Wingspan award for ecologist

The Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust has awarded its Raptor Award to Associate Professor John Holland for his outstanding contribution to the conservation of New Zealand’s birds of prey.

Wingspan is a charitable trust based in Rotorua that was set up to educate, research and advocate for the conservation of New Zealand’s birds of prey. The award was presented to Dr Holland at a dinner in Palmerston North by trust chair Noel Hyde and manager Debbie Stewart.

Originally from Zambia, Dr Holland grew up surrounded by some of the world’s most charismatic and exciting birds of prey.

As an Associate Professor and Director of the Environmental Management Programme at Massey University, Dr Holland has co-authored more than 10 papers on the New Zealand falcon, their ecology and conservation and supervised more than 10 PhD, 30 Masters and 40 Honours students.

Mr Hyde says the award is recognition of Dr Holland’s longstanding passion for birds of prey. “He has made a great contribution to the understanding and conservation of the unique little bird that is the New Zealand falcon, both through his own research and by inspiring those around him,” he says “One time merchant banker, tobacco farmer, lecturer, bushman and professor, always a falcon nut.”