Di Buchan Environmental Trust

Established October 2013

My great-great grandparents came to New Zealand from Scotland and farmed sheep in South Otago as they had done in Scotland. I spent my childhood in Central Otago, lived for seventeen years in Northland and then moved to Wellington in 1986. I love New Zealand – every inch of it. During my career as a social and environmental researcher I have travelled all over New Zealand working with groups and communities from Bluff to Ahipara. As a researcher and a volunteer for a wide range of community-based organisations over many years I have seen how people working together, sharing knowledge, resources and enthusiasm can achieve wondrous things.

In 2010 my late husband and I moved to Otaki and with the surplus cash from the sale of my Wellington home, I decided to set up this Charitable Trust. I was motivated by a belief that with the right support, little by little, we can heal our waterways and our soils and our forests. This work is essential if future generations are to experience a quality of life comparable (and hopefully better) to that which we have now.

In developing the purposes of the Trust my focus was on raising awareness about what is causing environmental damage and how best to fix that. To this end the Trustees particularly want to work with landowners. We also want to work with students, especially those from low-decile schools, and with poorly resourced communities who might otherwise struggle to access the funding, knowledge and networks, to undertake projects aimed at environmental restoration.

I have been joined in achieving this dream by four honorary Trustees who are all long-term colleagues as well as friends. Together we have knowledge and experience to bring to the Trust. In addition to funding, we are keen to contribute our time and share our wide networks to help the projects we support achieve their objectives. John Makowem of Maxim Wealth - another friend and committed environmentalist - agreed to serve the Trust as its honorary financial advisor.

Our funds are not large but we aim to use what we have to maximum effect by joining forces with others and targeting projects that maximise community involvement.

You can help by donating to the Trust or by encouraging schools or community groups you know are keen to undertake an environmental project to apply. To apply follow this link.

The more funds we have, the more we can do. Donate now!

Di Buchan

In 2023 the Di Buchan Environmental Trust reached its 10 Anniversary

To celebrate our anniversary the trustees decided they would each plant a tree or two. The trees are not only to commemorate the 10-year milestone but also in memory of our two trustees who have passed away – Susan Chapman and Michael Moriarty.

The types of trees planted, have been selected to suit the location of each of the trustees. Di Buchan in Ōtaki decided to plant 10 swamp maire which is a wetland tree in danger of becoming extinct. She did two plantings. The first with her two granddaughters Anna and Maggie Long, at her cousin’s farm in Manakau. The second was in a reserve in a new subdivision in Waikanae. This planting was done with her daughter Heidi Cosslett and grandson Toby and family friend Ross Jackson who oversees the management of the reserve.

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Cosslett was planting kahikatea just west of Masterton on this aspirational REWILDING block.  They’ve got pink ribbons on them to make it easier to find them once the grass grows long in summer. Check out their story here

To celebrate the 10th anniversary Moria planted carex at Battle Hill Park.

 

Charlotte raised cabbage trees - Coryline australis and kowhai - Sophora microphylla from seed and planted out the young plants in the green belt around her property in Strathmore Park. This increases the biodiversity and food for birdlife. Predator Free Miramar has all but eliminated rats in the past 7 years in this area.

 

As winter eased in the deep south, Richard Morgan finally got his hands dirty to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the DBE Trust.  With the assistance of Loran Verpillot, manager of the Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust in Wānaka, Richard planted a flax and a young pittosporum in the Albert Town Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary. This was one of two locations that Di visited last year (and did some planting!) following the DBE Trust grant to Te Kākano. The local community continue to add plants to the area: as Richard was leaving, after walking round the lagoon and checking out a group of kahikatea saplings, a couple arrived with two healthy shrubs and a spade!