“Reasonably knowledgeable” scientist made emeritus professor

Media Release
14 April, 2011

“Reasonably knowledgeable” scientist made emeritus professor

A Waikato University professor who’s worked tirelessly to preserve New Zealand’s flora, fauna, forests, wetlands and waterways has been made an Emeritus Professor.

Dr Warwick Silvester spent 30 years at Waikato and during that time says he became “reasonably knowledgeable” about a number of things, especially nitrogen fixing bacteria and the way soil properties, microbes and root systems of plants influence the availability of nutrients. He pioneered the use of stable isotopes to track nitrogen fluxes through forest, pasture and wetland ecosystems – work that is vital in regions like the Waikato where nitrogen leaching is a major environmental issue.

In 1987 he helped establish Waikato University’s Stable Isotope Unit and served as its Director for 20 years. It meant that instead of samples being sent to Wellington for analysis and taking weeks to get results, the work could be done in a few days or even minutes Clients from all over the world still make regular use of this facility.

Off campus, Dr Silvester has been a member of the Tongariro/Taupo Conservation board and chaired the development of the recent Tongariro National Park Management Plan. He remains a key member of the Technical Advisory Group for the Rotorua Lakes and since his retirement he has been heavily involved in land use research around the lakes – a major research project at Waikato University that is funded by the Foundation of Research Science and Technology.

He initiated the Tane’s Tree Trust with Rob McGowan, a national group that promotes the use of native trees in all facets of the landscape from production to conservation settings. He advises many community groups and continues to lecture on planting, conservation and forest management. He is currently chair of the David Johnstone Pukemokemoke Trust and is often seen with gumboots and spade as he and fellow trustees work to improve this key ecological Waikato site just outside Hamilton city.

Dr Silvester’s work was acknowledged in 2007 when he was awarded the inaugural Kudos Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to science. The award is now named the Silvester Award in his honour.

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