02 August 2024 Local conservation efforts recognised with award

The Lincoln University PhD student has been spending her free time planting natives and tending to ecosystems around Christchurch and Banks Peninsula since she moved to New Zealand last year.

Her efforts were recognised at the Waitaha International Student Awards this week, held at Nga Hau E Wha National Marae.

Friederike was presented the Community Engagement Award, which honours an international student who has been actively engaged with the local community.

Since moving from Germany, Friederike has been working with different conservation organisations on the weekends to plant natives throughout Christchurch and Banks Peninsula, as well as weeding non-natives that would hamper growth.

She started volunteering as a way to learn more about New Zealand’s native plants, but soon fell in love with it.

"I just got inspired to keep working in conservation work. I kept volunteering.

"I realised it makes a difference to the local community and contributes to make Christchurch and Banks Peninsula a better place.

It will benefit the future generations.

Friederike now studies ecology, but it was not always that way. She originally completed a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in agriculture back in Germany.

She had always been interested in environmental science and there was a lot of overlap between agriculture and ecology. After taking a break from academia she decided to come to New Zealand to study our native plants.

Ecology was considered a higher priority in New Zealand than in Germany and as a small island country it was easier to successfully manage invasive species.

"Native ecosystems here are so highly valuable.

"Where I come from people don’t care too much about native plants.

"They’re not as aware of our native plants. When I came here, I realised a lot of people care, a lot of people are aware of our plants."

Although she has had less free time to offer this year, Friederike still made sure to volunteer whenever she could.