Dave Brown

It’s with sadness that we announce the retirement of David Brown from his formal roles at OKT, as he aims to spend more time with whānau. Dave is a long-standing volunteer and supporter of the Trust. He joined our kiwi team in 2013 with great enthusiasm, eventually finding himself leading the team. He has also served the organisation in a governance capacity, acting as a Trustee since 2018.

During his tenure, Dave has devoted countless hours of time and expertise and played a significant role in the Trust’s work to protect and restore biodiversity to Ōtanewainuku. With a background in both horticulture and business, Dave brought a very special skill set to our organisation and made significant contributions in virtually every facet of our work. While we will miss seeing Dave regularly, we have little doubt that he’ll continue to stay in touch. With our sincerest appreciation, we wish Dave (and Browns Nursery in Te Puna!) all the best for the future.

As our organisation transitions following Dave’s departure, our Ōtanewainuku kiwi will be well-looked after by two volunteer accredited kiwi handlers, Sheryl Peterson and Andrew Poad. Martin Slimin, another accredited handler, will continue to ensure the wellbeing of our chicks at the Warrenheip creche, assisted by James McLaughlin, a certified kiwi dog handler. With a number of other committed volunteers assisting with monitoring and ensuring the overall success of our kiwi program under Dave’s watch, he has certainly left us in very capable hands.