The past 12 months zoomed past in a flash and already Te Ipukarea has held their 28th Annual General Meeting last week, Thursday, June 6, 2024.

As you would expect, lots of things environmental were discussed during the delivery of the president’s report. As per the rules of the Society, the executive board election also took place on the day.

After the welcome and opening prayer, Te Ipukarea’s presiding president Teina Mackenzie presented the president’s report of the past year of achievements for Te Ipukarea Society, covering the four focal areas of biodiversity, waste management, ecologically sustainable development and climate change.

Highlights included:

• the ongoing turtle monitoring, where Te Ipukarea has been able to slowly grow the collection of photos to help identify and track the movements of individual turtles within our lagoons through the help of citizen science initiatives;

• assisting the National Environment Service, alongside Te Puna Vai Marama (Cook Islands Centre for Research), in developing an Environmental Management Plan for the southern passages of Rarotonga to protect the habitat and wildlife found in these passages;

• school programmes that spread environmental awareness from composting to native and endemic wildlife to the unique ecosystems we have and what we have and can continue to do to preserve and protect our natural resources;

• in partnership with NZDOC, the National Environment Service, Ministry of Agriculture and the Palmerston community, the eradication of rats from Palmerston Atoll was completed in September 2023;

• utilising the talents of Phoebe Happ from Kuki Time for Kids, the youth of Mangaia and Mauke learned the importance of waste management through dance and song;

• Awareness raising around geotextile bags as a way to counter coastal erosion. These bags are now in plans to scale up in other project site areas;

• deep sea mining awareness and campaigning has also taken place locally through informative movie releases, such as Deep Rising launched during the Pacific Islands Forum and Taua e moana, a three-piece doco launch alongside partners Kōrero o te Ōrau and the Cook Islands voyaging society premiering on March 1st 2024.

The president went on to say that TIS does not achieve its success without the consistent effort and dedication of the team, and their passion to protect our Ipukarea.

A big thanks was given by the president as she acknowledged our volunteers, members, donors and businesses who have continued their support throughout the year.

Following the election process, the Society retained five of the existing members and welcomed one new member. Teina Mackenzie did not run for president this year after volunteering her services as president for the past five years. June Hosking was elected as the new president. June has a long history in education and working with youth. She was one of the first principals of Apii Te Uki Ou, and has played a key role in educating students particularly during the time she coordinated the popular Lagoon Day expo held for schools several years ago. Since June has been on the TIS executive board from 2021, she has assisted the Society during the popular annual Careers Expo, writing environmental articles for the environmental column featured in the Cook Islands News and has represented TIS at overseas meetings.

Vice president Sabine Janneck and treasurer Anna Koteka were both re-elected to those positions. New member Piakura Passfield was elected as secretary. Jessie Sword, David Greig and Hayley Weeks were also re-elected to the board. Te Ipukarea also acknowledges their outgoing president Teina Mackenzie who has led the Society for the past five years with dedication and integrity. She is a knowledgeable and well-informed advocate for our environment. 

If you want to learn more about the work that Te Ipukarea Society does, visit their website http://wwwtiscookislands.org or drop in for a chat. Their office is next door to Rarotonga Printing, about 200 metres on the Tupapa side of the Court House. If are interested in becoming a member or a corporate sponsor for this next 12 months, please contact te.ipukarea.society.inc@gmail.com