Our People / Landcare Research
Landcare Research is a Crown Research Institute driving innovation in New Zealand's management of terrestrial biodiversity and land resources. We specialise in the sustainability of land environments, optimising primary production, enhancing biodiversity, increasing the resource efficiency of businesses, and conserving and restoring the natural assets of our communities.
Three Kings Islands — 56 km but an eon from New Zealand
The Three Kings Islands is a small archipelago only 56 km off the northern tip of New Zealand. They are the sole emergent part of the Three Kings Ridge, the remnants of an island arc that formed dur Continue Reading...
A new approach to biodiversity protection: local scale to landscape scale
All over New Zealand, there is a huge groundswell of interest in pest control for biodiversity protection. Small, isolated patches may not provide enough habitat to allow native species to survive Continue Reading...
The Styx Project
Chris Phillips, a catchment and land management scientist at Landcare Research says "Christchurch is often described as a city built on a swamp". The Christchurch City Council has responsi Continue Reading...
"Transitions" - a pocket park at the Ellerslie International Flower Show
Award winning effort at the Ellerslie International Flower Show Landcare Research does not normally enter flower shows but the Ellerslie International Flower Show was a chance to show 55,000 visi Continue Reading...
BioBlitz 2012 was the best ever!
The weather was glorious, which is a big plus if you’re trying to entice families out on ‘field trips’ (guided walks), working in a marquee or out searching for species. The venue, the Auckl Continue Reading...
Reflections from participants at the Climate Futures forum. March 2011
Reflections on the question of 'how are we making sense of climate change in New Zealand' were filmed during breaks at the Climate Futures: pathways for society forum at Te Papa, We Continue Reading...
Mapping current social knowledge around climate change
In the lead up to the NZ Climate Change Centre's December 6th 2010 workshop Degrees of Possibility: igniting social knowledge around climate change I have started gathering stories of how people Continue Reading...
Community activities in response to climate change:who and where?
Who is taking action on climate change in New Zealand, where are they and what they are doing? Here is a spread sheet of over 500 activities people across NZ undertook in 20 Continue Reading...
WooHooo! BioBlitz is back!
(Well ... it will be back at the end of March 2012. This time it is in the Auckland Botanic Gardens, Manurewa) WHAT? BioBlitz is a two-day scientific race against time. It’s fascinating, fun, fa Continue Reading...
Antarctic - an extreme environment for soils
The total ice-free area of Antarctica comprises less than 0.4% of the continent, with the largest continuous expanse of ice-free ground in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. About 90% of the ice-free region Continue Reading...
Environmental protection of the Ross Sea region of Antarctica
Jackie Aislabie (Landcare Research) has spent many years working in Antarctica, and the image gallery that she and her colleagues have compiled provide a fascinating insight into many field seaso Continue Reading...
Adélie Penguin Research
Scientists have been studying Adélie penguins (Pygoscelie adeliae) for over 50 years. Antarctica is one of the last places in the world where animals can be studied in a habitat still largely unmo Continue Reading...
Antarctic soils
Jackie Aislabie is a microbiologist and an Antarctic expert; she leads a research programme on on soils and micro-organisms that live in that Continue Reading...
Tanya O'Neill on Christmas in Antarctica
Christmas in Antarctica. An adventure for some, and undoubtedly a difficult time for others. I’ve been asking around Base trying to get a feel for who fits into each category. I Continue Reading...
Acclimatising in Antarctica (Tanya O'Neill)
Tanya O'Neill says "Superbly uneventful is how I would describe this year’s flight South. Smooth to the point where I found myself thinking ‘surely something is about to go wrong?’ Continue Reading...
Tanya O'Neill reflects on her first field season in Antarctica
A common trait among those working at Scott Base and undertaking Antarctic fieldwork is their unique unflappability and flexibility towards everything down there. You make the most of opportun Continue Reading...
Magnetic South
Exploring a long-term future for Christchurch together Over 850 people from New Zealand and around the world took part in Magnetic South, an online discussion about the long-term future of Chris Continue Reading...
Managing multiple mammalian pest populations
Despite spending approximately $110 million per annum on the management of mammalian pests, they are still here and still threatening biodiversity conservation. Even where pests are managed, effect Continue Reading...
Future freedom from bovine TB
Graham Nugent (Landcare Research) says it is amazing there are now less than 80 TB infected deer and cattle herds in New Zealand compared to over 1,700 in 1994. Bovine TB is a bacterial disease t Continue Reading...
