Conservation pioneer shunned the limelight
Paul ‘‘Hondy’’ Hondelink, who has died aged 63, was one of those iconic characters who made an impact on everyone he met. Cool, calm, collected, he had a quiet way that would calm the pace of the sometimes frenetic situations he worked in.
For 40 years he toiled away in some of the harshest – but most beautiful – places in New Zealand with a simple goal: to preserve Aotearoa’s unique biodiversity for all.
An important part of police search and rescue and FENZ fire response, he would often say the first thing you should do when you get to a fire is have a cup of tea. He was unflappable.
Forty years ago, young people who fell in love with the New Zealand backcountry realistically had only four career options to pursue: become a deer hunter, join the Wildlife Service, become a park ranger, or join the Environmental Forestry Division (EF) of the New Zealand Forestry Service.
Hondy, who surely had the call of the wild imprinted in his DNA, took up a role with the Forestry Service as junior woodsman in 1972, based in Berwick and Omarama. Between then and DOC’s inception in 1987, Hondy perfected his backcountry craft.
By 1975 he was promoted to skilled woodsman, based out of Omarama, when he met wife Judith in between missions into the Ahuriri, Hopkins and Dobson. Then followed a short stint as leading woodsman in West Tapanui from 1978-79 before landing a role as forest technician for EF in Invercargill.
The Southland division of EF had a reputation as being the best in New Zealand, and that was a full credit to the people who worked it. Hondy sat at the core. He was the group’s anchor,
organiser, fixer. When you’re spending up to a month out in the bush, every group needs a person like Hondy. But if you tried to keep up with him in the hills you’d know about it. He was a ‘‘lean mean machine’’ and he was in his element.
During these years, Hondy was involved with many conservation initiatives; from work towards a deer-free Secretary Island, controlling the rapidly increasing deer populations on Stewart Island/Rakiura, and deer control in the Blue Mountains.
From 1981 to 1987 Hondy took on the role of forest ranger, based in Invercargill, Queenstown and Hawea – where he became very focused on stopping the spread of tahr across the Haast Highway.
In 1987, with the establishment of DOC, he took over the wild animal control leadership for Mt Aspiring National Park, Skippers, Landsborough and north to Aoraki. He was the best, and he only got better, operating at a much bigger scale.
He loved working from helicopters. Where others would have debilitating nausea after the aerial acrobatics required during wild animal control heli ops, Hondy would do it all, then kick back with a ‘‘Rondy’’ (a dubious mix of condensed milk – ‘‘condy’’ – and rum).
His extensive technical background led to a significant conservation breakthrough when, in the 1990s, with Brin Barron, he pioneered Judas goat and tahr control work, using GPS animal collars. He became known as the expert internationally, though he hated being the centre of attention.
Wild animal control is tough work. It’s not glamorous, it’s not at the ‘‘cute’’ end of the conservation spectrum. But without it, and without people like Hondy, the whole system fails.
Anyone who’s spent time in the Southern Alps and marvelled at the unique ecosystems that make this place ours can thank Hondy.
He is survived by wife Judith and children Kelly, Corey and Kerry.