2000 to 2010 winners: Loder Cup Award

Introduction

View the Loder Cup winners for 2000 to 2010

Winners

2010 Dr Colin Burrows
2009 Dr Philip Simpson
2008 Shannel Courtney
2007 Amanda Baird
2006 Bruce Clarkson
2005 Ewen Cameron
2004 Colin Ogle
2003 Dr Gerry McSweeney
2002 Marge Maddren
2001 Dr Colin Meurk
2000 Jorge Santos

Dr Colin Burrows

The Loder Cup was presented to Dr Colin Burrows in a special ceremony at Lincoln University on 22 October 2010 by the Minister of Conservation Hon Kate Wilkinson.

Dr Colin Burrows was awarded the prestigious Loder Cup for a catalogue of achievements including:

Leading and supporting projects throughout the South Island, including active involvement with the famous Save Lake Manapouri Campaign in the 1970s, and currently helping drive the Otamahua/Quail Island restoration in Lyttelton Harbour.
More than 33 years as a teacher and half a century working as a botanist, scientist, researcher, writer, and ecologist.
A vast array of written work, including a 2005 book on New Zealand botany pioneer Julius Haast, described by New Zealand Geographic as ‘much more than a normal biography’.

Minister of Conservation Hon Kate Wilkinson said in her press release: “This prestigious Cup is awarded for outstanding service and commitment to the protection of New Zealand’s native plant species. It is a fitting tribute to Dr Burrows.”

“He has had a long involvement and contribution to Canterbury’s natural history, particularly the South Island mountain environments. For over 50 years he has been inspiring others as a researcher, mentor and teacher, and as a role model for community conservation projects.”

Background

Dr Burrows was nominated for the award by the Lincoln University, supported by the Quail Island Ecological Restoration Trust.

In addition to his outstanding contribution of over 33 years to the education of New Zealand students as a teacher and supervisor, Dr Burrows was supervisor of the Cass Field Station (University of Canterbury).

He has been a member of Arthur’s Pass National Park Board 1968 - 1979; and on committees and as an advisor to various agencies and groups on key land areas, reserves, wetlands, lakes and coastal areas in the South Island. He was a member of the Beech Research Advisory Committee in the 1970s and took an active role in the save Manapouri Campaign at that time. He has been involved in a range of consultative work on various land areas, including Mount Cook National Park weed problems, and road works at Arthur’s Pass and Otira Gorge.

In addition to his nationally significant botanical work, Dr Burrows has volunteered much of his time to community groups. Over the last 13 years he has been a primary driver for the Quail Island Ecological Restoration Trust’s community eco-restoration project on Otamahua/Quail Island in Lyttelton Harbour, to restore the island’s indigenous flora and fauna. He has volunteered significant time to this community project as an ecological advisor and active worker, personally growing and planting many of the eco-sourced native species.

In 2008 he received the Environment Canterbury Natural Resource Management Award (individual Category) for his work on Quail Island.

Most recently Dr Burrows has given his time to assist the Mt Cass Ridge Protection Society as an unpaid expert witness on the ecological aspects of the ridge, concerning the Mt Cass Ridge wind farm proposal.

2009 Dr Philip Simpson

The Loder Cup winner for 2009 is Nelson botanist Dr Philip Simpson. The Loder Cup recognises Philip's dedication to conserving and promoting New Zealand’s native plant life.

In presenting Philip with the Loder Cup, the Minister of Conservation Hon Tim Groser said, “Dr Simpson is an extremely worthy recipient of this prestigious award. His lifetime commitment to protecting indigenous flora and his work with communities makes him an outstanding advocate for conservation."

The Minister said that the greatest conservation investment is to invest in an educated public, and to that end he acknowledged Philip's communication skills and his ability to share technical information with non-technical audiences. Philip has written two award-winning books, “Dancing leaves” (about the cabbage tree) and “Pohutukawa and Rata: New Zealand’s Iron-Hearted Trees”. Philip is also a recent recipient of Creative New Zealand’s Michael King Writers’ Fellowship.

