FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
People & Places
Who can I discuss a research project proposal with?
You should contact our Customer Manager (Research) , or one of the Science Liaison people for the research area concerned.
How do I locate people at Landcare Research?
Use our Contacts section for principal contacts.
You can search for a staff member if you know
their name. Please use our Feedback form to
contact the Webmaster if you are having trouble locating someone you
know, or contact the Postmaster
Email 
How do I contact a staff member?
Virtually all Landcare Research staff can be contacted via email. You can search for a staff member if you know their name.
The
format is:
<Lastname><First Initial>@LandcareResearch.co.nz
So, if the staff member's name is Joe Bloggs, then his email address is:
bloggsj@LandcareResearch.co.nz
Note: This is not case sensitive. Please contact us for those that bounce back, and ask for the correct address.
Where are the Landcare Research offices?
Site locations can be found in our Contacts section.
Research & Information
What is biological control?
Biological control is a pest management technique where one living organism is used to control another. Landcare Research is working on biological control for noxious weeds and animal pests like possums and stoats. We are currently working on updating our web information about biological control.
The University of Otago also has a good section on the subject.
Where can I find information about wasps?
In the Stowaways section of the web site. There is also a Stowaways Kids section.
Where can I find information about possums?
At the moment, the best place is to look on our Possum Information Sheets page.
You should also look on the Animal Health Board site, and the Department of Conservation (DOC) web site. Other useful guides are: the PioPio School site, in particular their Resources for Year 13 Biology and Contemporary Issues sections; The Kiwi Conservation Club section on The Possum; and
Do you have any information about the use of 1080?
Landcare Research has done research into 1080 and the use of 1080 for pest control for the government, DOC, and the Animal Health Board. Much of it is published in scientific journals, often available from public libraries.
Use our "Quick Search" facility at the top right of the screen to search our site for web pages mentioning 1080.
An article discussing conflict and community participation in the debate about the use of 1080, with particular focus on the Māori community is available on this web site. The issues are broadly similar to those in non-Māori New Zealand communities, so this article is a good potted summary of the 1080 debate.
A significant new review on the vertebrate pesticide 1080 is available, written by Dr Charles Eason in 2002 for the Animal Health Board (AHB), it pulls together early and recent information on the toxicological features of 1080.
Where can I find information about poisonous plants?
We have three free handouts available containing information about poisonous plants and children.
Where can I find information about ferrets?
Look at Ferret Research in New Zealand.
Can you help me identify an insect I've found?
We are always interested to hear from people who have found an interesting insect, whether native or potential pest import. There are a number of options:
- try to identify it yourself using our identification key
- contact our entomology people at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection in Auckland;
- if you think you have a wasp or ant pest, contact our research team
(
Email
)
at Nelson or visit
their web pages;
- if you suspect you have an imported insect that may be a potential threat to our environment, contact the MAF Biosecurity people;
- or, if you are near a city with large museum you could visit or contact them.
How can I get a plant on my property identified?
The scientists in our Plant Biosystematics Programme provide a plant identification service. The service is available to members of the public, commerical organisations, and government organisations.
What collections does Landcare Research hold?
Landcare Research is custodian of a number of nationally significant insect, plant, fungal, and microbial strain collection. More information is available here.
What databases does Landcare Research hold?
Landcare Research is custodian of a number of nationally significant resource databases. More information is available here.
Where can I get a list of threatened plants in New Zealand?
The most recent list was published in the New Zealand Journal of Botany in 1999. The complete reference to the article is below:
de Lange, P. J.; Heenan, P. B.; Given, D. R.; Norton, D. A.; Ogle, C. C.; Johnson, P. N.; Cameron, E. K.1999: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand journal of botany 37: 603-628.
What can you tell me about White-tailed Spiders?
White-tailed spiders are not as dangerous as many people believe. Find out more...
I'm looking for a soil map. Is a list available?
Landcare Research has much of the useful material published by the former DSIR New Zealand Soil Bureau, as well as new maps and publications produced by Landcare Research since 1992. A complete list of soil maps and publications is available from our Bookstore Manaaki Whenua Press.
Jobs
What jobs are available at Landcare Research?
Check out our Jobs section for the latest information.
Who do I contact about holiday or student exchange work?
Opportunities available are usually advertised in the Jobs section. Otherwise, please emailone of the people below:
If you have a specific research interest as identified from our web site, you may wish to contact the relevant science liaison staff member.
Copyright
I want to use an image on the Landcare Research web site. How do I get permission?
Please contact the Webmaster using the Feedback
form or email the Webmaster
Email
telling us which web page the image is on (copy the URL if you can) and
what you intend to use the image for.
I want to use an image in a DSIR or Landcare Research book. How do I get permission?
Please contact the Manager of Manaaki
Whenua Press,
Email
stating the name and author of the publication, which image you wish to
use, and what you intend to use it for.
Lost?
I can't find what I want on the web site.
Here's some things to try:
- try our Search facility (read the Search Tips if you have already tried this and failed to find what you wanted);
- use our Feedback form to send a general enquiry;
- look around the Contact Us section for people who may be able to help;
- or email the Webmaster
Email
with your question.
Troubleshooting
The text on my page is very big/small
The pages in this site have been set up to comply with the NZ Government's new accessiblilty guidelines. This means that the text will change size according to how your web browser is configured. Check that the text size for your browser is set to medium/100%.