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| Manaaki Whenua (Māori) | |
 Landcare Research logo | |
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| Agency overview | |
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| Headquarters | Lincoln, New Zealand |
| Agency executives |
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| Website | www |
Landcare Research (Māori:Manaaki Whenua) is a New ZealandCrown Research Institute whose focus of research isthe environment,biodiversity, andsustainability. The New Zealand government placed the institute into the newly-formedNew Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science on 1 July 2025.[1][2]
Manaaki Whenua was originally part of theDepartment of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), but was established as an independent organisation when the Crown Research Institutes were created in 1992. As part of that process, it was semi-commercialised, and now operates as a government-owned company rather than as a government department. The commercialisation has led to greater emphasis on financial viability, and Manaaki Whenua is employed by various private groups to provide advice and information. It is currently chaired by Board Chair Colin Dawson.[3]
On 14 May 2025,Minister of Science, Innovation and TechnologyShane Reti announced that Manaaki Whenua would be integrated into a newPublic Research Organisation called theNew Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science on 1 July 2025.[1]
The main site is inLincoln, nearChristchurch. There are also other sites atAuckland on theTamaki campus ofAuckland University,Hamilton,Palmerston North,Wellington, andDunedin.
Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research holds several collections oforganisms that are of significant national importance to New Zealand. Detailed information on all the specimens can be found though the Systematics Collections Data (SCD)website.
TheInternational Collection of Microorganisms from Plants in Auckland holds live bacterial andfungalspecimens that are preserved underliquid nitrogen or infreeze driedampoules. Currently there are over 20,000 specimens in the collection.[4]
TheNew Zealand Fungarium (PDD) Te Kohinga Hekaheka o Aotearoa, located in Auckland, is the major collection ofNew Zealand fungi. It contains 109,584 driedfungal specimens, including all the New Zealand fungaltype species.[5] It is one of the most extensive compilations on the national fungal biota of any country.
TheNew Zealand Arthropod Collection (NZAC) orKo te Aitanga Pepeke O Aotearoa in Māori. The NZAC has over 6 million specimens (1 million pinned and 5 million preserved in fluid) and has the most complete coverage of terrestrialinvertebrates of all the collections held in New Zealand. In addition to its fundamental value to the science of taxonomy and systematics, the collection underpinsquarantine and border control decisions (e.g., verifying the presence or absence of species in New Zealand); and contributes to listings of threatened insect species. The NZAC is held at Landcare Research'sTamaki site.
The National Nematode Collection of New Zealand (NNCNZ) contains thousands ofnematode specimens. It is contained within the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.
TheAllan Herbarium (CHR) Te Kohinga Tipu o Aotearoa atLincoln, contains species from around the world but specialises in plants (indigenous andexotic) of the New Zealand region and the Pacific. It also has specialist collections ofseed, fruit, wood, plant leafcuticle, liquid-preserved specimens, andmicroscope slides. The oldest samples are the 91 duplicate specimens collected byBanks andSolander duringCaptain Cook's first voyage to New Zealand in 1769–1770.
There are currently over 550,000 specimens in the Allan Herbarium with 5,000–8,000 being added annually. Two-thirds of the specimens are of indigenous plants with the remainder divided between naturalised, cultivated, and foreign specimens. It was named forHarry AllanCBE, to acknowledge his contributions to New Zealandbotany.
Manaaki Whenua is kaitiaki of an ethnobotanical collection of traditional weaving varieties of harakeke (NZ flax,Phormium spp.) donated byRene Orchiston of Gisborne. The 50 harakeke were selected long ago from natural stands and cultivated by Māori weavers for their special leaf and fibre properties. There are varieties specially suited to makingkete, whariki,piupiu and cloaks.
Science includes research into the processes that maintain New Zealand's ecosystems, enable natural flora, fauna and fungi to flourish, and protect soil and catchments for a range of production and other purposes. The impacts of disruption to ecosystems; biosecurity risks from foreign weeds, pests and micro-organisms; and contamination to land, water and air caused by the production of natural, manufactured or waste compounds are investigated. Research is also undertaken to develop tools to help mitigate inefficient resource use and excess waste, and systems designed to improve resource use productivity, lifestyle and business viability. Research focuses on six key areas:
Manaaki Whenua has organised severalBioBlitz events – a survey of all species in a given area. The first New Zealand BioBlitz was held in the Auckland suburb ofSt Heliers on 30 April – 1 May 2004; in a remnant of native forest at Dingle Dell reserve, 925 separate species were found, and 631 species were found in a native bush gully at Meadowbank Primary School. A second BioBlitz in theAuckland Domain on 12–13 March 2005 found 1575 distinct species. Another BioBlitz occurred atHagley Park inChristchurch on 8–9 April; here 1197 species were found. In 2006, BioBlitz was held inHamilton; this event uncovered 948 species.[6]
The following people are associated with Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research:
seehttps://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/about-us/our-people/
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