Big crowd responds to call of the Wild
Wild Waikawa hosted many keen Marlburians on Friday to see their ecological project at the top of Boons Valley in action. Photo: Supplied.
What started from humble beginnings has continued to grow and flourish as a community conservation project in Waikawa.
On Friday, more than 80 guests turned out to learn more about Wild Waikawa and the award-winning conservation work they are doing in the back of Boons Valley, Picton.
Winners of this year’s Marlborough Environment Awards Landscape and Habitat Environment award, Wild Waikawa attracted a bumper crowd that heard from founders Nigel Muir and Michelle Clark about the wide variety of conservation work they undertake on this 200 hectare bush property.
Guest speakers from Te Atiawa, Department of Conservation, Marlborough District Council, Marlborough Boys’ College, Queen Charlotte College, NMIT and the environment awards all talked about what they admired and enjoyed about working in partnership with Wild Waikawa.
“It was a wonderful, uplifting celebration about what the combined power of community partnerships, dreaming big and hard work can achieve,” says Nigel.
The Open Day concluded with educational tours of the native nursery, trapping, planting and habitat restoration.
The series of 2025 Port Marlborough - Marlborough Environment Awards winner open days continues on Thursday, with Future Post, the overall and wine industry section winners opening their doors to interested guests.
Future Post manufactures high-performance fencing and vineyard posts, sleepers, and landscaping materials made entirely from recycled plastic, creating durable, UV-stabilised products from local waste streams, turning plastic types 2, 4, and 5 into durable vineyard and fencing products.
Each post contains upwards of 19 kilograms of plastic, replacing chemically-treated timber and offering a lifespan of 50 years or more.
Future Post has processed over 9000 tonnes of plastic waste to date, making it the largest recycler of plastic in New Zealand. The company’s products are also Bio Gro certified and exported internationally, from the Pacific to the USA.
“Future Post represents the kind of innovation New Zealand needs to achieve a low-waste, low carbon future,” said the Marlborough Environment Awards judges.
“It’s an inspiring example of circular economy thinking, turning a major waste problem into a high-value product that supports both industry and the environment.”
The field day offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from Founder Jerome Wenzlick and CEO Dave Elder about the company’s journey from backyard experimentation to commercial success — and to see how partnerships with wine companies like Saint Clair Family Estate are helping the sector adopt more sustainable practices.
Future Post Field Day
Thursday 6 November 2025, 1.30pm-3:30pm.
Future Post Blenheim Factory and Saint Clair Family Estate.
Bring High-vis vest, closed-toe shoes, and wet-weather gear if required.
Register: [email protected]