With the BioHeritage National Science Challenge having ended in June, many partners and participants in the decade of mission-led research have expressed concerns about the empowered innovative research community, the unique ways of working, the collaboration across organisations and disciplines, and the loss of momentum.
You’ve told us you will miss the research whānau we’ve created together. Some are worried that the cross-institution collaboration and coordination will disappear. Many of you have raised concerns about the absence of the Challenge in the face of uncertainty, cost-cutting, and de-funding of environmental efforts.
We’ve heard you.
We’ve created a BioHeritage Alliance because we, like you, value the connections that have been made across biodiversity and biosecurity research communities and the knowledge learnt from working collaboratively in a ‘BioHeritage way’, and because collectively we are absolutely committed to reversing the decline of our biological heritage.
The Alliance aims to continue the Challenge’s ways of working, which encompasses values-based, trans-disciplinary, multi-institutional, Tiriti-led, inclusive collaborations. We firmly believe the creation of the BioHeritage Alliance will help to maintain relationships we’ve developed across the sector, share information and data, and coordinate research efforts needed to address key environmental issues.
Two of the Challenge’s senior leaders, Mel Mark-Shadbolt and Duane Peltzer, have agreed to co-lead the Alliance with Te Tira Whakamātaki (TTW) providing secretarial support Tiriti leadership, and Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research (MWLR) providing continued access to Challenge information and outputs such as the data repository and science leadership. The new Alliance will be guided by the values and approach developed by the Challenge – and it will continue the mission to address the decline of our biodiversity and ensure our biosecurity system is fit for purpose.
Amid on-going changes in the science system, we see the BioHeritage Alliance as the best way to maintain and support our collaborative networks and develop new opportunities across organisations committed to safeguarding Aotearoa’s biodiversity and enhancing its biosecurity system.
If you have any questions or would like to stay in the loop, contact hosts TTW via