The Nelson/Marlborough Conservation Board nominated Philip for the Loder Cup.

2008 Shannel Courtney

The Loder Cup winner for 2008 is Shannel Courtney, a threatened plant technical support officer in DOC’s Nelson/Marlborough Conservancy office. The award recognises his personal and professional commitment to protecting, restoring and promoting indigenous plant life, particularly in the Nelson and Marlborough regions.

In presenting the award to him, the Minister of Conservation, Hon Steve Chadwick said, “Shannel is known for his work as a botanist, field ecologist, researcher and mentor. He is incredibly knowledgeable about New Zealand’s indigenous plant life, he generously shares his knowledge to help others, and his commitment goes beyond what he’s paid to do in his job with DOC.”

One of Shannel’s achievements is completing baseline botanical surveys to create a comprehensive range of plant species lists that covers the majority of the two million hectares of national parks, reserves and other public conservation land at the top of the South Island.

Shannel also supervised the establishment of the Nelson herbarium and collected most of the plant species in the herbarium, creating a great resource for amateur botanists in Nelson.

The Minister said that awarding the Loder Cup to Shannel was an easy decision, not only because of his many achievements but because the support for Shannel’s nomination came from respected leaders in the plant conservation community.

The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society nominated Shannel for the Loder Cup.

2007 Amanda Baird

Overcoming considerable obstacles in order to help some of New Zealand’s rarest plants has resulted in Chatham’s Island’s Department of Conservation ecologist Amanda Baird, becoming 2007’s recipient of the country’s premier conservation award, the Loder Cup.

The Cup’s recipient is decided each year by the Minister of Conservation. The Hon Steve Chadwick described Ms Baird’s achievement as outstanding. “Ms Baird is responsible for a total of 15% of New Zealand’s most vulnerable native plant species. Her efforts have resulted in huge gains in the protection of native flora of the Chatham Islands; referred to by some locals as ‘the threatened plant capital of New Zealand”.

Since settling permanently in the Chatham Islands twelve years ago, Ms Baird has been at the forefront of the Mangere Island Nature Reserve restoration project. Mangere Island Nature Reserve is home to many rare plants and animals, including the Cook’s scurvey grass, diesffenbach’s speargrass and the black robin.

A staggering 70,000 native seedlings have been planted in what is described as ‘one of the toughest restoration programme locations, logistically and environmentally, in New Zealand’.

Access to remote Mangere Island is via fishing boat, where Ms Baird and her team have spent weeks at a time in harsh conditions transforming a once grass-covered land into an emerging native forest.

Mrs Chadwick also praised Ms Baird’s commitment to building relationships with the local community. “Amanda has worked hard not only in the field but also in establishing relationships with the local community, both iwi and local landowners. The huge effort Amanda has put into these relationships has been a major catalyst in the establishment of a number of conservation covenants on the Chatham Islands”.

Ms Baird has been directly involved in 19 Nature Heritage Fund projects to covenant a total of 2,071 hectares of private land with high conservation values on the Chatham’s and initial funding for the re-vegetation programme on Mangere Island Nature Reserve.

An achievement Ms Baird is particularly proud of was obtaining funding for fencing and ongoing maintenance of fences around the protected areas. “The environment is so corrosive that it’s an ongoing and costly battle keeping fences maintained. However without them, the plants would never survive”.

2006 Dr Bruce Clarkson

Dr Bruce Clarkson of Hamilton has been awarded New Zealand’s premier conservation award, the Loder Cup, for his contributions to botany and conservation.

A scientist, researcher, educator, and ecologist, Dr Clarkson has spent over forty years working to recognise and restore native plant communities in New Zealand.

“The Loder Cup is awarded for outstanding service and commitment to the protection of New Zealand’s native plant species, and it is a privilege to award the Cup this year to Dr Clarkson.

He has inspired others for over 40 years as a researcher, a teacher, and also as a role model for community conservation projects,” Minister of Conservation Chris Carter said.

