NewsMaree Baker acknowledged for conservation efforts

The  Award was designed "to acknowledge outstanding individuals or programmes that have influenced the ecological worldview of participants or that have demonstrated a significant commitment to conservation or protection of adventure places".

The OPC Environmental Leadership Award was commissioned in 2007, and Maree is the second recipient (the first being Dr. Barry Law from University of Canterbury who has been a champion of education for sustainability and environmental education over the past decade and more).

John Maxted from the Outdoors Pursuits Centre, noted that Maree Baker had been a "tireless advocate for our rivers, land and river access, and general environmental protection over the last decade. Her work leading the charge with the NZ Recreational Canoe Association and as a legal advocate for our rivers has been especially phenomenal. This dedicated effort has been about protecting river flows, providing access for paddlers and other recreationalists, halting large and small scale developments, and mitigating the impacts to our rivers from projects that cannot be stopped".

"Maree has a long history of positively influencing kayaker’ relationships with river environments, and her tireless legal work advocating for our paddling places is in my view unquestionably worthy of the OPC Environmental Leadership Award," he said.