Moving Ahead
Thanks to the crown research institute (CRI) taskforce and its consultation during 2010, each CRI now has a clear purpose and niche within the science sector.
This was the first review of the CRIs and their contribution to New Zealand society since their creation 18 years ago. The taskforce’s recommendations were widely welcomed, and adopted by the Government. They set the tone and context for our work over the next five years. Our purpose and contribution to national outcomes were documented in our Statement of Core Purpose, while our goals, strategies and key performance indicators have been published in our Statement of Corporate Intent, 2011–16.
The core purpose of Landcare Research is to drive innovation in New Zealand’s management of terrestrial biodiversity and land resources in order to both protect and enhance the terrestrial environment and grow New Zealand’s prosperity. We talk of ‘driving’ innovation because much of the science done in CRIs is designed to be adopted by stakeholders (in our case largely by government, industry, and Māori organisations). Our scientific insights, tools and services contribute to solving environmental challenges. To do this we must work closely with those stakeholders and ensure that our work is well integrated with theirs. That is one of the emphases in the recommendations of the CRI Taskforce, and one we welcome as we enhance our relationships with other organisations.
The Core Purpose statement talks of ‘terrestrial’ environments because we complement the aquatic environment interests and focus of our sister CRI, NIWA, and other research groups active in the aquatic sphere. Landcare Research focuses on biodiversity and land resources and the threats to them, including introduced weeds, pests and diseases that threaten both indigenous species (see article about biocontrol of weeds) and primary production (see scientific models to assist rabbit control).
Our work includes both defining state and trend in and pressures on biodiversity and land resources. We also provide insights, tools and services to assist the people who are charged with their management. Managers include landowners, farm managers, Māori kaitiaki (guardians), regional council staff, policymakers in government environmental and agricultural departments, and industries (e.g. mining, energy) whose activities impact upon biodiversity and land resources. In some cases managers need to know more about their land resources and how to get best value from them without damaging their ability to support society into the long term. Our work with Te Puni Kōkiri (the Ministry of Māori Affairs) and others has produced a special website where Māori land owners can view their land holdings in Google Earth style and see the land use capacity and special features of that land (e.g. soil type and properties).
Management cannot be informed only by the statement of problems – of biodiversity loss, climate change, water issues, and resource depletion. Our role goes beyond ‘stating the problem’ to finding solutions; and these solutions go beyond biophysical science to include social, economic and cultural insights and approaches. Increasingly our stakeholders require solutions that combine responses to social, economic, cultural as well as environmental aspects to a problem. The problems of our environment are typically complex, with competing views held by stakeholders, no ‘right’ answer, and often the stakes are high when property rights are involved or property is at risk. Our science therefore includes work on economic instruments, like reverse auctions, and resource credits and offsets, building on our staff’s experience with trading mechanisms for pollutants and carbon.
We also develop different approaches for stakeholder engagement, bringing science to the table with many other stakeholder voices in a way that science can be regarded as one, but not the only, valid source of knowledge on a challenging issue. Our work since the Christchurch earthquakes has included bringing urban researchers together for a workshop in Christchurch to share their insights about the challenge of recreating the city. We did this together with the Centre for Sustainable Cities (of which we are a member).The report from that workshop included insights and surveyed knowledge available in New Zealand about topics such as low impact urban design, mātauranga Māori (traditional knowledge and approaches), social capital and health, among many others. It was submitted to government, the city council and other stakeholders in June.
Landcare Research helped in the immediate aftermath of the September and February earthquakes by analysing satellite imagery of the city to identify damage to land and property. We were also pleased to enable our staff to volunteer during working hours to help with Civil Defence teams in the worst hit areas of the city’s eastern suburbs. For us this was a natural thing to do, reflecting the manaaki tangata (care for the people) in our values.
A further response to the earthquakes (which affected most of our 200 Lincoln-site staff) was to host an online forum to discuss ideas for the future of the city. The event, called Magnetic South, asked people the question ‘In 2021, when talent and investment are in even shorter supply than clean energy, what will you do to attract them to Christchurch?’ Over 850 people from 18 countries joined the conversation, submitting nearly 9000 contributions (see the full story). Landcare Research entered its 20th year optimistic about its ability to contribute to four major outcomes:
Improve: Measurement, management and protection of New Zealand’s terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity, including in the conservation estate
Achieve: The sustainable use of land resources and their ecosystem services across catchments and sectors
Improve: Measurement and mitigation of greenhouse gases from the terrestrial biosphere
Increase: The ability of New Zealand industries and organisations to develop within environmental limits and meet market and community requirements.
While many of the issues involved in these outcomes have proved to be intractable in the past, for example the ongoing loss of lowland habitat for indigenous biodiversity, we are seeing signs of a sea change in the views of New Zealanders. There is a growing recognition of the need to conduct our affairs within environmental limits, driving innovation both in productivity and in reduction of our environmental footprint. New Zealand has a role to play in feeding the world’s population. We have a reputation for doing so within a clean green environment. It is a vulnerable reputation; but it gives us the opportunity to develop technological, economic, social and cultural approaches that are useful both in New Zealand and overseas – approaches that people would expect to come from New Zealand.
Landcare Research stands for the science to underpin those approaches and the development of the approaches themselves. It is something that we cannot do alone, but can do in partnership. That will be a hallmark of the next 20 years of this institute – partnership for outcomes – that complements our vision: science and environment for a better New Zealand.