The awards covered the whole spectrum of the biosecurity system, including at the border and pest management, in the plant, animal, freshwater and marine domains. The full list of awardees can be found at http://bit.ly/2wJppTe. B3 congratulates all award winners.

B3 researchers had active participation in the activities of three of the award winners. These include:

  • Department of Conservation (The Great White Butterfly Eradication Project) won the “Government’ and the ‘Supreme’ Awards. The Department of Conservation eliminated this pest butterfly from New Zealand. Scientific expertise drawn from B3 helped drive the world-first eradication of the invasive great white butterfly (see: http://b3nz.org/news/b3-science-supports-world-first-pest-eradication).
  • Te Tira Whakamātaki – Māori Biosecurity Network won the Māori Award. The Māori Biosecurity Network was established in 2015 to look at how Māori knowledge, interests, and values can be embedded in New Zealand’s biosecurity system. B3 researchers have supported Te Tira Whakamātaki by attending and presenting at a range of hui on border biosecurity issues of concern to Māori (see www.biologicalheritage.nz/programmes/maori-biosecurity-network).
  • Port of Tauranga Limited – Biosecurity Excellence won the Industry Award. The Port of Tauranga has built a port community that’s committed to biosecurity excellence. Their aim is to have no biosecurity incursions coming through the port. Their programme is a partnership with industry and government. B3 researchers, as part of B3 Refresh, will be underpinning this initiative with research in the areas of general surveillance and social licence to operate.

The B3 Director, who was at the Award Ceremony, indicated that “it was great to see the enthusiasm and commitment from all, including those who did not receive awards” and “that many of the successes were underpinned by innovative science”.