Dr Barrie Wills CRG member and Biodiversity Expert

Dr Barrie Wills's experience includes 45 years as a research scientist (botany, ecology, soils, microbiology), and subsequently with pastoral revegetation and erosion control in high country environments under the Crown Research Institutes Landcare Research and latterly AgResearch.  Since 2004 he has operated independently as Central Environmental Services working directly with several high country stations and commercial entities, and rural life-style developments assisting with ecological and biodiversity assessments, land rehabilitation work and reporting for consent processes.   He was appointed to the inaugural Otago Conservation Board, providing an overview of DoC operations, and continues to work closely with Regional and District Councils on high country resource management issues. 

He has also been involved with Sustainable Farming Fund projects including hawkweed control (with the Hieracium Control Trust), sustainable drought management (with the Starborough-Flaxbourne Soil Conservation Group, Marlborough), and poplar/willow fodder (with the Clutha Agricultural Development Board).  He is a Trustee for the Roxburgh Gorge Trail Charitable Trust and Director for CO Clutha Trails Co Ltd, Chair of the Jolendale Park Reserve Ctte and the lower Manorburn Dam Recreation Reserve Ctte. He recently retired from the CODC as a Councillor and Community Board member, and the Guardians, Lake Wanaka.

“I believe that Local Bodies should (and could) be doing more to support sustainable development and climatic adaptability within their districts, biodiversity being an important component of that drive to direct policy in an amenable direction. It is my hope that biodiversity and ecological initiatives play a more substantial role in district planning and policy making, as they must if our communities are to become more adaptive, resilient and have a lesser impact/footprint on what is clearly a world undergoing significant environmental evolution.”