The Trust
East Taranaki Environment Trust (ETET) is a registered charitable trust dedicated to protecting the ecosystem and biodiversity in East Taranaki.
ETET was founded by a group of landowners at Pūrangi who took responsibility for protecting their kiwi by developing the conservation project in their community. Conservation work for our project is managed by our Trustees. We have a number of key stakeholders who provide support.
Patron
ETET is proud to have the Right Honourable James Bolger as our patron. James “Jim” Bolger was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Originally from Taranaki, Jim actively supports our efforts and is the namesake for one of our local adopted kiwis that was released to our reserve in April 2014.
Patron- The Right Honourable James Bolger, ONZ
“I am very pleased to support the work of the East Taranaki Environment Trust. We must not lose kiwi from Taranaki. The community driven project at Pūrangi involving 38 landowners, the iwi, district, regional and central government will ensure we don’t. By everyone working together so much can be achieved, and as efficiently as possible.
I am still a farmer at heart and am particularly pleased to see the involvement of the local landowners and the benefits for their community. I look forward to future generations of Bolgers being able to hear (and maybe even see) kiwi in the wild, not just in special enclosures. I am delighted that the Trust also aims to bring kōkako back into a core area of the project. Environmental restoration takes time and is truly an intergenerational project. A project for the mokopuna that as a son of Taranaki I am delighted to support”. – Right Hon James Bolger ONZ
Trustees
Rob Maetzig – Chair
Rob is now retired, following a career in newspapers, radio, television and public relations. He lives in New Plymouth with his wife Sue, where he is now heavily involved in volunteering and philanthropic work.
He is currently president of the Rotary Club of New Plymouth North which undertakes fundraising and charity work.
Rob is currently playing a leadership role in establishing what is called a Forest of Peace and Remembrance, along the Waiwhakaiho River on the eastern boundary of New Plymouth’s new Mangapouri Cemetery. This project is involving the planting of 4000 native seedlings.
Aaron Chambers – Deputy Chair
Aaron is a Director and shareholder of Energy Vets Taranaki Ltd where he has been a registered veterinarian for 24 years. As well as his governance role within the practice he is also charged with coordinating and managing the farm services and veterinary team.
Gavin Faull – Trustee
Gavin is a Fellow Member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, Fellow of institute of Directors and Certified Director of Institute of Directors.
35 years experience in hotel management and operations, corporate development with the Peninsula Group, Hong Kong; Kingsgate International and Swiss-Belhotel International. Major shareholder and Managing Director of 400 hectare, 1,150 cow award winning dairy unit in North Taranaki and Board Member of Venture Taranaki, New Zealand.
John Haylock- Trustee
John is an experienced business development advisor with particular interest in renewable energy and the transition of the Taranaki economy to a low-emissions future. He was previously General Manager of Innovation and Strategic Projects for Venture Taranaki where he was involved in a wide range of regional and visitor development projects.
Anaru Marshall – Trustee
Anaru Marshall; Trustee 2018. Anaru has experience across financial services, running his own business and more recently a not-for-profit charitable trust. He is the lead negotiator on the Ngāti Maru Historical Treaty of Waitangi Claim.
Management
Rebecca Somerfield– General Manager
Rebecca took up the reins as General Manager in August 2020. Rebecca holds a Bachelor and Postgraduate Degree in Business and Accounting, and is a member of CPA Australia. Rebecca has spent the last 14 years working in various financial leadership roles in the retail and tourism sector.
Kat Strang- Conservation Manager
Kat joined the team in September 2020. Kat is a conservation scientist who has a variety of interests within conservation biology; her PhD study was about the ecology of feral cats in New Zealand and integrating these aspects for better management.
Kat has interests and experience in invasive predator and carnivore biology and management. Kat has spent the past six years involved with working with kiwi and is a certified kiwi handler.
Kat previously worked in Indonesia (Sumatra) and Madagascar carrying out biodiversity surveys.
Jayden Fabish – Ranger
Jayden has a Bachelor of Science, Major in Zoology, graduating in 2018. His experience included an internship completed at Pukaha Mount Bruce wildlife centre gaining practical handling experience with kiwi and other native bird species (wild and captive).
Corbyn Fabish – Ranger
Corbyn graduated from Massey university 2020 with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in zoology. His time studying at University is where he gained his passion towards conservation and knew that it was the field he wanted to be involved in after graduating.
Nadine Paterson – Finance Officer
Nadine joined the team in September 2021 temporarily taking over the reins from Laura as she adds to her family. Nadine is Taranaki born and bred and her work background is Insurance with a keen eye for numbers, assisting the team with the monitoring and accountability of the funds, payroll and overseeing the xero accounting system.
When not behind a computer screen she loves spending time in the outdoors.