ZEALANDIA Partners with Canberra Sanctuary

18 May 2016

ZEALANDIA Partners with Canberra Sanctuary

Wellington, NZ – Zealandia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Canberra's Woodlands and Wetlands Trust this morning in a ceremony attended by Wellington Mayor Celia Wade Brown and Minister Mick Gentleman of Australian Capital Territory (ACT).

The agreement, signed by Ms Denise Church, Chair of Karori Sanctuary Trust, and Ms Alison Russell-French, Chair of Woodlands and Wetlands Trust, acknowledges the two nature organisations as 'Sister Sanctuaries', and will help to foster cooperation and collaboration between them.

"It's incredibly important that we all work together, both locally and globally, towards a more sustainable and biodiverse future," said Zealandia CEO Paul Atkins.

"I'm excited to explore new opportunities through this collaboration, and to realise the mutual benefits of working together going forward."

“We have already learnt a lot from the Zealandia experience and we hope to grow our partnership," said Woodlands and Wetlands Trust GM Jason Cummings.

"We want every Canberran who visits Wellington to visit Zealandia and vice versa.”

Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown, who recently visited the Canberra sanctuary says, "Urban biodiversity is critical to human health too and shared knowledge is part of the sister city Memorandum of Understanding."

The agreement has been in the planning stages since late 2015 and follows Singapore Airlines' announcement of their 'Capital Express' route, connecting Singapore to Canberra and Wellington.

About Woodlands and Wetlands Trust:

The Woodlands and Wetlands Trust has been established to deliver an innovative partnership between government, the business sector and the community in Canberra for the management of and community engagement in the Mulligans Flat and the Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserves. Together these two reserves protect over 600 hectares of the Australian Capital Territory’s most significant landscapes.

The Trust’s specific purpose is to raise and manage funding directed towards the two reserves to support ecosystem research, education, recreation and tourism opportunities. A current major project is to expand the current predator-proof fence to encompass nearly 1400 hectares for release of locally extinct mammal and bird species.

ENDS

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