Return trip to Whanganui National Park
Grant Morriss (Landcare Research) picks up the story. Aerial 1080 baiting was completed in November 2009 and the monitoring crew were back in to check the results the next month. Roger Carran was Continue Reading...
Animal monitoring trip in Whanganui National Park
Roger Carran (Landcare Research) with a story of a 16-day field trip that got a lot more challenging than expected. The aim of this trip was to establish lines of chew cards and tra Continue Reading...
Restoring Lord Howe Island, Australia
John Parkes (Landcare Research / Invasive Species International) says that Lord Howe Island was one of the last places on earth to be colonised by people. It was only discovered by humans in Continue Reading...
Tree lobsters of Lord Howe Island
“Tree lobsters” are an enigmatic group of robust, ground-dwelling, stocky-looking stick insects found across New Guinea, New Caledonia and associated islands. The most famous member is the Continue Reading...
Living roofs at the Auckland Botanic Gardens
Robyn Simcock and Elizabeth Fassman have installed funky 'living roofs' on the entrance to the children's garden and toilet block at the Auckland Botanic Gardens. These living roofs are not just Continue Reading...
Managing multiple mammalian pest populations
Wendy Ruscoe (Landcare Research) says that despite spending approximately $110 million per annum on the management of mammalian pests, they are still here and still threatening biodiversity conser Continue Reading...
Feasibility study to save a jewel of biodiversity - the Juan Fernández Archipelago
Al Glen (Landcare Research) reflects on the islands that inspired the Robinson Crusoe stories The Juan Fernández Archipelago, 700 km west of mainland Chile, is a biodiversity hotspot with my Continue Reading...
Weeds & pests threaten biodiversity of the Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands
In late August 2010, Peter Bellingham and Hiroko Kurokawa visited the Ogasawara Islands to look at the invasion of the forests by an introduced tree, akagi (Bischofia javanica). &nbs Continue Reading...
Otago skinks give birth in the wild!
What a way to start off the New Year! Two baby Otago skinks were found inside the Mokomoko Dryland Sanctuary two weeks ago (the end of January 2011). It was fitting that James Reardon (DOC Continue Reading...
Decomposition of soil organic matter in heather dominated ecosystems
Gwen-Aëlle Grelet is using the Tongariro National Park as a natural laboratory where she is investigating the activitiy of mycorrhizal fungi associated with the roots of heather (Calluna vul Continue Reading...
Monitoring grassland recovery, Mackenzie Basin
As the 'nitro-green' of land use intensification spreads across the brown Mackenzie Basin floor, the biodiversity values and resilience of remaining, highly degraded dry tussock grasslands on t Continue Reading...
Frost Flats - a naturally rare ecosystem
Mark Smale says frost flats are one of the signature ecosystems of the Volcanic Plateau. They were created after vast quantities of pumice were deposited during the titanic eruptions that shaped Continue Reading...
Sediment movement from mountains to sea
Despite relatively low sediment yields, land management for fine sediment control and river gravel extraction have both been contentious issues in the Motueka catchment. Landowners are often b Continue Reading...
Field techs talking about field work
Generally all field technicians agree on the best and the worst aspects of field work: Best bits — Getting to work in the outdoors in wilderness areas that few others ever get to, helicopter flig Continue Reading...
Iwi values in Integrated Catchment Management
ICM research work with Motueka iwi Te Atiawa, Ngāti Rarua and Ngāti Tama, through Tiakina Te Taiao Ltd, has attracted national attention from government and Māori groups wanting to implement collabo Continue Reading...
How do stony soils cope with dairy shed effluent?
Malcolm Mcleod of Landcare Research is studying the ability of stony soils, such as those found in the Mackenzie Basin, to handle dairy shed effluent. Over the last 15 years Landcare Research has Continue Reading...
From Spain to Central Otago
Carlos Rouco Zufiaurre is investigating possum ecology in dryland ecosystems Since arriving from Spain last January, Carlos has been working with Grant Norbury, James Smith, Roger Pech a Continue Reading...
Field work goes ahead, whatever the weather
Everyone's favourite sort of field trip ... smack in the middle of a cold weather bomb, as “wind, snow, horizontal sleet and hail, wind, rain, and wind wind wind. Scientist Grant Norbury s Continue Reading...
Impacts of wild horses
The Desert Road and the huge block of adjoining Crown land known popularly as “the Army Country” has long been famous for its somewhat controversial wild horses. In the late 1980s, when the h Continue Reading...
Singaporean shelling impacts
In military exercises in the 1990s, the Singaporean Army shelled parts of the army land on the Central Plateau ... they don’t have room for that sort of thing in Singapore! Mark Smale and hi Continue Reading...
