In the News!

Found out via an email from a colleague that I have been featured in the Science category of the North & South New Zealanders of the Year Awards (North & South’s celebration of Kiwi’s who made a difference in 2011) as being a “bright spark – the inventors and innovators across science, medicine and technology who add to the sum of human knowledge and push the boundaries of human endeavor”.

The award commendation was as follows:

Renee Davies: Unitec’s Landscape Architecture department head is an award-winning eco-landscape designer, who established New Zealand’s first extensive commercial “living roof” using only native plant species.  Not satisfied with the greening of the country’s roofs, Davies is now developing a high-rise environment for endangered native lizard species; living roofs are potentially ideal sites to establish populations of skinks, she says, being free of mammal predators and introduced lizards, plus offering a sufficient insect food supply for the vulnerable natives.   Ref:  North and South Magazine, Issue 310, January 2012

I have no idea how or who, but nice that the research is seen to be making a contribution!