Te Pae Tiaki Taiao ā Rohe Advisory Committee for the Regional Environment (ACRE)

Purpose

To be an environmental advocate by supporting effective climate mitigation and adaptation and by promoting the protection, preservation, conservation and enhancement of:

• the life supporting capacity of air, water, soil and ecosystems – especially indigenous vegetation and fauna and their habitats and biological diversity;
• the natural character, features and landscapes;
• those qualities and characteristics that contribute to people’s appreciation of the pleasantness, aesthetic coherence, cultural and recreational attributes of New Zealand and in particular the Waikato region.

Network, advocate and promote conservation and good environmental practices in the region.

Act as a forum for ideas and concerns on environmental matters.

Monitor progress on any environmental matters and recommend on any matters that need extra investigation and research.

Advise the Regional Council on environmental policy.

Alert the Regional Council to environmental matters in need of attention.

Collaborate with groups sharing similar aims and identifying potential partnership initiatives.

Anna Casey-Cox

Tēnā koutou katoa. I ahu mai ōku tūpuna i County Limerick, i County Cork, i Lydd, i Kōtirana hoki. I tupu ake ahau i raro i te maru o Maungakawa. Kei Kirikiriroa ahau e noho ana. Ko Anna tōku ingoa.

Anna has been involved in a number of restoration, food growing and environmental projects in Kirikiriroa Hamilton. Anna worked at Go Eco for almost a decade and through this work had regular engagement with the various gully restoration groups and community gardens in the city. Alongside community, Anna started the advocacy group - Whakamana ki Rotoroa. This group continue to champion the restoration of Lake Rotoroa in Kirikiriroa. Anna is a board member of Te Ohu Whakaita (Matariki ki Waikato) and Earth Diverse and leads an Eco Church initiative at Chartwell Cooperating Church. Anna’s PhD focused on noticing oppression and privilege in the context of community gardening and life. Anna is an active cycling and public transport advocate and enjoys biking or busing to her work and community meetings as much as possible. Anna is currently a first term Councillor at Hamilton City Council and the Deputy Chair of the Community and Natural Environment Committee.