Our strategic collaborations
Science research is part of a continuum that starts with discovery and ends with knowledge applied daily across the economic spectrum. Landcare Research has collaborations in every aspect of that journey.
Research is increasingly interdisciplinary, so it is inevitable that no one organisation will have all the skills required to undertake a broad research programme addressing current issues of natural resource management. Collaborations need to be strategic and lead to mutual and collective benefits. Landcare Research has forged a number of collaborations through a variety of mechanisms.
This is the first full year of the implementation of OBI research contracts awarded through FRST. Landcare Research is involved in three OBIs: “Defining New Zealand’s Land Biota”, “Ecosystems Resilience” and “Sustaining and Restoring Biodiversity”. These collaborations involve other researchers as well as key end-users. The intention is to ensure that research outputs are turned into real-life outcomes by the users of the research.
During the first of 8–12 years’ funding for Landcare Research’s three OBIs, a successful structure has been established for scientific research and governance. The research of each OBI is led by an appointed OBI science leader, working in conjunction with a science management group and reporting to the OBI Contract Manager. Each OBI also has a governing body and an advisory group made up of end-user representatives. Resignations have led to a change in personnel for the science leader role of one OBI and for the common chairman of the governing bodies (Dr Rod East resigned on medical grounds), with new appointees now in place. Dr David Penman is the new common chairman of the three governing bodies. Work plans for each OBI have been prepared and approved by the relevant governing body. The first review of progress of the OBIs by FRST will occur in November 2006.
We continued to develop our collaboration in soil science research with three other Crown research institutes, in particular aimed at ensuring the soil science skill-base is enhanced, providing expertise to ensure New Zealand has resilient and healthy soils for the benefit of current and future primary production industries. While the relationship between the research partners continued to flourish, the decision of FRST not to form a comprehensive soil science research programme, incorporating the related research of the four CRIs as initially indicated, was disappointing. However, this Sustainable Land Use Research Initiative (SLURI) will continue to work towards its main goals.
Our collaborations at the University of Auckland’s Tamaki campus continue to thrive. The Centre for Urban Ecosystem Sustainability (CUES) expanded and grew Māori research in urban environments. Our Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity now has 13 students co-supervised between the university and ourselves.
We continue our international links through research in many corners of the world but especially make our expertise available to other South Pacific nations. For the first time a group of South Pacific representatives working in the area of catchment and water management attended a workshop organised through our Integrated Catchment Management (ICM) team and partners, and sponsored through the UNESCO-based HELP network. Representatives from Landcare Research, NIWA, the Cawthron Institute and Tasman District Council demonstrated and discussed many of the approaches to ICM that have been tried in the Motueka ICM action research project.
We continue to forge relationships with Māori, both iwi and businesses. Our business strategy will focus on building value for Māori, helping identify opportunities for Māori to benefit from their land through initiatives such as carbon farming.