The Board is our Society’s governance body and is accountable to the members. On behalf of the Society’s members and supporters, it strives to optimise the society’s performance in the achievement of nature conservation outcomes.
Kate Graeme, President
Kate Graeme sees good governance as a key part of the success of conservation organisations and vital to achieving much needed long-term conservation impact.
As the daughter of long-standing Forest & Bird member and former employees, Basil and Ann Graeme, the Society has been a constant part of Kate’s life. She has seen firsthand how being part of Forest & Bird means you can take action for nature collectively – and more successfully – than you would if you were struggling alone.
Kate is closely involved with several conservation projects in Tauranga and the wider Bay of Plenty region; is a committee member of the Tauranga Branch; and believes nature in Aotearoa is in crisis – and that we need people to take urgent action to protect and restore it.
Previously a policy advisor on climate change for the Minister of Transport and on freshwater policy for the Department of Conservation, Kate is also on the Board of the co-governance Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust and Save the Kiwi. She draws on all of these professional and people skills to strengthen Forest & Bird’s voice for nature. Kate joined the Board in 2014.
Mark Hanger, Deputy President
Armed with a degree in botany, an adventurous spirit and an effervescent love of nature, Mark Hanger got himself the ultimate job as a nature tour guide 25 years ago, however, year by year he’s seen wilds of the south change dramatically in the drive towards development.
When he’s not tripping around the foothills and mountain peaks of Aotearoa, he can be found in his hectare of native garden or growing and processing cider apples.
As well as being a self-confessed tree-hugger, he’s a climate change activist, a water conservation guru, and - more recently - a seabird re-homer. He ultimately wants to return all of the seven lost species of seabirds once found along the Otago coast back to their former homeland.
Mark is a committee member of the Dunedin Branch.
Nigel Thomson, Treasurer
With more than 25 years’ financial and general experience, Nigel is a Chartered Accountant (Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand) and member of the Institute of Directors.
Now based in Canterbury, Nigel is passionate about re-investing and encouraging education and sustainability. Nigel’s passion for the environment started thru tramping at university and he is focused on helping ensure Forest and Bird is well positioned the next 100 years.
Chris Barker
For over 35 years Chris has been a member of Forest & Bird. He works in both private and public sectors and has developed strong commercial acumen, a deep customer lens, and the ability to work with complex stakeholder relationships.
Chris' love of nature was heavily influenced from an early age by his Grandparents, the late Stan and Gloria Butcher, and he believes we are stewards for the next generation.
He brings energy and a questioning mind with a leaning towards opportunities, while also understanding and being able to evaluate the risks.
Ben Kepes
Ben Kepes has spent a lifetime walking (and sometimes running) through New Zealand's mountains and valleys. Based in rural North Canterbury, Ben has been involved in youth environmental education and community planting and trapping initiatives.
Ben is the majority shareholder of Cactus Outdoor, maker of some of the toughest outdoor and workwear and now the largest apparel manufacturer in New Zealand. A professional director, Ben sits on the boards of a number of organisations, including, crown-owned entities, council-controlled trading organisations, not-for-profit entities and privately owned businesses.
Ben is passionate about leaving a positive legacy on the world around him.
Bruce Clarkson
Bruce has devoted his life to the protection and restoration of indigenous nature in Aotearoa New Zealand, making significant contributions to conservation research, education, protection, and restoration of native plants and ecosystems over a more than 40-year career.
Since 2016 he has led ‘People, Cities and Nature’, a research programme focusing on restoring damaged or depleted indigenous ecosystems in urban environments.
As Bruce’s career has evolved to focus more on the changes needed to reverse biodiversity, he'd like to apply his governance experience, professional expertise, and advocacy skills to save our unique indigenous flora and fauna – and reverse the crisis we currently face where more than 75% of our birds, bats, fish, and reptiles are threatened with extinction.
Kate Littin
Kate Littin is a lifelong advocate for te taiao nature and is committed to supporting businesses to make positive change.
She is inspired by her upbringing in the bush of West Auckland and Northland. Kate brings her experience and expertise as a scientist in research, policy, regulation and intergovernmental collaborations to the Board, and to her role as Chair of the Society’s busy Wellington Branch.
She also volunteers at local conservation projects as well as having various board and committee roles for nature-focussed causes and animal welfare.
Kate is growing her own consultancy business and starting a charitable science organisation. Future focussed, Kate wants to see the environment and people’s connection to it valued so that as a country we can take Aotearoa forward.
Eugenie Sage
Eugenie loves Canterbury’s big skies and easy access to wild nature. She has worked on conservation and environmental issues for most of her professional life, including working for Forest & Bird.
She was a Member of Parliament for 12 years, including three years as Minister of Conservation, Land Information and Associate Environment (waste). She was elected to Forest & Bird’s Board in June 2024.
As Eugenie says: “We face the twin crises of climate and biodiversity loss and the risk of mass species extinction. We need to ensure nature thrives by reducing climate pollution, and shifting to more sustainable management of land, water, air, and the oceans. That requires more effective laws and policy programmes, new economic incentives, and practical action at all levels. We need people power to mobilise for nature and a stable climate. Forest & Bird has a leading role here.”
James Mackenzie
James Mackenzie has been involved in conservation activities all his life, and is totally committed to New Zealand’s flora, fauna, and wild places.
He and his family have a long history with Forest & Bird; his great grandfather Sir Thomas Mackenzie helped establish the Society; he’s current Chair of Hibiscus Coast Branch, which was set up by his late parents; and all his children and grandchildren are engaged at different levels. He is also a member of the Restore Hibiscus and Bays leadership team.
James has a special interest in protecting and restoring te taiao in the Auckland region, including the Tīkapa Moana Hauraki Gulf, and sees an urgent need to rebuild the marine conservation estate before it is lost.
James would like to see all Kiwis benefit from getting involved in nature conservation by protecting and adding to the conservation estate – leaving Aotearoa a better place.
Romilly Cumming
Romilly Cumming brings experience from the not for profit and public sectors to her board role at Forest & Bird. Passionate about leveraging zero waste and community-centred approaches to benefit te taiao, Romilly has most recently spent three years supporting the delivery of the Jobs for Nature programme and is currently a Senior Policy Advisor in the Ministry for the Environment's waste division.
A year-round open water swimmer, learner diver and hunter, Romilly champions strong environmental protections for the whenua and the moana.
She has supported research into the connection between emotional wellbeing and ocean literacy and waste colonialism in Aotearoa. Romilly is affiliated with the North Canterbury branch.