A new fund is honouring the memory of late Rotokare Scenic Reserve Trust sanctuary manager Simon Collins.
Sanctuaries of New Zealand Incorporated (SNZI) chairman Matt Maitland says the fund is the perfect way to honour Simon.
"Simon was a member of SNZI. He learnt on the job and as a result, he was a confident and skilled sanctuary manager. His way of learning by doing is an important skill and to honour him, we wanted to give other people the chance to learn how he did."
The purpose of the grant is to enable an exchange of people between sanctuaries. The grant will allow selected sanctuary staff or volunteers to visit other sanctuaries to learn how they operate and actively share knowledge.
"This learning-by-doing approach will support the development of individuals, while also actively facilitating improvements in how sanctuaries operate. It's how Simon learnt and he's showed us the value of learning that way. Simon had a very high profile for his work which had a big effect. He was a good person who led a world-leading sanctuary and world-leading team."