Canterbury and the West Coast regional manager Nicky Snoyink said the branch’s long-term commitment to biodiversity in their district was really outstanding.
"They have earned a lot of respect at the Timaru District Council, Environment Canterbury and other groups they work with."
The winning formula had been put down to the branch’s history of advocating for Aotearoa’s native animals, plants and ecosystems, and the hands-on restoration work at reserves and on other land.
The branch’s recent crowning achievement was noted as purchasing a rare bush block at Arowhenua, near Temuka.
The block was believed to be the last remaining lower plains forest left in Canterbury, with the exception of Riccarton Bush in Christchurch.
Branch member Fraser Ross first started protecting and restoring the Arowhenua bush after it was badly damaged in a storm in 1975.
Over the years other organisation members and locals helped with the work, removing pest plants and propagating and protecting native seedlings.
A trap line to remove pest animals had also been put in place.
The land was part of the privately owned Arowhenua Station, but in 2023 Forest & Bird was able to buy it, thanks largely to several major local donors, including Mr Ross.
It is intended the bush block will be permanently protected through a Queen Elizabeth II National Trust covenant, and work will continue to expand the bush into more open ground.
The branch has worked with the Timaru District Council to identify significant natural areas in the region and encouraged private landowners to protect high value areas, such as wetlands, with QEII covenants.
The branch also has regular working days to protect and restore its Conway’s Bush reserve and members also regularly work at Kakahu Bush.
Committee member Ines Stager said advocacy was also a key part of the branch’s work.
"There’s a lot of advocacy, a lot of energy goes into writing, making contact with people, and networking."
Along with her partner Peter Keller, Ms Stager had been involved in protecting and advocating for long-tailed bats, pekapeka-tou-roa, which inhabit the Talbot Forest and the Geraldine Downs, for a long time.
She has guided many groups to see the bats, including a group of the branch’s Kiwi Conservation Club (KCC) members this year.
She said the branch’s KCC was an important way to inspire a new generation of conservationists.
One of the branch’s KCC members, Guy McDonald, was later Forest & Bird’s first Te Kaiārahi Rangatahi o te Taiao Youth Award winner and is now a programme manager for Department of Conservation, protecting the threatened southern New Zealand dotterel tūturiwhatu on Rakiura Stewart Island.
Branch secretary Joy Sagar, along with her husband Paul, carry out bird counts each month at Waitarakao/Washdyke Lagoon and other branch members are involved in protecting kororā little penguins at Caroline Bay.
