David was born in England in 1941 and came to New Zealand as a 10 year old. He gained a Bachelor of Fine Arts (with Honours) at Auckland and followed that with a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Hawaii.
He has earned an international reputation, particularly for his paintings depicting marine and coastal themes; his works are in exhibitions and collections around the world. He has published six books, three of which - plus another to be published next year - are focused on conservation needs in wildlife areas in Spain, France, Alaska and Washington.
Now he works from two studios, one at his Canadian home in British Columbia, and the other is here at Doves Bay. His time is divided between painting, teaching and his beloved boating.
In his letter to us, accepting the invitation to be our Patron, he said he is honoured to take the position and feels privileged to hear the call of Kiwi near his Doves Bay home and to think that somewhere, something is being done to perpetuate that nocturnal presence. His works accompanies the NZ Kiwi Foundation signage.
Greg was instrumental in the establishment of the NZ Kiwi Foundation in 1999 and continues to be the Convenor of the organisation. Greg sees Northland's future prosperity linked inextricably to its natural environment - sensible development with meaningful attention paid to retaining natural values, especially indigenous biodiversity and landscape.
Greg had been in the building industry for 20 years and then a student/lecturer/research fellow at the Geography Department at Auckland University where he obtained his PhD in 1995. Greg continued his University research for the first year resident in Far North District, before becoming part-time Northland Co-ordinator for the NZ Landcare Trust.
Since 2002, Greg has been the Far North Representative for the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust, working with landowners to legally protect and manage their land. Greg and Gay Blunden managed Aroha Island Ecological Centre from 1998 to 2007.
Russell retired in 1995 after a career in the banking industry which focused on development, computer analysis, research, and project management. He has a keen interest in all New Zealand birds and has been a member of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand since 1963.
He has participated in many bird surveys on offshore islands (Little Barrier, Great Barrier, Mayor, Kapiti, Mana) and in wader counts and dead sea bird identification and counts on all west coast beaches from Whatipu to Cape Reinga/Spirits Bay and from Te Huka, Tom Bowling Bay south to Pakiri.
He was a foundation member of the Miranda Naturalist's Trust and Treasurer 1974 - 1981. Russell has spent many years working to (first) discover and (then) sustain the Taiko population on Chatham Islands and continues an important role with the Taiko Trust as Treasurer and Trustee.
Kerry Walshe is the owner of a community pharmacy in Kerikeri, and a resident of Rangitane. He and his wife have lived there for only 9 years. However his family presence in the Kerikeri area dates from the 1820s.
He is a member of Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society and Ornithological Society of NZ. He is a past trustee of the New Zealand Native Forests Restoration Trust.
His specific interest in Kiwi started in 1978 when he became field leader of a group that for 14 years attempted to rescue Kiwi in areas of Northland where the bush was being cut down for conversion to farmland. The Kiwi were then released in bush reserves. The group was quite effective in catching the birds and over 80 Kiwi were transferred. Sadly however, monitoring the release areas showed that the kiwi released in these areas did not survive. The conclusion he came to was that Kiwi must be preserved in their own territory, and we must help them to do so.
One of their greatest pleasures is having friends from Auckland and elsewhere around their dinner table, and have a Kiwi call outside the house, then seeing the light of delight in the guests' eyes.
Ross graduated from the NZ Forest Service, Forest Ranger School in 1964 and spent much of his first post-graduate year working with the Dept of Protection Forestry (DPF) which was the fore-runner of DOC. Concentration was then on eradication of noxious animals and the protection of NZ's unique high country flora and fauna.
Ross relocated to Papua New Guinea in 1967 and then in 1973 to Indonesia. As a Forester, Forestry Manager, Forestry Consultant and in latter years Managing Director of the Asian subsidiary of a multi-national Forestry Equipment & Systems Corporation based in Singapore. He worked throughout Asia, also consulting on Forestry projects in the Pacific Islands and South America.
While planning and developing the forestry sector for the first Pulp and Rayon plant to be constructed in Indonesia, Ross was able to incorporate practical flora and fauna protection measures into the comprehensive operations master plan which he wrote and have it sanctioned and supported by central and local Govt. A first for Indonesia.
Ross is a firm believer in working closely with residents, landowners and developers in the first instance and on an on-going basis to encourage community acceptance and participation in order to protect our endangered flora and fauna and particularly the kiwi.
Through Ross's atcive pest control measures on his own property and adjacent bush (30 acres) over the last 10 years, it is now fully stocked with a stable population of kiwis, which he jealously guards and protects from anything and everything.