Diana Shand

Diana Rosemary Shand MNZM is a New Zealand environmentalist.[1] She served five terms on the Canterbury Regional Council, retiring in 2004. She was a Human Rights Commissioner, was regional councillor for Oceania for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and is chair of the North Canterbury branch of Forest & Bird.

Early life and education

Shand's parents Olga and Arthur Shand were North Canterbury farmers, and ran the high-country sheep station "Island Hills", which is on the Dove River.[2] She had an older sister and a brother. The children received their education via The Correspondence School, with the girls later attending the boarding school Woodford House in Havelock North.[2]

Career

In the late 1980s Shand served on the Human Rights Commission.[3][4] She has also served five terms on the Canterbury Regional Council, from its inauguration in the 1989 local elections until the 2004 local elections, when she retired.[5][6] She was National Programme Manager for the New Zealand office of the non-profit organisation ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, which delivered a Communities for Climate Protection Programme in 2008.[7][8][9]

Shand lived with her sister Lesley, also an environmental activist, on Montreal Street in Christchurch from the early 1980s. Their house became known for political and environmental meetings, covering causes such as the 1981 Springbok Tour protests, and tenant protection and local resident issues. Flatmates at the house included politician Lianne Dalziel and landscape architect Di Lucas.[5][1]

Shand was the regional councillor for Oceania for the international NGO International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), until 2016.[10][6] She is also a member of the executive of Environment and Conservation Organisations of Aotearoa New Zealand.[11] Shand attended the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio as a community member of the New Zealand delegation.[5]

Shand is Chair of the North Canterbury branch of Forest & Bird.[6][5] She has spoken out against the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024.[12] Shand has lobbied that World Heritage Sites in New Zealand be added to Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act 1991, which would protect the land from mining.[13]

Shand lectured in marketing and business studies at both Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology and the University of Canterbury.[6]

Honours and awards

In the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours, Shand was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the environment and the community.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b "District Plan – Listed Heritage Place" (PDF). 22 March 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  2. ^ a b Harding, Bruce (30 March 2024). "Life story: Eco-warrior Lesley Shand left her mark". The Press. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  3. ^ "The New Zealand Gazette" (PDF). 1987. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Diana Shand, Human Rights". ngataonga.org.nz. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d McDonald, Liz; Harvie, Will (2 June 2025). "Politician, conservationist, and busy volunteer honoured". The Press. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d "King's Birthday Honours 2025 – Citations for Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)". www.dpmc.govt.nz. 2 June 2025. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  7. ^ "Sustainable water panel named" (Press release). New Zealand Government. Scoop. 30 June 2006. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Environmental Updates over lunch – Our Environment: Issue 15 Winter 1998". archived.ccc.govt.nz. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  9. ^ "Forum explores low-carbon futures for local govt". www.scoop.co.nz. 28 March 2008. Archived from the original on 29 March 2008. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  10. ^ "CEC Workshops in New Zealand". IUCN. 9 February 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  11. ^ "ECO – Environment and Conservation Organisation of Aotearoa New Zealand – Executive". www.eco.org.nz. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  12. ^ Croad, Maddy (8 June 2024). "Protesters rally against Fast-track Approvals Bill in Christchurch". The Press. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  13. ^ "Ecological crown jewels lack protection". The Dominion Post. 2 October 2010. p. A15.ProQuest 756349854
  14. ^ "King's Birthday Honours: Dai Henwood, Tim Southee and Jude Dobson among those recognised". RNZ News. 2 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
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