GREGG BROWN - CHAIRPERSON
Born and raised in Rotorua, Gregg is a businessman and passionate environmentalist! He splits his time between running Capers Café and The Pig & Whistle Pub, with helping restore land in the Waiāriki catchment. He set up Tipu Wai to help speed up the regeneration and rebuilding of local waterways.
Gregg has many years experience in governance roles - 6yrs as President for the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club, Chairperson of the Rotorua Trails Trust and 12 years as Managing Director for RideRotorua.com.
Gregg was a trustee at Bay Trust and is currently is a Trustee for Rotorua Energy Trust and a John Paul College board member; he is also a committee member of the Lake Okareka Community Association.
PAUL TAPSELL
Paul comes to TipuWai with knowledge and experience as a Professor, Director, Curator and Researcher. He has worked in education, museums, nonprofits, indigenous community engagement and Treaty negotiation.
He is a ‘One Health’ advocate with special interest in environmental impacts on social, political and economic wellbeing of first peoples and their resources across the Pacific.
ALISON DEWES
As a dairy farmer and veterinarian, Alison is a firm believer that our future food production systems must be profitable while protecting and replenishing ecological health.
Her Masters of Science (2015) focused on how dairy farms can operate while achieving the lowest possible environmental impact. She has a passion for agricultural business performance, policy and ecosystem health. She is a NEXT Fellow: Freshwater: 2020. And was head of Environment for Landcorp until 2020.
MIKE GREY
Mike is an experienced trustee with over thirty years trusteeship in a wide range of educational, sporting and community organisations. Mike has lived in Rotorua for over forty years and is a member of tramping, mountain biking and kayak clubs. Mike is a longtime Forest and Bird member and for the last ten years has been involved in a pest eradication programme at Lake Tarawera. Outdoor experiences have fostered an immense appreciation of the NZ landscape and a desire to help restore the energy.
ANNA GREYLING
“I’m an outdoor enthusiast who grew up in Rotorua around lakes and forests. My passion for conservation started at a young age when my parents purchased a small farm out Kaharoa where they fenced and restored tracks of Tawa forest and created wetlands. Watching the forest come back to life and the birds thrive was really inspiring.
I went on to study Environmental Law and sciences and have worked as an ecologist and environmental advisor across regional and local government.
Tipu Wai has a vision which aligns with my core values, the māhi they do benefits our community and future generations. No one in the future will look back with regret that we planted more native plants and forests.
Te Maiora Rurehe
“I hail from Tūhoe, spent my formative years in Minginui, then was given to be in the care of Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao. I spent a couple of years working as a lawyer in criminal defence and tribunal practices. I now work as the environmental manager for Tuhourangi Tribal Authority.
The name Tipu Wai encapsulates the idea of recloaking the Waiariki rion in native forestry. It's been a privilege to work alongside them in different projects, specifically those that fall within the tribal boundaries of Tūhourangi.
Being a part of a group that helps to reforest the area helps to contribute to that goal. The beauty, though, of planting trees is that those who planted them may not be the ones to have the privilege of sitting in their shade - this will instead fall upon our children and grandchildren.”