Andrew Lennox (Chairperson)
I have lived and worked around the Pokaiwhenua Catchment for most of my life as a dairy farmer. We currently milk cows on the lower end of the Pokaiwhenua Stream and have enjoyed many refreshing swims in the stream. I'm passionate about giving back to my community and what better project to be involved in than making this precious asset more enhanced and available to our community
Hadleigh Putt (Coordinator)
Hadleigh grew up on a family dairy farm which bounds the Pokaiwhenua Stream. Growing up on the farm, he spent many hours in or near the stream fishing, rafting, swimming, exploring, dam building and family BBQ’s. Hadleigh and his family still enjoy visiting the stream for these activities and camping in the summer months.
Hadleigh is passionate about the strength of catchment groups in bringing people together to achieve multiple objectives.
Hadleigh previously worked for Fonterra as a Sustainable Dairying Adviser for 6 years, covering the South Waikato region providing individually tailored, farm-specific sustainability support and advice to Fonterra farmers via Farm Environment Plans (FEP’s).
Prior to Fonterra, Hadleigh was a Field Consultant with Ballance Agri-Nutrients in the South Waikato for 11 years, where he developed close relationships with his peers and farmers in the region.
Brett Fleming
Hi My Name is Brett Fleming. I am the General Manager Sustainability for Trinity Lands limited a Charitable company that has interests in the South Waikato and Bay of Plenty. I have held roles previously in Secondary Education and for a Tertiary provider. Im very keen to be involved in improving the water quality of the Pokaiwhenua and access to the stream which is a real treasure for this region.
Gray Baldwin
Gray Baldwin is a dairy farmer whose family has farmed on the banks of the Pokaiwhenua at Lichfield or 3 generations. In 2009, Gray, his wife Marilyn and sharemilkers won the Supreme Award in the Waikato Ballance Farm Award. In 2015 Marilyn and Gray received a grant from the Waikato River Authority and in partnership with DairyNZ, developed a constructed wetland which is removing significant quantities of nitrate and phosphate prior to runoff water entering the Pokaiwhenua.
Amelia Paget
Amelia is extremely passionate about the outdoor environment and has been actively involved in preserving and restoring the environment for many years. She has been living in the area since a teenager and has been a frequent visitor to the Pokaiwhenua Stream regularly taking her family kayaking up the canyon.
Amelia is the Nursery and Amenities Manager at Hodderville Farms. This role not only involves growing Natives for local projects but also planning and implementing a number of mitigation methods over the farm to improve water quality.
Sarah Wood
I have been with Fonterra as a Farmer Services Manager for the last 12 years, leading a team and working alongside our farmer shareholders through the many highs and lows of the dairying industry. My husband Hamish and I have been dairy farmers ourselves, and now own a dairy grazing and beef block near Pukeatua. We are fortunate to live next to the Pokaiwhenua where it connects into the Waikato, and have spent many happy hours swimming and paddling up the canyon, enjoying the glow worms and the stunning surrounds. I have a great love of the outdoors and firmly believe that it is our responsibility to nurture and protect our amazing NZ landscape for future generations to enjoy as well.
Shirley McPherson
Shirley is a dairy farmer in the Lichfield area, along with being a member of the Waikato River Trails team. She is actively involved in the local community with a presence in the age care sector and environmental projects. Shirley feels strongly that if we all collaborate we can make significant environmental change.
Sian O'Mahony
Hi my name is Sian O'Mahony and with my husband and children we sharemilk 720 cows here in the south waikato. It's a privilege for me to be involved with the Pokaiwhenua catchment group, I enjoy being able to be a part of the restoration and community engagement that the role brings.
The stream is a really important asset to our community so the continued work to enhance and maintain the beautiful stream is so important.
