Awards honour our nation’s plant lovers

Botanical greats, hard workers and inspirers of the next generation have all been honoured in the awards announced by the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network (NZPCN) at the weekend.

The awards recognise special people, and projects that have captured the interest of local communities. These individuals and groups are the leading guardians of our country’s native plants and ecosystems. They include a Kapiti Coast School, a Southland plant nursery, a roading agency and dedicated plant enthusiasts and conservationists.

These awards are indicative of the huge effort that is being exerted all around the country by a large number of dedicated individuals, communities, and organisations to protect and enhance our unique native plants.

Individual
In 2012, the award for the ‘Individual Involved in Plant Conservation’ goes to Alice Shanks. Alice is a long time plant conservation advocate in her local Canterbury community. Both people and plants have benefited from Alice’s undying enthusiasm. She has long enthused young brownies and girl guides about native plants around their local community, and has a long association with youth groups, bringing botany and conservation to the next generation.

Alice has made a huge contribution to native plant conservation in Canterbury through her roles in the Canterbury Botanical Society, and her role as QEII representative for Banks Peninsula. However her greatest achievement has been her leadership of the “Friends of Ernle Clark Reserve”, a small but significant neighbourhood project on the Heathcote River floodplain. Alice initially wrote submissions to council and lobbied for the natural values along the river. Eventually, this led to the formation of the ‘Friends of Ernle Clark Reserve’ and volunteering to protect and enhance a short section of the river. Alice has successfully managed to save and enhance the botanical values here, while still preserving historic exotic plantings. A successful comprise between exotic plants and natives has been achieved, with discreet re-introductions of rare local native species that formally inhabited the Canterbury floodplains.

Plant Nursery
Pukerau Nursery, run by Arne and Jenny Cleland, won the ‘Plant Nursery Involved in Plant Conservation’ award for their enthusiasm for native plants, their ability to communicate with and encourage landowners towards native plantings and their involvement in restoration plantings.

The nursery grows a range of native plants from Otago and Southland, with a strong focus on eco-sourced material. The nursery has grown plants for the Department of Conservation, local landcare groups and Forest and Bird. They are particularly knowledgeable about lowland riparian species and small-leaved tree daisies. Their restoration and garden design work has helped to popularise several endangered plants.

Arne’s ability to communicate with people from all backgrounds and stimulate interest in native plants and ecology is apparent. His advocacy has gone a long way towards highlighting the natural values that landowners can protect and enhance on their properties.

School
The ‘School Plant Conservation Project’ award went to Raumati South School on the Kapati Coast. The school, who has also achieved a Silver Award under the Enviroschools scheme, has planted over 4,000 indigenous species in the school grounds. The goal of the project was to create a bushwalk for children and visitors to follow around the school without seeing a school building. The result has been an increase in native birds, lizards and skinks, leading to research by the children as to what makes a suitable habitat for these animals. Weta have also been observed and this has also led to a project to increase and enhance weta habitats. The school plans to continue to increase the number of native trees and plants, provide information boards and improve the paths to make it accessible to all.

The school is also very active in other community based conservation projects including a five-year commitment to the Waharemauku Stream, planting a wetland area and planting in Queen Elizabeth Park each year.

Throughout the journey, the children have become knowledgeable, excited and empowered to make positive choices for their environment.

Community Group
The NZPCN’s ‘Community Plant Conservation Project’ award went to the Nelson Branch of Forest and Bird for their efforts in restoring delta floodplain, an estuarine ecosystem at Paremata Flat (Whangamoa River Mouth) just north of Nelson. Over 10,000 ecosourced trees have been planted in 2012 alone. Driven by Ian Price and Julie McLintock, a team of tireless volunteers has planted numerous native trees, trapped pest animals, sprayed weeds and fundraised for the project. Plans are underway to double the planting effort for 2013.

Local Authority
The Local Authority Protecting Native Plant Life award goes to Hutt City Council this year. In 2011, Hutt City Council purchased a block of land which council staff had identified as being of high conservation value and which should be purchased for the public good. The land is on Baring Head on the Wellington South Coast and has high botanical values with several threatened and uncommon species present. The Council continues to support the Baring Head and the Friends of Baring Head group that works to enhance and promote the area. Hutt City Council has a long history of promoting indigenous flora through its support of local groups and its commitment to a nationally important plant collection at Percy’s reserve.

Lifetime achievement award
John Dawson has been awarded a ‘Life Time Achievement’ award by the Network for his contribution to botany over his lifetime. A former associate professor of botany at Victoria University, John is best known for his books, co-authored with his friend Rob Lucas. Their latest book, New Zealand’s Native Trees, recently won the NZ Post Book of the Year award. At 84 years old, John and the younger Rob (a mere 72) spent seven years hiking around New Zealand’s bush gathering material for the book. The book is relevant to a wide audience, from a reference for those involved in nurturing and replanting our forests, to those who just love the forests and want to get to know them better.

John has guided many students into a career in botany, and still runs extension courses on New Zealand’s native plants and guides groups around the native botanical gardens in Wellington. He is the author of many papers on the New Zealand flora, and several books, including the seminal Forest Vines to Snow Tussocks: The story of New Zealand plants. John is a well deserved recipient of this award.

Special award
A special award this year goes to the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for their commitment to planting roadways in native species. Motorways, particularly islands in the middle of the highways, are excellent places to grow rare species, especially those which are very vulnerable to browsing animals, as they are pest free giving the plants a chance to survive. Fumes are not a problem as long as there is regular rainfall to give the plants a wash. Kaka-beak is one such plant being given a fighting chance for survival on highway islands.

The NZTA has carried out a number of major highway projects where native trees have been planted on road completion. This includes winning an environmental award for their effort on the Cape Reinga highway development which saw the planting over half a million ecosourced trees. While some may complain about new road building, at least native corridors are being established throughout New Zealand via our roading network.

“Those honoured are leading the way in plant conservation in New Zealand, and set an example to us all to strive for”, said Philippa Crisp. The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network congratulates all award winners.

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