Statement of Core Purpose
Purpose
Landcare Research's purpose 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.
Outcomes
Landcare Research will fulfil its purpose through the provision of research and transfer of technology and knowledge in partnership with key stakeholders, including industry, government and Māori, to:
- 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.
Scope of operation
To achieve these outcomes, Landcare Research is the lead CRI in the following areas:
- catchment-level ecosystems (including wetlands) and related ecosystem services
- terrestrial vertebrate pest control
- terrestrial carbon processes and inventory, and other greenhouse gases from soil and land
- land cover, land-use capability and effects, and spatial land information that integrates across sectors and scales
- soil characterisation, processes and services
- integrated social and biophysical research to support sustainable land resource management, including natural and urban environments.
Landcare Research will work with other research providers and end-users to contribute to the development of the following areas:
- biosecurity, land, soil and freshwater management
- climate change adaptation and mitigation
- industry and business environmental performance, including verification
- indigenous forestry
- urban environments
- Antarctica.
Operating principles
Landcare Research will:
- operate in accordance with a statement of corporate intent and business plan that describes how Landcare Research will deliver against this statement of core purpose, and describes what the shareholders will receive for their investment
- meet its obligations as a Crown Company and remain financially viable, delivering an appropriate rate of return on equity
- develop strong, long-term partnerships with key stakeholders, including industry, government and Māori, and work with them to set research priorities that are well linked to the needs and potential of its end-users
- maintain a balance of research that both provides for the near-term requirements of its sectors and demonstrates vision for their longer-term benefit
- transfer technology and knowledge from domestic and international sources to key New Zealand stakeholders, including industry, government and Māori
- develop collaborative relationships with other CRIs, universities and other research institutions (within New Zealand and internationally) to form the best teams to deliver its core purpose
- provide advice on matters of its expertise to the Crown
- represent New Zealand's interests on behalf of the Crown through contribution to international scientific issues and/or bodies as required
- seek advice from scientific and user advisory panels to help ensure the quality and relevance of its research
- establish policies, practices and culture that optimise talent recruitment and retention
- enable the innovation potential of Māori knowledge, resources and people
- maintain its databases, collections and infrastructure and manage the scientific and research data it generates in a sustainable manner, providing appropriate access and maximising the reusability of data sets
- seek shareholder consent for significant activity beyond its core areas.
This statement provides key guidance to the Landcare Research board for developing its statement of corporate intent, which sets out Landcare Research's strategy for delivering against its core purpose. Landcare Research's performance will be monitored against the outcomes and operating principles in this statement.
