Hugh Wilson (botanist)
Encyclopedia
Hugh Dale Wilson is a New Zealand botanist
. He has written and illustrated a number of books about New Zealand plants. He manages Hinewai Reserve
on Banks Peninsula
.
. He went to Elmwood District (later Normal) School in Christchurch
where he began drawing birds at an early age. At St Andrews College he was Dux
in 1962. He taught for Voluntary Service Overseas
, the British scheme on which Volunteer Service Abroad
was later to be based, in Sarawak
on Borneo
. After attending the University of Canterbury
, he studied the botany of Stewart Island / Rakiura, and then the Aoraki / Mount Cook region, for several years. This was followed by a botanical survey of Banks Peninsula.
Wilson started fieldwork on Banks Peninsula and Kaitorete Spit
in September 1983. He established a 1000 yard grid-point system and surveyed a 6 m x 6 m sample plot at each site. That way, 1331 plots were surveyed over a five-year period. While the work had been supported by the Koiata Botanical Trust, DOC realised that it was directly relevant to their aims, and asked Wilson to write the Banks Peninsula PNAP report. The report was the 21st in the series and published in 1992.
is a private nature reserve
on Banks Peninsula.
It started off as a 109 ha block of farmland bought by the Maurice White Native Forest Trust in September 1987 and is now 1230 ha of gorse
and regenerating native bush. Wilson identified the land as suitable for the trust's aims during his PNAP work. He has been managing the reserve since its purchase.
In 2010, Wilson was interviewed for the feature length documentary film "Queen of the Sun: What are the bees telling us?
"
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
. He has written and illustrated a number of books about New Zealand plants. He manages Hinewai Reserve
Hinewai Reserve
Hinewai Reserve is a private nature reserve on Banks Peninsula in New Zealand.-Description:Hinewai Reserve started off as a 109 ha block of farmland bought by the Maurice White Native Forest Trust in September 1987 and is now 1230 ha of gorse and regenerating native bush.The reserve was completely...
on Banks Peninsula
Banks Peninsula
Banks Peninsula is a peninsula of volcanic origin on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It has an area of approximately and encompasses two large harbours and many smaller bays and coves...
.
Early life
Wilson was born in TimaruTimaru
TimaruUrban AreaPopulation:27,200Extent:Former Timaru City CouncilTerritorial AuthorityName:Timaru District CouncilPopulation:42,867 Land area:2,736.54 km² Mayor:Janie AnnearWebsite:...
. He went to Elmwood District (later Normal) School in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
where he began drawing birds at an early age. At St Andrews College he was Dux
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
in 1962. He taught for Voluntary Service Overseas
Voluntary Service Overseas
Voluntary Service Overseas is an international development charity that works through experienced volunteers living and working as equals alongside local partners. It is the largest independent volunteer-sending organization in the world...
, the British scheme on which Volunteer Service Abroad
Volunteer Service Abroad
VSA is an international volunteering organisation based in Wellington, New Zealand. It is an independent charity and is non-governmental, non-religious and non-political...
was later to be based, in Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
on Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
. After attending the University of Canterbury
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
, he studied the botany of Stewart Island / Rakiura, and then the Aoraki / Mount Cook region, for several years. This was followed by a botanical survey of Banks Peninsula.
Banks Peninsula PNAP
The Department of Conservation (DOC) had a programme, known as the Protected Natural Areas Programme (PNAP), of identifying and protecting examples of plant life, animals, ecosystems and landscape features that make New Zealand unique. The PNAP was established in 1983, and the country was divided into 268 ecological districts, grouped into 85 ecological regions. Banks Peninsula was one of those regions, with Port Hills, Herbert and Akaroa making up its three districts.Wilson started fieldwork on Banks Peninsula and Kaitorete Spit
Kaitorete Spit
Kaitorete Spit is a long finger of land which extends along the coast of Canterbury in the South Island of New Zealand. it runs southwest from Banks Peninsula for 25 kilometres, and separates the shallow Lake Ellesmere from the Pacific Ocean...
in September 1983. He established a 1000 yard grid-point system and surveyed a 6 m x 6 m sample plot at each site. That way, 1331 plots were surveyed over a five-year period. While the work had been supported by the Koiata Botanical Trust, DOC realised that it was directly relevant to their aims, and asked Wilson to write the Banks Peninsula PNAP report. The report was the 21st in the series and published in 1992.
Hinewai Reserve
Hinewai ReserveHinewai Reserve
Hinewai Reserve is a private nature reserve on Banks Peninsula in New Zealand.-Description:Hinewai Reserve started off as a 109 ha block of farmland bought by the Maurice White Native Forest Trust in September 1987 and is now 1230 ha of gorse and regenerating native bush.The reserve was completely...
is a private nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
on Banks Peninsula.
It started off as a 109 ha block of farmland bought by the Maurice White Native Forest Trust in September 1987 and is now 1230 ha of gorse
Gorse
Gorse, furze, furse or whin is a genus of about 20 plant species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to western Europe and northwest Africa, with the majority of species in Iberia.Gorse is closely related to the brooms, and like them, has green...
and regenerating native bush. Wilson identified the land as suitable for the trust's aims during his PNAP work. He has been managing the reserve since its purchase.
In popular culture
Wilson is featured in the film Earth Whisperers/Papatuanuku.In 2010, Wilson was interviewed for the feature length documentary film "Queen of the Sun: What are the bees telling us?
Queen of the Sun
Queen of the Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us? is a 2010 documentary film directed by Taggart Siegel. The film investigates multiple angles of the recent bee epidemic colony collapse disorder. It also explores the historical and contemporary relationship between bees and humans...
"
Selected bibliography
- The year of the hornbill : a volunteer’s service in Sarawak (1966)
- Wildflowers of New Zealand (1974)
- Vegetation of Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand (1976) ISBN 0477061001
- Wild plants of Mount Cook National Park : field guide (1978, 1996)
- Field guide : Stewart Island plants (1982, 1994) ISBN 0958329907
- Banks Peninsula Track : a guide to the route, natural features and human history (2008, 10th edition)
- Banks ecological region : Port Hills, Herbert and Akaroa ecological districts (c1992) ISBN 0478013949
- Small-leaved shrubs of New Zealand (1993) ISBN 0473018519
- Naturalised vascular plants on Banks Peninsula (1999) ISBN 047305826X
- Hinewai : the journal of a New Zealand naturalist (2002) ISBN 1877251208
- Food for tūī on Banks Peninsula : a botanical assessment (2007) ISBN 0478226772
- Natural History of Banks Peninsula (2009) ISBN 978-1-877257-82-7