Impact of de-icing agents used on the Desert Road
In 1998, Transit NZ decided to trial the use of the de-icing salt calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) on the Desert Road, one of the highest highways in the country and one with chronic ice problems. Continue Reading...
BioBlitz 2009 at Lincoln
The Lincoln BioBlitz took place on the 3rd & 4th of April. As usual in a BioBlitz, there were many surprises, including a native flatworm that had not been recorded in over a hundred year Continue Reading...
Powerful new resource provides online access to important environmental data
With the launch of the Land Resource Information System (LRIS) Portal (http://lris.scinfo.org.nz), individuals working in regional and central government, industry, research and education now have q Continue Reading...
Collaborative Learning
Management is a distinctly human process. Social science in the ICM programme has developed and trialled tools and approaches that can be used by research groups, agency staff and other community Continue Reading...
Improving water quality in the Rotorua lakes
The issue of water quality in the Rotorua Lakes is well documented and Landcare Research is working closely with local authorities to develop tools to improve the overall condition of these waterw Continue Reading...
Variable-rate irrigation
Better understanding of soils and improved irrigation technology are allowing farmers to grow more using less water. Variable-rate irrigation has been developed by Landcare Research scientis Continue Reading...
Can genetic diversity predict weeds?
When it comes to preventing future weeds in New Zealand we are quite cautious about making sure no new ‘nasties’ get into the country. However, we already have more than enough potential ‘nasties’ Continue Reading...
Weeds: a ticking time bomb
Tomorrow’s weeds are already here in New Zealand and experts warn they’re a time bomb waiting to explode. Many are ‘sleeper weeds’ – those growing quietly waiting for the right conditions, or Continue Reading...
Choosing the best methods for controlling possums and other pests
Choosing the best methods to control possums, rats, ferrets, stoats and feral cats has been made easier with the production of a publicly available internet-based Decision Support System or ‘DSS’. Continue Reading...
Irrigation governance for success
As proposals develop with the Government support, Landcare Research staff have been investigating the key social factors for getting new irrigation schemes underway and the important ingredients f Continue Reading...
The 24th annual New Zealand Fungal Foray
Every autumn, enthusiasts have an expedition to some part of New Zealand in search of threatened native fungi, exotic fungal weeds, edible or poisonous, colourful or drab. One of the key aims is Continue Reading...
Heather beetle update
Simon Fowler notes beetles continued to spread over the 2009/210 summer, but not as far as predicted (or hoped). “Last year we predicted the area of beetle-spread would increase to a total area o Continue Reading...
TB and pest management on Molesworth
Ivor Yockney and several wild sentinel pigs were (slightly reluctant) film stars in TVNZ's 'Country Calendar'. Last autumn, Country Calendar were filming the huge Molesworth cattle muster an Continue Reading...
A million recruits could help the army
In 2009, Simon Fowler and Paul Peterson reported buckets of biocontrol beetles attacking heather, an invasive weed on the Central Plateau of the North Island. Heather might be nice in th Continue Reading...
New Invertebrate Containment Facility boosts biocontrol
Lynley Hayes of Landcare Research says “Weed biocontrol in New Zealand relies on importing potential agents from overseas via a secure containment facility in which to safely confirm the identific Continue Reading...
National cycleway through Pureora Forest Park
Mark Smale of Landcare Research used (very) old maps of (even older) tramways to help plan the route. The Department of Conservation has been asked to assist with establishing the national cyclewa Continue Reading...
Relocating the Havelock North harakeke
Sue Scheele reflects on finding welcoming, new homes for lots of important flax bushes (harakeke). This winter, the aging Rene Orchiston flax collection at Havelock North was relocated and rev Continue Reading...
Poor Knights Island has some special insects
The Poor Knights weevil adults are unusually long-lived (for a weevil anyway) The adult of the Poor Knights weevil, Hadramphus pittospori, has been recorded as living for 3 years: mos Continue Reading...
Avondale Spider
The large harmless spider found around the Avondale area of Auckland is an Australian huntsman spider. This spider found its way to New Zealand in the early 1920s, with the first specimen found Continue Reading...
Shingle beaches
These sea-washed, river-washed stony sweeps are another of New Zealand’s naturally rare ecosystems. Shingle beaches may be familiar to many of us picnicking and fishing at the coast. But ... Continue Reading...
Volcanic Dunes of the Rangipo Desert
Mark Smale of Landcare Research says such dunes rare - one of only a few such ecosystems in the world. The wild and ever-changing Rangipo Desert is not really a desert because it has ample rain Continue Reading...
