The Wairakei Environment Mitigation Charitable Trust
About the Trust
Purpose of the Wairakei Environment Mitigation Charitable Trust
The Trust was established to facilitate enhancement, protection and research which supports the protection and enhancement of:
the variety of the geothermal characteristics within the volcanic plateau geothermal resource located within the Waikato Region
the variety of geothermal characteristics within “Protected Geothermal Systems” as defined in the Waikato Regional Plan and other geothermal systems within the Waikato regional boundary.
The key objective of the Trust is to effectively and efficiently allocate the Trust funds to achieve the maximum environmental benefits through projects which comply with the purpose of the Trust
Past projects funded by the trust have included:
Creation of environmental restoration and management plans for geothermal areas
Management of wilding conifers and other weeds in geothermal areas
Revegetation planting
Upgrading fencing and boardwalks to protect geothermal vegetation and formations
Funding research on geothermal microorganisms, invertebrates, and threatened geothermal ferns
The Establishment and History of the Trust
The Wairakei Geothermal Field was initially developed for electricity generation in the 1950s. Contact took over those operations when it was established in 1996 as a State Owned Enterprise and has subsequently further developed the field. The geothermal operations at Wairakei have had a detrimental effect on the natural geothermal features at Wairakei, as well as the Waikato Awa. To mitigate those effects, Contact, the Department of Conservation of Fish and Game New Zealand established the Wairakei Environmental Mitigation Charitable Trust in 2004 to undertake environmental enhancement projects in the geothermal areas of the Waikato Region as well as the Waikato Awa. The original funding of $ 1 million was expended in 2011 and the focus of the Trust pivoted to focusing on geothermal environments. Fish and Game NZ exited the Trust at that time.
The Trust has now been revitalised with additional funding associated with Contact’s Tauhara power station development and the renewal of resource consents for Contact’s Wairakei operations and is now back in business to support ecological enhancement projects in the geothermal environments of the Waikato Region.
The operation of the Trust is governed by a Charitable Trust Deed in accordance with the Charitable Trusts Act 1957.
Trustees
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Nina Manning
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Craig Stephenson
Background in environmental management, but now Commercial Development Manager (Geothermal) with Contact Energy.
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Alana Delich
Senior Ecologist at Singers Ecological, with a background in geothermal geochemistry and ecological monitoring.
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Andrew Gray
Background in environment and land management, including ecological restoration projects in Geothermal environments. Currently Environmental and Land Manager for Contact Energy.
