Kia ora koutou,
My name is Brian Alder and it is a real honour to have been appointed as Project Lead for Pest Free Onetahua.
It’s an exciting time for Pest Free Onetahua. Tracey Osborne and Chris Wheatley have taken the project from inception, through the feasibility stage and have secured initial funding from Predator Free 2050 Ltd. With the support of Manawhenua ki Mohua, Healthpost Nature Trust and Tasman Environmental Trust, the project is now gearing up to be operational and I’m coming on board at the start of that process. Expect to hear about more appointments over the next few months.
While the task of making Farewell Spit and ultimately the near environs predator free is a daunting one, it’s been reassuring to hear of the widespread support from the landowners and local community. The experience of similar projects that are taking place around New Zealand teaches us that this is a learning process and we have to draw on all the knowledge and experience that we collectively hold.
I grew up over the hill in Richmond and I’ve lived in Golden Bay since 2008 after moving up from Christchurch. My time in Christchurch was spent in the outdoor industry, working nationally and internationally in sales and marketing for a few outdoor companies with most of my career being spent with Macpac. Prior to that I had completed a B.Sc in Geology at Otago University and enjoyed my twenties roaming the globe, chasing mountaineering and rock climbing adventures, which included a number of summers living in Golden Bay at Paines Ford. After arriving in Golden Bay in 2008, I worked in tourism for Escape Adventures who run cycle tours internationally and locally. Since 2014 I’ve also been involved with the Department of Conservation Science Unit, based in Nelson, working in a team that conducts research into landscape-scale predator control and monitoring methods that support the programme.
Locally I’m best known for riding my bike a really long way and my creating a number of biking events including the Tour Te Waipounamu that traverses the South Island’s back country, starting at Cape Farewell.
Ngā mihi,
Brian