John and Paul Hickman are the fourth generation of their family to farm at Taimate, along with wives; Andrea and Nadine, and their families. The Hickmans see themselves as caretakers of the property that borders the iconic Lake Elterwater, a freshwater nature reserve about four kilometers north of Ward, on State Highway 1.
As caretakers, the Hickman’s are dedicated to conserving the environment that not only provides them with a living, but a lifestyle that reflects their values.
Protecting and enhancing the natural beauty of the lake has been a priority for the family, they are completely invested in returning the lake edge back to native fauna. A massive amount of time and energy has been dedicated to planting native species such as Manuka, Kanuka, Cabbage Trees, Flaxes and Lowland Totara, encouraging the return of many more waterfowl.
The eradication of Willows and predator species such as stoats and ferrets is well underway with ambitious plans to provide more public access to a truly special part of Marlborough, we at WK Advisors and Accountants are proud to have been able to assist in a small way.
On a Saturday in August some of our team joined with a group of other volunteers to assist in planting more native trees. Director, Matt Kerr and wife Sam, along with Senior Advisors, Greg Newman and Jo Brown teamed up to do their bit.
A productive morning of planting saw another 900 native trees join the thousand of others that have been introduced to the property, with the Hickman’s implementing fencing to protect the planted area from their livestock.
Our WK team members are grateful to have played a role in the program and applaud the efforts made by the Hickman family to ensure that future generations of visitors will benefit from the vision of the family; farmers with goals to protect and conserve our natural wetlands.