Jonathan White MNZM
Jonathan White, of Whakatane, received the Insignia of a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the arts and the community. In an artistic career spanning 50 years, he has mentored many young artists. He has been especially supportive of Otara Spinal Unit patients. In 1989 he painted Antarctica’s Dry Valleys and historic huts for an exhibition opened by Sir Edmund Hillary, and in 1990 a collection of his paintings was commissioned for the National Parks Centennial. His conservation work has seen him become an Honorary Ranger for Fiordland and Te Urewera National Parks and a life member of Royal New Zealand Forest and Bird Protection Society, the World Wide Fund for Nature, and the QEII National Trust.