Sustainable farming focus of new trustee | Rural

Liz Evans, the new national president of Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ), has joined NZ Landcare Trust (NZLT) as a trustee.

Mrs Evans will continue the work of former RWNZ representative Margaret Chapman, who stepped down from NZLT's board of trustees after her three-year term as president of RWNZ came to an end in May.

In addition to her leadership of a national organisation, Mrs Evans brings with her a strong rural background, having lived and worked on her family's sheep and beef farm in Marlborough for more than 30 years.

"Our farming practice is about managing the land to achieve the best possible productive results within the constraints of a challenging high-country environment," Mrs Evans said.

"Sustainable and protective land use is also one of Rural Women New Zealand's key policy portfolio areas."

Mrs Evans' interest in sustainable land management and conservation is inspired by her family's 3700ha holding in the upper Waihopai Valley, where she, husband Geoff and son David farm merino sheep and angus cattle.

They voluntarily retired 500ha of high country in the 1980s to restore eroded areas of the farm in partnership with the then Marlborough Catchment Board.

There are seven national organisations represented on the NZLT Board of Trustees: Federated Farmers, Fish & Game, Ecologic Foundation, Forest & Bird, Federation of Maori Authorities, Federated Mountain clubs and Rural Women.