For more than half a century, the legacy of the late Les Hutchins has shaped the way Aotearoa thinks about conservation. A pioneer of the modern environmental movement and a driving force behind the historic Save Manapouri campaign, Les believed that protecting the wild places of Fiordland was both a responsibility and a privilege. Together with his wife Olive, he built a tourism company that channelled its success back into the land that inspired it, setting a standard for stewardship long before sustainability became a national conversation. The charitable trust he founded in 1994 was born from this deep commitment to give back — a commitment that continues today through ongoing contributions from RealNZ and the thousands of visitors who travel to Doubtful Sound each year. As a trustee, you could join a lineage of guardianship shaped by Les’s vision: that protecting our most precious places is work worth dedicating a life to.
Trustee - Leslie Hutchins Conservation Foundation (LHCFT)The Leslie Hutchins Conservation Foundation is a charitable trust that provides funding to support the running, maintenance, and attendance of nature-based programmes (including outdoor education camps) and conservation research throughout Southland and Otago. This includes support for initiatives within Fiordland National Park’s World Heritage Area, Stewart Island, and Aotearoa New Zealand’s Sub-AntarcticIslands. The Foundation is administered by a Board of Trustees who meet quarterly to review applications and allocate funding to projects that protect and enhance our natural environment. We are currently seeking a Trustee with expertise in one or more of the following areas:
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Active Engagement in Conservation Hands-on involvement in conservation projects, with a strong commitment to protecting local environments and biodiversity.
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Iwi and Community Connection Understanding of iwi perspectives, values, and cultural frameworks, ensuring decision-making reflects both environmental and community priorities.
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Knowledge of the EducationSystem Familiarity with schools, tertiary pathways, and youth development. Able toconnect conservation outcomes with learning opportunities preferred, but notessential. Prior Board experience is notessential. We seek individuals recognised for their professional leadership who are committed to applying their insight and expertise to drive positive environmental impact.
Role details: ·
Type: Volunteer Trustee
Time Commitment: Four meetings per year (quarterly)
Location: Preferably based in Otago–Southland and able to attend in-person meetings
More Information: Contact Paul Norris -
Paul.Norris@realnz.com
How to apply: Please submit your most recent financial statements and any other supporting documentation to
lhcf@realnz.com. The Trustees will be meeting to review grant applications on February 24th, May 26th, August 25th and November 24th 2026. To be eligible, applications must be submitted at least two weeks prior to each meeting date.
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