Fred the Thread
In 2003, Corinne Watts was standing in a Waikato domed peat bog (as wetland scientists sometime do) contemplating the stems of giant cane-rushes Sporadanthus ferrugineus. She chanced upon lovely Continue Reading...
Domed bogs (Sporadanthus)
Domed bogs are dominated by jointed, giant cane rushes called Sporadanthus. They belong in the Restionaceae family, and when these restiad species break down, they form peat (Sphagnum mosses and Continue Reading...
Green roofs
Green roofs are roofs covered with living plants, usually growing in light-weight substrates. Green roofs have a long history, think of Irish/Icelandic sod roofs, burial mounds and the hanging to Continue Reading...
River Bank Erosion
Erosion generates sediment which affects water quality and leads to sediment deposits in New Zealand river catchments. Many North Island streams and riverbeds in particular have increasing sediment Continue Reading...
Otago Skink Protection
The large, iconic Otago skink – a species classified as critically endangered – is being protected at the Mokomoko Dryland Sanctuary in Central Otago. The 0.3 ha. pest-proof fenced sanctuary is Continue Reading...
Possums in dryland ecosystems
Al Glen summarises some interesting aspects of possum research on Molesworth Station The introduced brushtail possum is a major environmental and agricultural pest in New Zealand. Little informat Continue Reading...
Lake Waikaremoana Kiwi
The Lake Waikaremoana Hapu Restoration Trust manages the local kiwi conservation work at Lake Waikaremoana in Hawkes Bay. The project is headed by Dr John McLennan, a leading kiwi expert who has be Continue Reading...
Innovative new approach to monitoring weta
A novel new monitoring technique has helped illustrate how quickly weta populations respond to mammal eradication. For the first time footprint tracking tunnels have been used to monitor weta as pa Continue Reading...
Restoring tūī and bellbird populations
Tūī numbers in Waikato are bouncing back following extensive research, pest control and habitat enhancement. Landcare Research has been studying the movement, diet and nesting success of the distin Continue Reading...
Kauri-killing fungus being studied
A fungus-like organism that is attacking New Zealand’s iconic kauri trees is being studied by scientists from Landcare Research, Scion, Plant & Food Research, the Ministry of Agriculture and For Continue Reading...
LIUDD and the community; Talbot Park
Can intensive urban development be green? And how have local residents found living in an intensification suburb which has taken a low impact urban design approach? These were two questions that Lan Continue Reading...
BioBlitz – getting up close and personal with biodiversity
Young and old are fascinated, horrified and enchanted by what lives in their urban backyards. People discover creatures they may never have imagined. BioBlitz brings the environment a Continue Reading...
Raingardens
Water is becoming a costly and diminishing resource – to be harvested and re-used rather than disposed of into stormwater pipes and our harbours as fast as possible. As our awareness of the impacts Continue Reading...
Creating a NZ native Greenroof
The Waitakare City Council approached Landcare Research to help design and monitor a green roof on their civic building in Henderson. They wanted a roof planted in native plants, which was aesthetic Continue Reading...
BioBlitz 2010
Finding nature in the city – over 1500 species in 24 hours of searching, with a final tally of 1799 species! 2010 was International Year of Biodiversity, and has the tag line "b Continue Reading...
Feral cats on Pitt Island
Feral cats, mice and ‘men’ inhabit Pitt Island, the second largest island (5,700 ha) of the Chathams. Bruce Warburton notes that, without wild cats, more native bird species might also become inh Continue Reading...
Native Skink Protection in Central Otago
The large, iconic Otago skink – a species classified as critically endangered – is being protected at the Mokomoko Dryland Sanctuary in Central Otago. The 0.3 ha. pest-proof fenc Continue Reading...
Creating Sustainable Homes
Learning to turn a cold old house into a sustainable healthy home. We wanted to retrofit a 1950s state house to improve the lives of the family who lived there and to significantly impr Continue Reading...
Mount Taranaki Erosion
Research has confirmed that severe storms have been a major cause of erosion and aggradation (the burial of land by sediment deposits) around Mount Taranaki. The increased volume of detritus being Continue Reading...
What on Earth is LIUDD?
Can we design cities to cleanse urban waterways and increase NZ's biodiversity? Low Impact Urban Design and Development (LIUDD) is an approach which works with nature, using design features such as Continue Reading...
Raintanks for Stormwater Management
How do you control flooding through nature and the home rain tank? Glencourt Place is a suburban neighbourhood in the North Shore, Auckland. The area lacked any official stormwater reticulatio Continue Reading...
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