New Zealand Photography Workshops started out in 2013 and now offer unique tours and workshops across the country. Their principles are based on not only showcasing New Zealand at its very best but demonstrating to everyone who visits these beautiful places or takes photographs of our indigenous wildlife how special they are and why they need our help to protect and preserve them. Their very talented tutors and guides highlight efforts being made to conserve them for future generations for those on the workshops and tours, and, as a business, they collaborate with others who share their values and standards, including Qual Mark Gold.
Craig Potton MNZM, West Coast Penguin Trust’s Patron and one of New Zealand’s elite photographers and conservationists, is one of the tutors, including for a recent workshop in South Westland.
NZ Photography Workshops founder, Richard Young, ran the workshop with Craig at the Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge, where owner and another of New Zealand’s leading conservationists as well as penguin fan and long-standing supporter of the trust, Dr Gerry McSweeney CNZM, also contributed to the workshop.
With Craig and Gerry’s involvement in the workshop, Richard wanted to have an especially good conservation outcome for conservation and was able to make a generous donation to the Trust in support of all the work we do.
Our huge thanks to Richard for his generosity and for sharing our special places and wildlife so thoughtfully, always applying his commitment to sustainability and conservation outcomes.
Find out more about NZ Photography Workshops here.
While materials were chosen that would stand up to the harsh coastal conditions, those same coastal conditions are conducive to plant growth! Occasional checks of the fences have been carried out by volunteers and rangers so that any maintenance needs can be identified and remedied. The never-ending need for maintenance is managing the vegetation that can grow through the fence, for example gorse, blackberry and hydrangea, pushing it to breaking point in places, or flop over causing damage from the weight of rank grass, rushes and weeds such as montbretia.
Volunteers recently spent a few hours tidying up the main fence along Woodpecker Bay north of Punakaiki so a big shout out to them - thank you Fiona, Jony, Reef, Katrina, Mandy, Marty, Teresa and Deb! Flax had been pressing down on the fence, but now the fence has been freed up by these wonderful volunteers - and they picked up a fair bit of rubbish too.
Volunteer Natassja Savidge has offered to check and help maintain the Hokitika penguin protection fence and joined Ranger Lucy Waller and Manager Inger Perkins in May to inspect the length of the fence. Some minor issues were found but the main finding was the extent of the vegetation growth that was damaging the fence in places. Big thanks to Natassja!
