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Date: 19 Sep 2007 - 20 Sep 2007 - 19 Sep 2007 - 20 Sep 2007

From: QEII National Trust - Its first 30 years oral history project

By: Walls, Geoffrey Young, 1951-

Reference: OHInt-0864-12

Description: Interview with Geoffrey (Geoff) Walls, born in Wellington in 1951. Talks about growing up in Richmond, outdoor activities including tramping and hunting, taking part in archaeological digs, and family holidays at French Pass and D'Urville Island. Refers to studying at Victoria University, living in a flat that was a hotbed of environmental activism. Talks about studying tuatara ecology on Stephens Island. Discusses joining the Nelson substation of the Botany Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, working with Geoff Park to study forest ecology, tussock grasslands, wetlands and coastal ecosystems. Comments on how his understanding of the term conservation has changed since the 1970s. Talks about joining the Department of Conservation (DOC) in 1990 as an advisory scientist, and being made redundant in 1997. Comments on his work in Hawke's Bay on pest control, mistletoe recovery, the Kaweka Ranges and the Boundary Stream mainland island. Discusses the history of mainland islands, opposition to them within DOC, and community involvement in pest control. Discusses his working visits to the Chatham Islands including Pitt Island, and to Campbell Island and other sub-Antarctic islands in 1995. Describes an expedition to Auckland Island in 2003 funded by DOC where he documented historic sites. Gives details about being an ecotourism guide to sub-Antarctic and Pacific islands since 1999 but being ambivilant about it. Talks about being a Queen Elizabeth II National Trust director for nine years, where he brought an ecologist's view and also helped broaden criteria to include archaeological, historic, landform and landscape values. Refers to funding problems and relations between DOC and the QEII Trust. Discusses the Trust's regional representatives and the need for them to be full-time employees. Comments on the Trust's growing relationships with local authorities, Significant Natural Area (SNA) programmes operated through councils and DOC, and attitudes of landowners to SNAs. Talks about the need for the Trust to expand the involvement of urban populations in pest control and monitoring of covenanted land. Refers to the Trust's relationships with Maori and to Nga Whenua Rahui. Describes his family's covenanted land on D'Urville Island which has been allowed to revert to native bush and forest over 40 years. Refers to controlling wilding pines, pigs and deer. Comments on two-yearly monitoring visits by the QEII Trust regional representative Philip Lissaman. Interviewer(s) - Shona McCahon Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-016095 - OHC-016099 Quantity: 5 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s) over 2 days. 4.58 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5803. Black and white printout of a photograph of Geoff Walls, 2007 Search dates: 1951 - 2007