News

Love for the Lions Lab

From left: Lee Oliver (VuW), Carlos Lehnebach (Te Papa), Carol West (Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush Trust), Crs Matthew Reweti, Sam O’Brien, Laurie Foon and Ben McNulty (with the mahoe), Johnny Osborne and ecologist Rob Smith.We’re feeling loved. A huge thanks to everyone who supported the Lions Ōtari Plant Conservation Laboratory with oral submissions on the Council’s Annual Plan 2026/27. As part of Council’s cost-cutting aims, a $211,000 cut proposed for the Lab would effectively lead to its immediate closure, the loss of our valued Research Technician along with irreplaceable plants and seeds. The Trust, Karori Lions (who largely funded the Lab’s establishment in 2018), ecologist Rob Smith, and partners representing DOC, Te Papa Tongarewa, Te Herenga Waka- Victoria University of Wellington and Wellington BotSoc all delivered compelling reasons to retain the Lab. Submitters asked for lesser funding that would keep the lab open and allow time for developing a viable long term future for the Lab. Councillors were largely receptive, especially when engaging with rare Cooper’s Black and Swamp greenhood native orchids, brought along by Te Papa Botany Curator Carlos Lehnebach, and a Cook Strait mahoe, Melicytus orarius. Trust Chair Carol West explained to Councillors how Taputeranga motu is a local stronghold for this rare mahoe, which is pollinated by geckos and difficult to germinate. Research at the Lab established the best conditions for germination are underneath their own canopy, now several seedlings are flourishing at Ōtari. Thanks, too, to other organisations (Wellington Forest & Bird) and individuals who we know sent persuasive submissions.

Note: according to WCC online information the Council meet to discuss feedback on May 27, and the Annual Plan will be adopted on June 25. We will be sure to let everyone know when we know.

Posted: 15 May 2026

The Lions Ōtari Plant Conservation Laboratory and the Annual Plan

Ōtari Research Technician Jennifer Alderton-Moss and Te Papa Botany Curator Dr Carlos Lehnebach in the Ōtari LabNOTE: Submissions have closed, but there’s still time to email your councillors about all of this! See below.

The Lions Ōtari Plant Conservation Laboratory has been caught in the net of Council’s cost cutting ambitions. Embedded in the just-released WCC Draft Annual Plan for 2026/27 is a cost saving of $211,000 targeted to the Lab. This covers the salaries of one scientist (who left the role in January), one research technician, along with some operating costs and, if passed, would effectively shut down the Lab on 30 June. Councillors, when voting to include these savings in the Annual Plan, were given the impression that the lab focused on one rare native orchid and that work would no longer happen because the scientist had left. They were also were not informed that other options, with lesser savings, were presented to the working group who developed the draft Plan’s portfolio of cost cuts.

The Trust and Karori Lions Club are now working alongside Te Papa and DOC to retain the Lab. It is a unique facility and the research conducted there has made a huge contribution to native plant conservation. We do not want to lose it.

We have been meeting with Councillors and Council officials, putting the record straight and proposing a solution that can avoid the threatened closure of the Lab. As a result, more councillors are now aware of several key factors about the Lab. One: There is much more research being undertaken than on just one orchid. Work on seed biology conducted at the Lab has covered a multitude of species, and been done in collaboration with multiple partners, key ones being Te Papa, DOC, Victoria University of Wellington, and Ngāti Kuri (who work with the Lab to save rātā Moehau which has only 13 known plants growing in the wild.) Two: Scientist Dr van der Walt has left however incumbent research technician, Jennifer Alderton-Moss, has a Masters in Cellular and Molecular Biology and is an extremely capable technician/scientist. Three: public funding, headed by $70,000 from the Karori Lions Club and including significant individual bequests from our own members, contributed to the establishment of the Lab in 2018. Four: External funding and research grants, from our Trust and from national and international conservation organisations, have contributed circa $400,000 to research at the Lab. Five: If the Lab closed in June rare seeds, embryos and seedlings currently protected in sterile and cyro storage lab conditions would be lost.

Submissions on the Annual Plan are now being called for, closing 10 May at midnight. The Trust will be submitting to retain the current functioning of the Lab for the next financial year while a more secure future for the Lab is worked out with potential partners. Following discussions with Te Papa and DOC, we believe this can be achieved. We will be requesting a budget of $110k be retained (salary for the research technician and some operating spend), with a saving of $101k for 2026/27.

If you wish to write to your local councillor, explain how there is much valuable research underway. Request funding that would keep the lab in operation and our one research technician employed while the Trust, stakeholders, Council officials and research partners enable a long term solution. We have already started this work, we just need more time.

Posted: 14 April 2026

Postgraduate Research Scholarship - open for applications

Note: applications have now closed. We will advise you of the successful recipient shortly.

The Trust is delighted to announce, in association with Victoria University of Wellington, that applications have opened for the Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush Trust Postgraduate Research Scholarship. The scholarship, established to celebrate Ōtari’s Centenary Year, is for postgraduate study related to native terrestrial biota.

• Applicants must be currently enrolled at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington in either a Master’s Research programme or Doctoral programme.
• Applicants research must include some aspect of our terrestrial biota (preferably plants, fungi or invertebrates) and could include either a science or te ao Māori approach.
• Applications researching historical, sociological and cultural aspects of either our biota, native bush reserves, or botanic/native plant gardens are also eligible.

Study area(s): Humanities and Social Sciences; Science

Scholarship level: Doctoral; Master’s Research

Closing date(s): 30 April

Tenure: One year

Award for: International; Domestic

Number offered: One

Value: $5,000 (subject to available funds)

For further details please visit: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/scholarships/current/Otari-wiltons-bush-trust-postgraduate-research-scholarship

Posted: 6 April 2026