A Whangamata man who convinced a Karangahake Gorge farm owner to donate five per cent of his hundreds of acres to regenerate native bush has taken a top prize in the inaugural Pride of New Zealand Awards.

Whangamata man Tony Howse was presented the Central region's Environment Award in Tauranga earlier this month. Photo by: Ashleigh Howse, age 12.

Sculptor and Whangamata Area School music teacher Tony Howse was presented the Central region's Environment Award in Tauranga earlier this month.

He is now one of 24 finalists nationwide nominated for the TSB Bank People's Choice Award announced on September 11.

Celebrating ordinary Kiwis doing extraordinary things, the awards recognise New Zealander's efforts to Environment, Fundraiser of the Year, Bravery and Heroism, Community Spirit, Emergency Services, and Lifetime Achievement.

Tony was nominated for the Environmental Award for his involvement in developing a bush reserve at Bullswool Farm Park at Karangahake Gorge into a native bird sanctuary.

Since the project began a little more than two years' ago, the five acre site now has a diverse range of mature trees, and a stream running through it.

'So it's an excellent habitat for re-establishing native bird and aquatic life,” says Tony.

'Pest eradication has been a key part of the project, and as pest species have been reduced, native bird populations have increased significantly.”

Involving youth in the conservation project has been a priority, says Tony, who has invited pupils from Whangamata Area School, Karangahake School and Otakiri School to help with the replanting.

'Zones have been designated within the reserve, so that individual classes can keep can returning to the reserve, over a period of years, and continue to develop the same area.”

'Within three or four months the pigeons were straight in here and I honestly think it was the pest birds that were keeping them away.

'Although people come through, we've had pigeons sitting here at the second or third branch and just sitting there while people walk past and see them. That's what we're trying to achieve.”

Tony says the changes he's seen during the past two years have been phenomenal.

'The birds have just flocked here and the pest birds have gone. Obviously they're competing for the nest areas and the food areas too.”

When told of his nomination, Tony says he was slightly surprised.

'You get used to doing something and you don't realise how nice it is until other people point it out.

'It's up to everybody else to do their little bit in their own areas and I think that's what this country needs.

'If you do your own personal environmental project in your own little area, be it small or be it big, it all helps.”

To vote for Tony or any of the other Pride of New Zealand nominees, click here. Voting closes 11:59pm on September 7.