‘Bug Man’ Rudd Kleinpaste
Speaker at National Wetland Trust AGM

The National Wetland Trust’s public AGM will be held at Langham Hotel, 83 Symonds St, Auckland on Tuesday 19 August from 7pm with Ruud Kleinpaste, the ‘Bug Man’, the guest speaker at the event.

Dutch/Indonesian-born Ruud Kleinpaste has worked in television for 14 years as presenter, scriptwriter and director on numerous shows, ranging from children's television to serious (and heavy-digging) gardening programs.

Ruud gained an MSc (Hons) in Silviculture and Animal Ecology at the Wageningen University in the Netherlands, but Ornithology and Entomology have always been far more important hobbies to him: he studied kiwis in New Zealand and single-handedly raised the profile of all those small, invertebrate creatures that really rule this world through recycling, composting, pollination and bio-control.

The ecology and conservation of our planet along with the role of insects are common threads in most of Ruud’s activities, and his presentation at the AGM, titled “Messages from Below,” will show how the little guys - mighty midges and tiny tyrants - contribute big-time to biodiversity.

The Trust welcomes all nominations for Trustees from around New Zealand, and has phone and video conferencing facilities available for meetings.

Nominations for Trustees for the National Wetland Trust will be received by the Secretary until the close of business on Monday 18 August 2008.

Nominations should be addressed to:

Jenni Hensley, Secretary, National Wetland Trust, c/o 2 Rataroa Road; Miranda; R.D. 3; POKENO
or gekkomoon@slingshot.co.nz

The AGM event is open to members and non-members, with reservations essential.

Please RSVP to Janice Stokes (Environment Waikato) freephone 0800 800 401 or by email to enquiries@wetlandtrust.org.nz

And don’t hesitate to contact us if you are interested in sharing a bus from Hamilton to the venue on a cost-recovery basis.
Light refreshments will be provided at the AGM. There is no cover charge for the event, so please consider a donation to the National Wetland Trust on the night.
To see the AGM Agenda and find out more about the National Wetland Trust visit our website: http://www.wetlandtrust.org.nz/

For more information contact:

Karen Denyer
Executive Director
National Wetland Trust
karen.denyer@papawerageological.co.nz
09 372-2709
021-0312-716