Mr Te Kei O Te Waka (Te Kei) Merito, of Rotorua, MNZM for services to Māori and conservation
Mr Merito is the Chair of Te Tapatoru-a-Toi, which manages three conservation sites in Whakatāne. He drove the development of the committee’s ‘Kawa me Nga Tikanga – Protocol and Procedure Guidelines’ and played a key role in designing and implementing Te Tapui Tokotoru Conservation Management Plan. He is a member of the Environmental Protection Authority, the Environmental Risk Management Authority, and the Ohiwa Harbour Implementation Forum. He is a Board member for Te Runanga O Ngati Awa, a Trustee member for Rurima Islands, and former Chairman of Te Komiti Taiao O Ngati Awa. He helped establish DOC’s Te Pukenga Atawhai Cultural Competency training programme, as well as its Māori language policy.