Sir Alan Francis Mark (born 19 June 1932) is a New Zealand botanist and environmentalist. He was an initial member of the

Save Manapouri campaign The Save Manapouri campaign was an environmental campaign waged between 1969 and 1972 in New Zealand to prevent the raising of the levels of lakes Manapouri and Te Anau as part of the construction of the Manapouri Power Project. Origins The ...

and the inaugural chair of the Guardians of Lake Manapouri for 26 years.

Biography

Mark was born in 1932 in

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

. His parents were Frances Evelyn Mark ( Marshall) and Cyril Lionel Mark. He attended Mornington School in Dunedin and received his secondary education at Mosgiel District High School in

Mosgiel Mosgiel (Māori: ''Te Konika o te Matamata'') is an urban satellite of Dunedin in Otago, New Zealand, fifteen kilometres west of the city's centre. Since the re-organisation of New Zealand local government in 1989 it has been inside the Dunedin ...

. He then graduated from the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate ...

with a

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University o ...

in 1953, and a

Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast t ...

in 1955. He obtained his PhD from Duke University in

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

, United States, in 1958. From 1958 to 1959, he was a plant ecologist for the Otago Catchment Board. Since 1960, he has been at the University of Otago; first as a lecturer, then reader, then associate professor, and (since 1975) professor. From 1960 to 1964, he was a research fellow for the Miss E. L. Hellaby Indigenous Grasslands Research Trust. During 1966, he was visiting professor at Duke University. He retired from Otago University in 1998 and has since been '' Emeritus'' Professor. Mark was asked by the

Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, abbreviated DSIR was the name of several British Empire organisations founded after the 1923 Imperial Conference to foster intra-Empire trade and development. * Department of Scientific and Industria ...

in October 1969 to study the lakeshore of

Lake Manapouri Lake Manapouri is located in the South Island of New Zealand. The lake is situated within the Fiordland National Park and the wider region of Te Wahipounamu South West New Zealand World Heritage Area. Māori History According to Māori legend ...

to see what environmental effect could be expected from the proposed raising of the lake level by . A heated public debate started over the proposal and Mark was a founding member of the

. The issue was significant in the 1972 general election, helped the Labour Party win and form the

Third Labour Government of New Zealand The Third Labour Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 1972 to 1975. During its time in office, it carried out a wide range of reforms in areas such as overseas trade, farming, public works, energy generation, local go ...

, and

Norman Kirk Norman Eric Kirk (6 January 1923 – 31 August 1974) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 29th prime minister of New Zealand from 1972 until his sudden death in 1974. Born into poverty in Southern Canterbury, Kirk left school at a ...

established the Guardians of Lake Manapouri. Mark was one of the six original Guardians and was the group's inaugural chairperson for 26 years. Mark was a member of the Otago Catchment Board from 1974 to 1986. From 1981 to 1990, he was a member of the NZ National Parks and Reserves Authority. From 1984 to 1986, he held membership of the Land Settlement Board. He was a foundation member of the

Native Forest Action Council Native Forest Action Council was an environmental organisation in New Zealand. It was formed in 1975 from what was the Beech Forest Action Committee to advocate for the protection of native forests and changed its name to the Maruia Society in 1 ...

. He was a member of the Otago Conservation Board and the group's chairperson for some time. He is a life member of

Forest and Bird Forest & Bird ( mi, Te Reo o te Taiao), also known by its formal name as the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand, is an environmental organisation specialising in the protection and conservation of New Zealand's indigenous f ...

and was the group's president for some time.

Honours and awards

In 1975, Mark won the

Loder Cup The Loder Cup is a New Zealand conservation award. It was donated by Gerald Loder, 1st Baron Wakehurst in 1926 to "encourage and honour New Zealanders who work to investigate, promote, retain and cherish our indigenous flora". The Minister of Co ...

, a New Zealand conservation award. He was elected

Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

in 1978. In the

1989 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1989 were appointments by most of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries, and honorary ones to citizens of other countries ...

, he was appointed

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

(CBE) for services to conservation. Mark received the Royal Society Te Apārangi's

Hutton Medal The Hutton Medal is awarded annually by the Royal Society Te Apārangi to a researcher who, working within New Zealand, has significantly advanced understanding through work of outstanding scientific or technological merit. Requirements Prior ...

in 1997. In the

2001 New Year Honours The 2001 New Year Honours List is one of the annual New Year Honours, a part of the British honours system, where New Year's Day, 1 January, is marked in several Commonwealth countries by appointing new members of orders of chivalry and recipient ...

, Mark was appointed

Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rend ...

(DCNZM) for services to conservation. In the 2009 Special Honours, Mark accepted for his DCNZM to become a titular honour and thus became a Knight Companion (KNZM). In 2010, he won the Charles Fleming Award for Environmental Achievement. Otago University conferred an honorary

Doctor of Science Doctor of Science ( la, links=no, Scientiae Doctor), usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D., or D.S., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries, "Doctor of Science" is the degree used f ...

(DSc) on Mark in May 2014.

Books by Mark

* * *

Family

In 1957, Mark married Patricia Kaye Davie. They were to have two daughters and two sons.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mark, Alan 1932 births Living people New Zealand environmentalists People educated at Taieri College University of Otago alumni Duke University alumni Fellows of the Royal Society of New Zealand New Zealand Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit 20th-century New Zealand botanists Scientists from Dunedin Academic staff of the University of Otago Local politicians in New Zealand 21st-century New Zealand botanists