Changes in advisory group ranks

OTAGO’S Tom Pinckney and Prof Bill Lee are among new appointments to Land Information New Zealand’s high country advisory group.

Linz established the group in 2018 to improve transparency and receive advice directly from a range of farming, environmental, iwi and other experts on its management of 1.2 million hectares of Crown pastoral land in the South Island high country.

Earlier this year, Linz sought expressions of interest from a range of stakeholders, after previous members reached the end of their twoyear terms.

Linz chief executive Gaye Searancke said Jim Greenslade, Kerry Harmer, Donna Field, Ray Grubb and Cordelia Woodhouse had also been appointed as new members of the group, while previous members Jonathan Wallis, Di Lucas and Jen Miller were reappointed to provide continuity and share their knowledge of the group’s work programme.

Mr Pinckney is a part owner of Northburn Station in Central Otago, which includes the Leaning Rock pastoral lease. He also has a background in viticulture and tourism.

He was ‘‘absolutely’’ pleased to be on the group, he said.

‘‘I would say I bring 120 years of successful family custodianship of the high country to the table.’’

The Crown pastoral law and water reforms were just some of the pressures that high country farmers were facing and he looked forward to representing the leaseholders, Mr Pinckney said.

Prof Lee is an ecologist specialising in indigenous vegetation management in the high country. He has experience assessing biodiversity outcomes of tenure review and the development of biodiversity indicators.

The new group will have its first meeting later this month.