Our organisation

Landcare Research was formed in 1992 and is one of the seven current Crown research institutes (CRIs). CRIs function as independent companies but are owned by and accountable to the New Zealand Government. Our shareholders are the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Science and Innovation, and we work as part of the Crown to deliver benefit to New Zealand.

We have 333 staff at nine locations across New Zealand, including our subsidiary carboNZero Holdings at Lincoln and Auckland. (On 1st July 2013, carboNZero Holdings merged its existing services with those of Enviro-Mark®; the new company is called Enviro-Mark Solutions Limited.)

We collaborate extensively with other research organisations in New Zealand and around the world. Our science revenue (about $55 million per year) is derived primarily from contracts with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), Department of Conservation (DOC), Ministry for the Environment (MfE), Animal Health Board (AHB, now called TBfree New Zealand and a part of OSPRI), local government, private sector businesses and organisations, and Māori organisations.

The Government appoints our Board of Directors, and invests significant accountability in them for deriving value from publicly-funded science and innovation – Landcare Research receives approximately $24 million per year of Government revenue from MBIE in a Core Funding Agreement. The shareholding Ministers expect the Board to take strategic advice both from internationally-leading scientists and key New Zealand stakeholder partners through our Science Advisory Panel and Outcome Advisory Panel. The Board reports to shareholding Ministers on Landcare Research’s activities, impacts and achievements and progress towards the four National Outcomes of our Core Purpose.