Science making a difference...
Manaaki Whenua’s Mission is “science making a difference for a truly clean, green and sustainable New Zealand”. We will achieve this through the pursuit of excellence in everything that we do. In this section, we present some research achievements and world-class science that are helping us fulfil our Mission.
Our research is driven by the key, land-based, environmental issues currently affecting New Zealand. We also draw attention to issues that could become significant in the near future. Our work supports Government priorities for the environment, and contributes to developing policy and legislation. We work closely with funding agencies, stakeholders and end-users of our research to ensure its ongoing relevance.
Our wide breadth of expertise is grouped into six science outcome areas (see graph). Research for sustainable business and government continued to increase, almost doubling in the past year.
| Revenue in each of our core science areas. These reflect the key land-based environmental issues for New Zealand. Based on science revenue only. |
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Proportion of our research aligned to national strategies, policies and plans |
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Many of the environmental issues that New Zealand faces are also found in other parts of the world. Our research contributes to global knowledge through conferences, published papers, advisory panels, and participation in international research programmes. We maintain an active programme of international exchange visits and fellowships.
Long-term funding
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| Stephen Moore in Brunei. Manaaki Whenua also believes it has a responsibility to use its science expertise to support sustainable land-use and related health issues in developing countries. This year, staff worked in 21 development projects in China, Vietnam, Brunei, Mexico and Pacific Island countries. Image - David Lane, University of Brunei |
This year the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST) piloted a new, long-term funding strategy—Outcome Based Investments (OBIs)—on the Natural Ecosystems portfolio of research. This portfolio covers more than half our FRST work. Overall, we gained a slightly increased level of revenue.
We secured long-term funding, starting July 2005, for core biodiversity research in three OBI programmes:
- nearly $5 million per year for the next 12 years for work describing New Zealand’s terrestrial plants and animals (biota) and the associated collections and databases
- over $2 million per year for 12 years for research supporting ecosystem-based biodiversity management (ecosystem resilience)
- nearly $3 million per year for 8 years for a range of research helping to sustain and restore New Zealand biodiversity.
Strategic directions for research in these three OBIs will be set by governing bodies, members of which will be drawn from the Department of Conservtion (DOC), the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA), Queen Elizabeth II National Trust (QEII Trust), the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), Tūhoe Tuawhenua Trust, regional councils, Te Papa Tongarewa, and Manaaki Whenua. The governing bodies will also review research progress and help facilitate the uptake of results into conservation and biosecurity policy and practice.
Science excellence
Publications
Nine of the journal papers we published in 2004/05 have already been cited between 3 and 8 times—an impressive figure when, globally, 40% of all publications are never cited. Our ten most cited papers (1995–2005) have been cited, on average, over 110 times.
| Journal impact factor1 | <1 | 1–2 | 2–5 | 5–10 | 10–20 | >20 |
| Number of publications by our staff this year |
60 | 65 | 43 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
1 2003 and 2002 impact factors are used. Journal impact factors not available for 8 publications.
Staff publication productivity
We continue to publish in high-impact journals. A journal’s impact factor is a measure of the frequency with which an “average article” in the journal has been cited in a particular year. In 2004/05 we published four papers in the prestigious journals Science and Nature, which have impact factors of 29 and 31 respectively, and over 60% of our publications listed in the international science citation index are in journals with impact factors greater than 1.
Our staff are world leaders in publication productivity. On average, this year each of our scientists published 1.5 articles in international scientific journals.
During the year, Manaaki Whenua Press (our natural history publishing and sales unit) launched the Landcare Research Science Series as a free on-line publication with the option of paid-for printed versions if customers prefer. The Science Series helps distribute research information to key stakeholders, and enables scientists to meet contracted research outputs in a cost-effective manner. Four issues were produced during the year. Manaaki Whenua Press also published three more issues of the Fauna of New Zealand series (volumes 51, 52 and 53).
www.mwpress.co.nz (see categories Science Series and Zoology)
Ko te kai rapu, ko ia ka kitea - He who seeks will find