Robin Thomas

From early days of mustering on Canterbury high country runs, Robin’s focus shifted to feral animal control and later animal recovery during the 1960s transition period between ground and aerial hunting. A later complete change of direction saw him move to the big smoke of Dunedin where he joined the Lands and Survey Department involved in supporting land development projects in the Hindon, Blackrock, Waipori and Thornicroft areas.

Time in Taranaki, later Rotorua and then Stewart Island (via Lincoln University) saw a move to environmental management based initially around recreation and tourism, then endangered species before he returned to Otago, heading the field operational arm of the newly formed Department of Conservation. During that time, he worked extensively with Iwi and Runanga on culturally sensitive sites; was actively involved in many of our rare species protection programmes; developed the vision for the Otago Central Rail Trail and helped bring that to fruition as well as led a major review of animal control practices leading to the development of the now internationally recognised “judas” programme. He was also fortunate in being contracted out of Government to assist with various programmes on Galapagos Islands, Hokkaido Japan, and Australia as well as working with the Far North District Council on their cycleway aspirations.

On retiring from DOC, Robin took up an advisory/liaison role with the Queen Elizabeth II Trust in Coastal Otago working with farmers to help protect areas of high conservation value on their private land.

In 2021 he saw a need and established the Strath Taieri Connect Charitable Trust - a Trust focused on the wellbeing of residents in the Strath.

In his spare time, he has his own ongoing environmental project on the Strath Taieri helping to re-establish the threatened giant Otago Skink in its local habitat.