mark_smale

Joined: May 3, 2017 Last Active: Oct 12, 2024 iNaturalist NZ

I first began identifying native plants and animals in 1965 in the Ohope Scenic Reserve behind Whakatane. Violet Rucroft (later Briffault) LRAM, who ran the Eastern Bay of Plenty Branch of Forest & Bird, piqued my interest. I later studied botany and forestry science at the Universities of Waikato and Canterbury, then joined the Forest Research Institute, New Zealand Forest Service, as a research forester, later scientist. I was initially stationed at Harihari (1979-1980), then Ahaura (1980), and finally Whakarewarewa, Rotorua (1980-1992). In 1992 I was transferred to the newly formed CRI Landcare Research in Rotorua (1992-1993), then Hamilton (1993- ), where I have been a Research Associate since 2015. Together with a number of colleagues, I helped found the Rotorua Botanical Society in 1984.

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