The QE II National Trust which helps private landowners protect areas with high conservation values is under pressure:
About a tenth of New Zealand’s farming businesses are now protecting land under QEII covenants.
Chairman James Guild says that’s putting pressure on the limited funding which the trust has available to run the scheme and help with costs such as fencing.
He says the number of farmers and other rural landowners with sites of environmental, ecological or cultural significance already under covenant or approved, has doubled in the past 10 years to more than 4000.
Mr Guild says about 10% of farming businesses now have covenants in place which protect 120,000 hectares of land. . . .
The Trust is becoming a victim of its own success.
It has a very good name among farmers and QEII covenants are usually the preferred choice for landowners who want to protect special areas on their property without losing ownership or control.
Homepaddock 
Yes free money is always very popular, there is never enough of it to go around
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LOL Andrei, that works both ways. Farmers contribution could also be seen as “free money” – going towards public benefit. Pots of gold don’t exist anywhere (neither public nor private). Except in peoples’ hearts. This is where most projects are driven from.
QEII National Trust is a very co-operative organisation to deal with. We would do more if only our wallets, and our hearts, were a little bigger…
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I suppose, Andrei, your point is that money is not free in any sense. There is a similarity between those who have inherited ‘wealth’ and those who rely on ‘welfare’ (although they’d not appreciate the comparison). Members of both groups often look upon members of the other as not deserving the financial resources they have access to. Seldom is either’s assumption completely correct.
But fortunately there are still some who have made moderate sacrifices, worked hard to achieve, who are prepared to share these ‘privileges with others, and emerge with their souls intact. One day I might post a comment with a photo of my own family ‘estate’ where I grew up. You won’t blame me for wanting to do a little better for my own family… call it greed if you like, I’ve spent my whole life being judged up and down by others and so it no longer bothers me as it did when I was a child.
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I’m not being judgemental Tracey, I hope not anyway.
A little cynical at times that’s all – we should swap our childhood pictures, doing better for those who follow us is what it is all about
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You are I think. But there’s nothing wrong with that at all. I try not to judge others on their judgements because we all make them. It’s normal. I suppose that in order to make a value-judgement, one must first have values to begin with. We shouldn’t knock people with values (not that you were…)
A couple of days ago I heard some adults passing terrible judgements regarding a child and that child’s future. Had to bite my lip. It took all my willpower not to think ill of this group of well-intentioned fortune-tellers (oops! there’s a judgement). In fact I wanted to let rip with a tirade on how unhelpful they were being. But they are what they are and whatever I think of them or their ways will make no difference.
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