Becoming a Member

Waihora Ellesmere Trust is made up of members from all sectors of the community, and is governed by up to 15 trustees elected from the membership. To become a member you can download a membership form here.

As a member you will be supporting the work of the Trust. This includes:

  • Publishing the Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere State of the Lake Reports (2013, 2015 & 2017)
  • Organising and hosting biennial Living Lake Symposia, most recently in November 2017.
  • With the Department of Conservation, BirdsNZ and others, coordinating an annual wetland bird survey of the lake
  • The Green Footprint project – a restoration partnership between WET, YHA and SDC.
  • The Sustainable Drain Management project, which has collated information about sustainable drain management practices and provided support and advice to local landowners/farmers.
  • Supporting the Kids Discovery Plantout, led by Te Ara Kakariki – working with local schools to encourage hands on involvement in environmental restoration and a greater awareness and understanding of the lake and associated issues
  • Ensuring links with other projects and organisations working in the catchment, for example, we work closely with the Environment Canterbury, Ngai Tahu, Department of Conservation, Christchurch City Council, Te Ara Kakariki and many others
  • Facilitating Te Waihora Agencies Group, a high level group of representatives from all of the statutory agencies involved in catchment management plus some organisations with an ongoing interest in catchment processes and restoration initiatives – the aim is to foster a more integrated approach to management of the Te Waihora catchment
  • Member (key advisor) of the Lake Opening Protocol Group

By becoming a member of the Trust you will be part of a team, helping us to make a positive contribution to Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere and its catchment. You will

  • Receive newsletters (also available on the website)
  • Have speaking and voting rights at our AGM or special meetings
  • Be able to be on WET committees and get involved in projects
  • Be eligible for election to the Trust Board
  • Have opportunities to access information and resources
  • Be able to take part in events, workshops and seminars, some of which may be limited to members

Annual Subscriptions

WET’s membership year is from July 1 to June 30. The fee is $30.00. (currently 2024-25 Year)

we can accept payments by cash or you are welcome to pay using internet banking see payment options.

Donations

In addition to becoming a member, we also welcome donations and, as we are a Charitable Trust, a tax rebate can be claimed on donations of over $5.

Donations will contribute towards projects WET is involved with. For example, our Living Lake Research Fund can provide assistance to local groups or individuals undertaking monitoring or research which will help us to understand more about the state of the lake and catchment and your donations will enable to assist more projects.

To join or make a donation please download and complete the WET-Membership-form and email or post it to:

Waihora Ellesmere Trust

66 Bryndwr Road

Bryndwr 8052

Christchurch

email to manager@wet.org.nz

last updated January 2018