Dr Clarkson was nominated for the award by the University of Waikato. Dr Megan Balks of the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences acknowledged his “outstanding contribution across the full range of criteria specified for the award – New Zealanders who work to investigate, promote, retain and cherish New Zealand’s indigenous flora”.

The University of Waikato’s Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research, Dr Clarkson is internationally regarded in his specialist field of botany in New Zealand, and is widely published in the areas of threatened plant species, vegetation in volcanic landscapes, and restoration ecology.

Dr Clarkson developed an early interest in botany and conservation. At 11 he began his first restoration project on the family farm in Taranaki, when he and his brothers fenced off a gully from stock access and replanted the area in native trees.

In addition to his nationally significant botanical work for the University of Waikato, Dr Clarkson has volunteered much of his time to community groups. He has been a leader and advocate of indigenous biodiversity protection and restoration through his roles in the Waikato Biodiversity Forum, Hamilton Community Environmental Programme, Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust, Hamilton Environment Centre, Hamilton Gully Restoration Programme, Hakarimata Restoration Trust and Waiwhakereke Natural Heritage Park.

Dr Clarkson remains a passionate advocate for the restoration and protection of New Zealand’s native species, and has become a sought after commentator on conservation and biodiversity management.

2005 Ewen Cameron

Auckland Museum botany curator Ewen Cameron has been awarded the Loder Cup for his outstanding contribution to botany and conservation.

“This prestigious national award is a fitting tribute to Mr Cameron's 30 years of passionate commitment to natural history, research and conservation, a commitment that has inspired many other conservationists, scientists and students,” Conservation Minister Chris Carter said.

Forest and Bird President, Professor Peter Maddison acknowledged Mr Cameron as “a leader in natural history and a tireless worker for conservation.”

He had added over 13,000 specimens to the internationally recognised Auckland Museum herbarium and documented many plants from the northern offshore islands, including some for the first time.

As president of the Auckland Botanical Society since 1983 and a member of the New Zealand Threatened Plants Committee, he had led field trips and surveys, investigated and advocated against invasive weeds, given talks and lectures, run workshops, prepared submissions and published a wide range of botanical articles. He was actively involved in campaigns to save remnant natural areas in the Auckland region, such as St John’s Bush, Mt Eden Rock Forest, Eadys’ Bush and the Otuataua Stonefields, Professor Maddison said.

Mr Cameron was nominated for the award by the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society.

2004 Colin Ogle

Nominated by the Taranaki/Whanganui Conservation fBoard for his outstanding contribution over 38 years, spread over both his work and personal time, to the understanding and preservation of native flora.

Mr Ogle was employed as a scientist with the Fauna Survey Unit, Wildlife Service from 1978 until he moved into the newly formed Department of Conservation in 1987. As part of his work studying, surveying, monitoring, managing, and recording threatened native flora (and the impact of weeds on native plants), in the then Taranaki/Whanganui Conservancy, he sent over 5,000 labelled plant specimens to collections at various institutions (eg Te Papa and Auckland Museum).

Mr Ogle has shared his knowledge and experience by writing many published papers and reports on topics as varied as wildlife and vegetation surveys, wetland and dune ecology, islands, threatened plants, weeds, plant taxonomy, land snails, and conservation. He has been actively involved in many public awareness activities, including talks, tree planting, and school visits, as well as teaching ecology in schools and helping many students develop a love for nature, some of whom went on to further studies and ecological work/research. Also he helped establish the native plant nursery at Kaitoke Prison, near Whanganui.

Mr Ogle has served on the New Zealand Botanical Society's threatened plant committee, was past president of the Wellington Botanical Society and editor of the Society's bulletin (1985-1989), a past member of the Whanganui Botanical Group committee (1988-2001), and served on advisory committees whose work resulted in the protection of natural areas in various parts of New Zealand.

He was involved in the protected natural areas programme from its inception and had oversight of the establishment and development of the mainland island at Paengaroa Scenic Reserve for at least 10 years.

