Maria Tanner spends 5 minutes with ... Jolene Bosanquet
A dream conjured during the 70’s as a travel agent and seared into her mind lifetime Te Ipukarea Society member and passionate environmentalist Jolene Bosanquet has successfully knocked the fantasy of one day visiting Lord Howe Island and in doing so believes she’s found paradise on earth.
Setting out as a tour escort for a group of keen conversationalist  Bosanquet and her 10 cohorts headed for the island renowned for its pristine waters and teaming wildlife and discovered to her delight that the Australian Small Island Forum (ASIF) was on whilst she was there.
Inviting a range of neighboring small islands the Lord Howe Island Board organized the first of the ASIF to share information and solutions on common issues, of which Bosanquet gladly participated in early May. Situated in the Tasman Ocean between New Zealand and Australia and only a short 700km off Australia’s Eastern coastline Lord Howe Island boast the very stuff Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Treasure Island’ was made of.  Laying her eyes upon the clear blue waters swimming with fish and turtles, powder white sands, majestic twin peaks covered in a lush downy of  flora and fauna, swarming with both endemic and migratory birds, the  similarities and challenges between this island and the Cook Islands became immediately evident for Bosanquet.
Heading a little off the scenic route Bosanquet and other guest were treated with site visits to view the islands waste management programme, with which she was thoroughly “impressed” and adds “works so well.” Specifying what types of waste the island had helped to cull or eliminate unnecessary waste, “they reduced quite a few items big time,” Bosanquet explains. The ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ slogan reigns loud and true for Lord Howe residents and visitors, as the island council has initiated a series of movements to maintain the islands unspoiled nature removing the use of plastic bags swapping for the biodegradable type, “Nappies are the re-useable rather than disposable type and everything they can reuse they do. Their organic waste – food scraps, green waste & branches – are made into compost.  The residual waste which is minimal is actually compacted, baled and sent back to the mainland. There is NO landfill,” she emphasizes, “ The shipping company takes back what the island can’t deal with, and what is truly amazing is that the whole island buys into this programme as they have been designers of it and want it to work.
With a capped number of visitors “development is minimal,” explains Jolene Bosanquet describing of Lord Howe’s tourism industry, “Accommodation comprises a selection of 2-16 room self catering properties, Mode of transport for visitors is pushbike – the island being only 2km wide and 9km long and flat – or walking with maybe 6 rental cars which are either electric or hybrid Locals require a permit to import a vehicle – one vehicle only per family! Thus keeping vehicles to a minimum.”
Fresh from her recent travels Bosanquet adds, “To be with likeminded people at an international forum is so exhilarating and empowering, you come away full of enthusiasm and knowing what is possible. The challenge then is coming home and hoping the powers that be are receptive and can implement the solutions. We are "caretakers" and responsible for protecting our land, sea and air and its creatures and plants for future generations, man and nature in harmony,” she says brimming with enthusiasm because she has found her very own road to El Dorado.

Herald Issue 608 21 March
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