Dr Kelvin Lloyd, Old Blue Award recipient 2025. Credit Beatrice Lee
Leading New Zealand ecologist and botanist Dr Kelvin Lloyd has been awarded Forest & Bird’s prestigious Old Blue award for his outstanding work protecting and enhancing New Zealand’s natural treasures.
Kelvin currently has a family membership of Forest & Bird and in earlier years he was chair of the Dunedin branch of the organisation. He has provided expert evidence for Forest & Bird and other conservation organisations in court cases that have resulted in important wins for nature.
He also played an important role in the establishment of the Orokonui Ecosanctuary near Ōteptoi Dunedin and its halo project to expand protection to neighbouring properties. He has also given up large amounts of time volunteering for other conservation-related organisations.
“For several decades, Dr Kelvin Lloyd has played an immense role in New Zealand conservation,” says Forest & Bird’s Canterbury and West Coast regional conservation manager, Nicky Snoyink.
“Kelvin’s expertise and knowledge of New Zealand’s native botany, especially rare species, is a major asset to the country.”
Beginning work with Wildland Consultants in 2004, he quickly became a valuable source of expert evidence.
Among the successful outcomes he helped produce was prioritising wilding conifer control sites for the Ministry of Primary Industries which lead to $16 million being allocated for wilding pine control. His expert evidence also contributed towards improving protection for wetlands on the West Coast.
His knowledge of wetlands and botany has been very valuable to Forest & Bird in the Environment Court and other forums.
His evidence was pivotal in the Environment Court’s decision to turn down the proposal for a mine at Te Kuha on the West Coast. He also provided evidence against the land swap for the Ruataniwha Dam in Hawke’s Bay and Forest & Bird eventually won its case in the Supreme Court.
Kelvin recalled his conservation work started with trips to the Catlins with distinguished botanist Sir Alan Mark to plant trees and he was involved in the Dunedin branch’s project to tackle wilding pines across Otago.
A keen tramper, he was also a member of the national executive of Federated Mountain Clubs for five years and a Trustee of Otago Natural History Trust for 15 years during the period the trust’s Orokonui Ecosanctuary proposal was developed and turned into reality.
Kelvin and his family live on a lifestyle block north of Ōtepoti Dunedin and they own a small farm nearby where they have covenanted about 30ha of native forest. Kelvin says they have planted thousands of native trees on the farm and fenced off a wetland and filled it with harakeke flax.
Nicky Snoyink says Kelvin has always been generous in sharing his knowledge and treats others with kindness and respect.
“His experience, enthusiasm, reliability, and communication skills make him a stand-out amongst botanists in New Zealand,” Ms Snoyink says.
“As a science communicator, Kelvin has mastered the art of taking complex scientific information and making it accessible to everyone.”
Nicky Snoyink says Kelvin has always been generous in sharing his knowledge and treats others with kindness and respect.
“His experience, enthusiasm, reliability, and communication skills make him a stand-out amongst botanists in New Zealand,” Ms Snoyink says.
“As a science communicator, Kelvin has mastered the art of taking complex scientific information and making it accessible to everyone.”