Our TFBT New Team Members- Brenda, Virginia and Tris

Tēnā koe,

I am an ecologist and have been associated with TFBT for some time and recently joined the team as the GIS and Data Lead. My work involves producing maps for a variety of purposes, including showing predator control trap locations or newly installed fence lines around streams, wetlands and bush remnants. See below for an example of a map produced with GIS (geographic information system) software. For anyone interested in having a go at using GIS, QGIS is open source (free to download) GIS software and there are excellent online tutorials available.

I also help with managing trap catch and other data, and I will be working on strategic projects from time to time. I’m passionate about conservation and thrilled to be part of the TFBT team, helping landowners to achieve wonderful environmental outcomes in northern Rodney.

Ngā mihi nui, Brenda

Kia Ora/Hi/Hola I’m Virginia,

I’m originally from Chile but have been living in NZ for over a decade. I initially came to NZ to study a MSc in Conservation Biology, but I fell in love with this country and after continuing my studies with a PhD, I never left! I live in Leigh with my Chilean partner and our two little (human) kiwis. My role with TFBT is as Ecology and Biodiversity Advisor, and key jobs that I do include being out in the field doing biodiversity monitoring and doing research and analysing data so we can better guide and understand the outcomes of our team’s amazing work.

Last week while out doing bird counts at a farm on Tawharanui Peninsula, and as I was looking for a spot to have my lunch next to a creek, I spotted a group of happy Pāteke swimming around. Pāteke are endemic to New Zealand and have suffered a dramatic decline in the last 200 years due mainly to introduced predators. They are currently listed as “recovering” thanks to the increased management and conservation efforts around the country. Between 2008 and 2010 124 Pāteke were released at Tawharanui Regional Park. Since then, they have spread to neighbouring habitats including stormwater ponds and farm dams, they have recently been spotted as far as Matakana Wharf and near Warkworth. As we expect to see more of these around keep an eye out for them, keep up the trapping and dogs on a leash.

Kia Ora,

I’m Tris and joined The Forest Bridge Trust as Community Liaison the very week we went into lockdown. Kiwi by birth and raised as a horse crazy country girl, I got the bug for travel in my early twenties and have spent most of my adult life living and travelling in other countries. Covid and a desire to be near family prompted us to pack up our children and return home, and we’re thrilled to have settled in Warkworth – although we are still looking for our lifestyle block and forever home!

I have joined Michelle and Liz in the Community team, and whilst lockdown has been great to give us time to get all our planning in place we are all itching to be able to get out into the community again, sharing with people the mahi of the trust and helping others who are keen to get involved on their own piece of paradise. Our primary focus at the moment is preparing the area around Tamahunga for the kiwi release next year! We will be out and about letting people know that they’ll soon have kiwi in their backyard, and establishing a predator-controlled buffer zone to keep them, and our other native species safe and able to flourish.

I’m really looking forward to getting to know our rohe and the people in it better, and look forward to meeting you soon 🙂

Ngā mihi nui,
Tris