Victoria marine biologist providing expertise to UK

Marine biologist Professor Jonathan Gardner is heading to the UK as a visiting professor to provide his expertise on managing marine reserves.

Professor Gardner from the School of Biological Sciences has been appointed as the NZ-UK Link Foundation’s Visiting Professor.

During his time in the UK, Professor Gardner intends to bring together his research in the fields of marine protected areas (MPAs), biodiversity conservation and population genetics to address the recent UK Marine and Coastal Access Act and New Zealand’s MPAs Policy and Implementation Plan.

His work will contribute to a greater understanding of how MPAs can most effectively be set up and run to achieve their conservation goals and help protect marine biodiversity. The UK currently has three statutory marine nature reserves in addition to a number of other types of marine protected areas.

Professor Gardner says New Zealand is regarded as a world leader in marine protection having established 33 full marine reserves, with several others planned.

"Worldwide, it is recognised that marine resources are depleted and that human action is threatening marine biodiversity. There is increasing international recognition that various forms of marine reserves or MPAs provide substantial conservation benefits in terms of protecting marine biodiversity and ensuring the health of the marine environment," says Professor Gardner.

"There is also now recognition of the fact that the best way to protect marine biodiversity is not through a series of ‘ad hoc’ reserves, but through a network of interconnected and self-supporting reserves."

The appointment is the second NZ-UK link Visiting Professor following on from Professor Margaret Wilson who compared New Zealand’s experience of electoral and legal reform with the UK.

Professor Gardner will take up his appointment in early October and will be based at the University of London’s School of Advanced Study.