Lesa Heaton

Restoration Assistant

Lesa Heaton recently joined us as Restoration Assistant, supporting the work of our Restoration Supervisor Helen Lindsay.  She lived in Indonesia for 16 years, and holds a Bachelor of Education and Sociology from Massey University.

Lesa has held three volunteer positions to protect local indigenous flora and fora, trap introduced pests and return thriving birdlife back to the ngahere. She has also worked independently in her own business importing and distributing compostable bags from Indonesia to replace plastic bags.

She has travelled widely and has a keen understanding of the need for education, social cohesion and environmental guardianship and the role that society plays in the development of strong global citizens.

Lesa says that she feels privileged to be out there weeding, planting and planning with volunteers, and that taking action to remedy historical damage to the planet with others  gives her great satisfaction.

Lesa lives with her husband and children on a property in Mapua that they are re-wilding with native species indigenous to the area, hoping to encourage banded rail back to the salt marsh.