2003 Dr Gerry McSweeney

Nominated by the Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board. Dr McSweeney was closely involved in the creation of the Department of Conservation, the South West New Zealand World Heritage Area, the Public Lands Coalition, the joint Campaign on Native Forests, the winning of a halt in forest clearance and wetland drainage, and the signing of the West Coast Forest Accord and the Tasman Forest Accord.

He served on the Government's expert panel on the future management of the 130,000 hectares of Timberlands West Coast native forests (all forests added to the public conservation estate). His advocacy for tussock grasslands led to the establishment of the Korowai/Torlesse Tussocklands Park.

Dr McSweeney was instrumental as a member of the Nature Heritage Fund in protecting 180,000 hectares of conservation land. He holds a PhD in Ecology and Resource Management. His ecotourism business set an important example to the industry that conservation and sensitive tourism can be compatible. Dr McSweeney served as Director and then National President of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society. He implemented a $2 million dollar community assistance package to develop Haast Visitor Centre, Ship Creek Walks, Monro Bead Walk, and Hapuka Estuary Walk. Dr McSweeney advocated the successful creation of the Whakapohai Wildlife Refuge to protect the Fiordland Crested Penguins and the Lake Pearson (Moana Rua) Wildlife Refuge to protect the crested grebe and wetlands.

2002 Marge Maddren

Nominated by the Northland Conservation Board. Lifetime champion for Northland's flora and fauna, Miss Marge Maddren was involved in the creation of Project Crimson in 1990, although her love of and work conserving pohutukawa has been continuous since the 1930s.

Miss Maddren has been a member of the Whangarei Native Forest and Bird Protection Society, the Whangarei branch of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, the Camellia Society, the Whangarei Ladies' Gardening Club, the Whangarei Orchid Society; is a life member and committee member of the Friends of Matakohe/Limestone Island, a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Horticulture and was awarded a Queen's Services Medal for her work in 1980.

Her fundraising abilities have resulted in a number of achievements, including the establishment of the Marge Maddren Fernery in Whangarei and the purchase of the rare lowland podocarp forest, Logue's Bush, near Warkworth. Miss Maddren has strongly supported the QEII National Trust and many covenants in Northland are in place partly because of her.

2001 Dr Colin Meurk

Nominated by the Canterbury/Aoraki Conservation Board. Nationally and internationally regarded outstanding ecologist and conservationist, Dr Colin Meurk of Christchurch, has been the leader and instigator, both in a professional and personal capacity, of much of the combined work by local Canterbury groups and agencies to protect and restore the region's unique natural character

As ecological advisor to the Christchurch City Council, he has played a leading role in the Christchurch City Council's waterway enhancement programme and is at the forefront of the "greening" of Christchurch, promoting native planting in urban areas.

Dr Meurk has played a key role in saving (and subsequently actively managing) the Travis Swamp, one of the most valuable areas of natural habitat in the eastern part of the South Island, and a leader and advocate for the Canterbury Dry Plains Park. Fundamental to his ethos is that it is important to promote, both within science and in the wider community, the value of ecosystem restoration so that indigenous environments are available to future generations.

2000 Jorge Santos, Canterbury

Awarded for his outstanding work in helping to return native plants, some threatened with extinction, to their rightful place in the landscapes of Canterbury.

Portuguese born Mr Santos came to New Zealand in 1974. By 2000 he had worked (including as manager) at the Department of Conservation Motukārara nursery, Banks Peninsula, for 17 years. In 2000, Mr Santos coordinated a $25,000 project to develop a user-friendly native plant restoration and protection resource kit for farmers, community groups, and local authorities nationally. This was a part of the Government's $2.5m conservation awareness package.

Motukārara nursery is at the hub of work underway to restore the diverse and unique native plant communities across Canterbury. This will protect distinctive landscapes that could otherwise be lost to Canterbury and other parts of the South Island. A key part of this work involves educating the community to use locally sourced native plants instead of exotic species. The nursery's annual open day attracts thousands of visitors from throughout Canterbury and other parts of the South Island.