Landcare Research’s core purpose is to drive innovation in the management of terrestrial biodiversity and land resources.
They are responsible for four National Outcomes, to:
Improve the measurement, management and protection of New Zealand’s terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity, including those in the conservation estate.
Achieve the sustainable use of land resources and their ecosystem services across catchments and sectors.
Improve the measurement and mitigation of greenhouse gases from the terrestrial biosphere.
Increase the ability of New Zealand industries and organisations to develop within environmental limits and meet market and community requirements.
They have 7 science portfolios that work closely with central and local government, private sector businesses and organisations, and Māori organisations. They collaborate extensively with other leading research organisations in New Zealand and around the world, and achieve high standards of science excellence – the impact of their published papers is well above global and national averages.
Landcare Research is a Crown research institute (CRI), one of seven in New Zealand. CRIs were formed in 1992 as independent companies that are owned by, and accountable to, the New Zealand Government. Their shareholders are the Minister of Finance and Minister of Science and Innovation.
They have approximately 330 staff at nine locations across New Zealand, including a subsidiary, Enviro-Mark Solutions at Lincoln and Auckland. They collaborate extensively with other research organisations in New Zealand and around the world.
Their science revenue (about $55 million per year) is derived primarily from contracts with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Ministry for the Environment (MfE), Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), Department of Conservation (DOC), Tbfree New Zealand (previously the Animal Health Board – AHB), local government, private sector businesses and organisations, and Māori organisations.
Sustainability is embedded throughout their organisation and evidenced in both their research focus and their day-to-day operational activities. They report comprehensively on this in the sustainability section of this site.
Manaaki whenua – Manaaki tangata (Care for the land – Care for the people)
Their Māori name means to care for the land in the sense that the environment is inextricably linked to economic, societal and cultural well-being. Māori are tangata whenua, the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand, with whom they consult and collaborate.
