21 October 2010 Conservation Minister presents Loder Cup to Canterbury's Colin Burrows

New Zealand’s top conservation award for services to the protection of native plant species, the Loder Cup, is being presented to Christchurch botanist Dr Colin Burrows at Lincoln University on Friday 22 October.

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson is making the presentation to Dr Burrows, who was nominated for the award by Lincoln University, supported by the Quail Island Ecological Restoration Trust.

“Dr Burrows has had a long involvement with Canterbury’s natural history, particularly the South Island mountain environments,” says the Minister. The award of the Loder Cup is a “fitting tribute” to the contribution he has made to the protection of New Zealand’s native plant species.

Dr Burrows’ long career stretches back to include active involvement in the famous Save Lake Manapouri campaign of the 1970s. He has spent half-a-century working as a botanist, scientist, researcher, writer and ecologist, with a large proportion of that time also devoted to university teaching in plant ecology, including conservation. In addition he supervised Canterbury University’s Cass Field Station and organised student fieldwork and projects.

His research and advisory work has included contributions on Westland beech forests, the protection of coastal areas in Canterbury, weed problems in Mount Cook National Park,  native tree planting on Christchurch’s Port Hills, and wetlands at Lake Coleridge and Mount Possession-Hakatere. Since 1997 he has been plant ecological advisor, and an active worker, for the ecological restoration of Otamahua/Quail Island in Lyttelton Harbour. He has been particularly involved in the planting programme and weed control.

“Dr Burrows has made a huge contribution to the knowledge and conservation of New Zealand’s flora in many varied ways,” says Mike Bowie, Senior Technical Officer in Ecology at Lincoln University. “His career is full of major accomplishments in New Zealand botany and plant ecology.

“The publication of The Natural History of Canterbury, which he co-edited, is considered the ‘bible’ for native biodiversity in the region.

“During 12 years on the Quail Island Ecological Restoration Trust with Dr Burrows I have been inspired by his wealth of botanical knowledge and he has been a mentor to me and many others.”

In 2008 Dr Burrows was honoured for his outstanding commitment to the ecological restoration of Quail Island with the Canterbury Natural History Resource Management Award.

The presentation of the Loder Cup to Dr Burrows by Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson is being made at a ceremony in Lincoln University’s Stewart Building on Friday 22 October beginning at 5.00pm.

The Loder Cup was donated to New Zealand in 1926 by Gerald Loder, Baron Wakehurst,  to “encourage and honour New Zealanders who work to investigate, promote, retain and cherish the country’s indigenous flora”. Loder had been captivated by the New Zealand’s indigenous flora during a visit and subsequently planted a large selection in his estate in England. The award is made by the Minister of Conservation.