Members of the QEII National Trust have elected Donna Field and Graham Mourie to serve as Directors on the QEII Board. Both candidates will serve a three-year term, effective immediately.

“We are pleased to welcome Donna Field back to the Board and Graham Mourie as a new director” said James Guild, Chairperson of QEII National Trust.

Donna Field has been re-elected to serve a second term on the Board. Her background includes resource management, director of Cleardale Station, a sheep and beef property in Rakaia Gorge and retiring chair of the Whitcombe Landcare group. She also has extensive experience sourcing and governing funding for environmental programmes, as well as the governance of business. Donna Field also brings a passion for ensuring the protection of vulnerable ecosystems.

Graham Mourie has been newly elected to serve on the board. The former All Blacks captain is currently an Executive Director for Southern Pastures and has worked alongside the Department of Conservation, Walking Access Commission and regional councils on various conservation and management projects. This includes the conservation of and access to Mokaihaha Kokako and securing public access to the Rakaia River.

Graham joins a history of ex-All Blacks to be part of the QEII National Trust board, with Sir Brian Lochore having served on the board as the Chair from 2003 to 2011, Richard ‘Tiny ‘White, who was once a QEII regional representative and Brian Molloy, who was also once a QEII regional representative and went on to serve on the board as a Director.

The election result sees us farewell Michael Legge, a retired Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Pathology at University of Otago, from the Board of Directors. “Michael was elected in 2016 and served a three-year term on the board. During his time, the trust benefited from his experience and academic robustness, passion for conservation and knowledge of environmental policy. On behalf of the board I want to extend our thanks to Mike for his contribution to protecting biodiversity on private land in New Zealand,” says James Guild.

The QEII National Trust Board comprises six members, four of which are appointed by the Minister of Conservation and two of which are elected by QEII National Trust members.

“I look forward to continuing to contribute to the management of the trust, alongside my fellow Directors and to enable the trust to continue to protect significant natural and cultural features in New Zealand” says Guild.