Environmental technologies
In Wellington you can’t miss the carboNZero logo now on all Wellington Combined Taxis
Businesses are demanding credible solutions to climate change issues and user–friendly systems for improving environmental performance; the market for these services is growing very rapidly. Conservation and resource management agencies are seeking more effective technologies for wildlife management, and a rapid response capability to biosecurity issues. Consequently, we have extended our range of branded, customer–focused business units and actively developed some new suites of environmental services from our research programmes. These business units showed a combined revenue growth of 24% in the last year.
Environmental Cerification
The carboNZeroCert™ programme (for the reduction and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions) became the first greenhouse gas certification scheme in the world to achieve accreditation under the auspices of the International Accreditation Forum, making it one of the leading schemes in the world. Strong international (via our UK licensing partner Achilles) and national interest resulted in 76% revenue growth and 25% growth in client numbers.
We are now actively managing 5.57 million tonnes (based on the carboNZero website home page) CO2e of emissions across the programme (verified footprints across both New Zealand and international clients) – equivalent to 7% of New Zealand’s total greehouse gas inventory in 2007 (based on calculation using NZ’s 2007 Kyoto reported emissions (MfE, April 2009: New Zealands Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990–2007) – and a significant increase from 145,000 tonnes in 2008.
During the year, we launched CEMARS™ (Certified Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme) – essentially the first two steps of the carboNZero programme – for organisations wanting to cut greenhouse gas emissions without necessarily becoming carbon neutral. Energy for Industry was the first New Zealand client and United Utilities, the UK’s largest listed water company, the first UK client.
www.carbonzero.co.nz
The Enviro–Mark®NZ programme, a stepwise approach to environmental and health and safety performance, commenced a major marketing initiative during the year to promote itself as New Zealand’s leading environmental certification programme — the one that is most accessible and easiest for businesses of all sizes to use. We secured partnerships with a range of industry associations such as PrintNZ that are actively supporting and promoting the programme to their members. As a result, the business unit achieved a pleasing 11% increase in revenue.
www.enviromark.co.nz
Wildlife Technologies
Sirtrack Ltd (our wholly owned subsidiary) designs and manufactures specialist telemetry equipment for tracking wildlife. This year the business achieved record sales, with over 90% from exports. Sirtrack’s business performance was recognised by winning the 2008 ASB Hawkes Bay Emerging Exporter of the Year and Westpac Hawkes Bay Exporter of the Year Awards.
The USA market continues to present the most significant growth opportunity. It is supported by a locally–based sales representative, who has extensive experience in wildlife telemetry and product development. Internal investment supported by Pre–Seed Accelerator Funds into a new generation of VHF tracking devices produced a significant improvement in performance.A highlight for the year was the opening of Sirtrack’s extensive new manufacturing and office facilities in August. The open plan office was furnished with sustainable materials and incorporates energy– and water–efficient technologies.
www.sirtrack.com
Invasive Species International (ISI) capitalises on both New Zealand’s and Landcare Research’s reputations as world leaders in pest management and eradication programmes. Since we launched the ISI consultancy service in January 2009, staff have been working with various agencies and multinational network meetings in mainland United States and Hawai’i, Mexico, Australia, Chile, Japan, Ascension Island, Solomon Islands and Fiji.
www.isinz.com
EcoGene™ provides DNA–based diagnostic services for a range of wildlife research, monitoring and biodiversity/ biosecurity agencies. Services include species identification, vertebrate pest–monitoring, wildlife forensics, genotyping, and disease diagnostics. In its first full year of operation, EcoGene achieved more than double its targeted turnover, with an increasing amount of work coming from Australia.
www.ecogene.co.nz
Technology Transfer
Manaaki Whenua Press is our natural history and science online bookstore. It distributes and produces a range of publications of interest to researchers, students, resource managers and the general public. This year, they published Plants that Poison in conjunction with the National Poisons Centre, which in 2008, received over 1800 enquiries relating to plants or fungi. The book sold 1055 copies in the first three months, an indication of strong public interest in avoiding problems with poisonous plants.
A Flora of the Liverworts and Hornworts of New Zealand vol 1, the culmination of fi ve years’ hard work, was published during the year. It was co–authored by staff from Landcare Research and the Field Museum in Chicago.
The new 3rd edition Land Use Capability Survey Handbook was produced this year by a team led by one of our soil scientists. The previous edition, printed in the 1970s, became difficult to source, and was out of date. The new 2009 edition has extensive new information and management tools, and is driving a renaissance in land use capability assessments, particularly at the farm scale.