take up fly fishing.
There are too many to name them all although some wisely prefer to remain anon.
This is understandable when you see the gear they are donating – like the two new fishing vests received on Queen’s Birthday weekend (He had already donated waders etc.).
I am sure there are some wives who have no idea of what is spent (invested?) on fishing.
Some of the gear has been donated already to kids wanting to learn fly fishing – the quality and value of these contributions is far beyond any kids pocket money savings so is much appreciated.
Another reason we cannot name them is that so many generous donations are from West Island fishos who have been so generous to Kiwi kids.
Many are not TRM inmates. They have holiday homes in Turangi – but just want to encourage kids into trout fishing.
What wonderful people!.
Then there is TRM’s Hall of Fame…
All our inmates deserve an award.
This short video was done years ago but the message is still the same.
Thank you everyone…
The Others:
There were 18 “conservation” awards in the Queens Birthday honours. For an impartial observer, it is interesting to note the NZ Coalition Government’s increased awareness of the political importance of recognising contributors to conservation and water quality – i.e.
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage has praised the recipients and says everyone on the list has been recognised for the exceptional work they do for conservation, the environment, their local communities and New Zealand.
“They should be very proud of their achievements and the work they are doing to save our threatened species, protect and restore our rivers and streams, remove invasive weeds, control predators and fight diseases such as kauri dieback,” Eugenie Sage said.
“Their efforts, dedication and successes inspire me and should inspire others.”
Bryce Johnson of Upper Hutt is made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to conservation and the environment.
“Mr Johnson has given more than 30 years’ service to conservation and the environment an incredible contribution.”
He was appointed Director of the National Executive of New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies which was later changed to CEO of the New Zealand Fish and Game Council, a role he had until December last year. He was involved in Conservation Law Reform Act 1910, contributed to the Resource Management Act 1991which included protection of wetlands and the habitats of trout and salmon.
Matthew Hall MNZM – Matthew has been a member of the Central South Island (CSI) Fish and Game Council since its inception and has served as chairman (2). He is a committee member of ‘Save the Rivers’ (Mid Canterbury) and Secretary and Life Member of the ‘South Rangitata Reserve Inc’. Matthew was a member and past Chair of the Ashburton Zone Committee, a joint committee of the Ashburton District Council and Environment Canterbury and one of the Canterbury Water zone committees.
Matthew is a chartered accountant by profession and a keen salmon and trout angler.
For years, Eastern Bay residents have been asking Nikki Slade Robinson if she thought her parents would accept a Queen’s Birthday or New Year Honours nomination. Each time she has said no.
Stuart and Margaret Slade prefer to do their work quietly in the background. But this year the potters and conservationists will both receive the Queen’s Service Medal. “I think this time around they took into account how many times it has been suggested and finally agreed,” Nikki said.
Susan Millar was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for her services to conservation as part of the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Susan Millar has seen plenty of change in the conservation game – she’s watched attitudes change and methods become more sophisticated.
Having helped turn around failing stands of native bush for a quarter of a century, the retired entomologist from Upper Hutt has been honoured with the Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for services to conservation.
She was particularly pleased to see two fellow members of her Upper Hutt Forest and Bird branch – couple Glennis and Allan Sheppard, also awarded the QSM among more than a dozen conservationists on this year’s honours list.
Since 1992, Millar has spent countless hours on conservation projects – many of which involve restoring native bush and nurturing seedlings for planting.
Millan Ruka has been passionate and relentless in his pursuit to clean up waterways. Photo/John Stone
He established Environmental River Patrol Aotearoa and obtained vehicles, equipment, a river boat and kayaks to access waterways to GPS photograph, document and report effluent discharges, direct stock trampling and spoiling waterways.
Stewart Bull of Invercargill has been awarded the Queens Service Medal (QSM) to recognise his service to Southland’s Conservation Board. He has been a member of the board for more than 15 years. Mr Bull has worked alongside the Department of Conservation with many translocations, eradications, strandings and historic work. He has also provided guidance on working in a culturally appropriate way helping to strengthen MÄori cultural understanding within the wider Southland community.
A QSM is awarded to Dr Grant Norbury of Alexandra, for his services to conservation. He led the establishment and has been chair of the Central Otago Ecological Trust since 2005. The Trust aims to support and restore the drylands ecosystems by reintroducing native lizards and other threatened fauna.
Lyn Wade of Warkworth also receives a QSM for services to conservation. Lyn is the chair of the Little Barrier Island (Hauturu) Trust which is responsible for practical and financial support for conservation of the 3000ha island in the Hauraki Gulf.
Ali Timms of Cromwell also receives a QSM for services to local government and the environment for 16 years’ service on Environment Southland. Ms Timms was active in setting up stakeholder groups to restore Waituna Lagoon and is working to eradicating wilding pines as chair of the Dome Wilding Trees Charitable Trust.
Gordon Hosking ONZM – : In 1989, while working for the Forest Research Institute, Gordon began an investigation into the health of Metrosideros excelsa (mainland pohutukawa). His findings were alarming: more than 90% of coastal pohutukawa stands were dead or dying, having succumbed to pastoral farming, possums and fire. He quickly turned his research into action, and a community-based project was formed to rescue the tree grew out of discussions with colleagues at the Department of Conservation and New Zealand Forest Products (now Carter Holt Harvey). This of course was the beginnings of the Project Crimson Trust.
Other QSM’s include:
Linda Conning – For services to Conservation.
Alison Ross – For services to Conservation.
Warwick Wilson – For services to Conservation.