Collectively, the Clarksons have attracted approximately $26 million in research funding, written nearly 200 peer-reviewed papers, supervised over 25 postgraduate students, supported many major community environmental/conservation advisory organisations and provided senior leadership in two of our region’s prominent science providers, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research and the University of Waikato.
The Clarksons’ early work provided new insights into plants growing in New Zealand’s volcanic landscapes. Following this, Bev established the New Zealand National Wetland Database, gathering data from over a thousand research plots. She is well known for her best practice handbook on wetland restoration, is an elected trustee of the National Wetland Trust of New Zealand, and provides advice to the Science and Technical Advisory Group for Essential Freshwater reforms, the Science Review Panel for MfE’s Freshwater National Objectives Framework, and the Waikato Conservation Board.
Bruce was a key contributor to the New Zealand Biological Survey of Reserves and the New Zealand Protected Natural Areas Programme, and co-author of an independent review assessing progress on New Zealand’s Biodiversity Strategy. His recent work focuses on restoration of indigenous ecosystems in cities, forming the basis for the innovative “Peoples, Cities & Nature” MBIE programme.
Outside work, Bruce and Bev continue to lead by example, undertaking restoration of a Hamilton gully and an eight hectare native forest block, using both sites as a source of plant material and as a training ground for Bruce’s ongoing teaching programmes on native flora and vegetation.
Time and time again, the Clarksons have focused research on problems that people care about, delivering valuable, practical solutions to our most challenging environmental problems.
