Exciting learning opportunities, open to everyone

Bus Trip - NZ Native Orchids

Guide:            Carlos Lehnebach

Destination:    East Harbour Regional Park, Lower Hutt

Date:              Saturday 8th November departure 9.00am

Cost:               $55 (minimum of 20 people)

Transport:       Bus departure points, times and itinerary will be emailed to those who register

Dr Carlos Lehnebach is one of the curators of Te Papa’s botanical collection. He has an MSc in Plant Ecology and a PhD inPlant Biology. Carlos’ research describes NZ’s orchid diversity and supports the conservation of its most threatened orchids. These projects include the use of historical plant specimens, DNA analyses and field trips to forests and wetlands to study the orchids and their pollinators. He collaborates with scientists from Otari Wilton’s Bush, Massey University, University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington.

This bus trip will visit the East Harbour Regional Park, Lower Hutt and takes us on easy access tracks along regenerating beech forest and scrub. Participants will learn about the diversity of orchids in NZ and the key features which identify some of the most common species. Along the walk participants will get to see some of the most common species found around the lower North Island and Carlos will talk about current research efforts to conserve rare and threatened species and create living collections. We will also learn about the process of collecting plant material for herbarium collections and the steps botanist follow to take these from the wild to the museum’s collection store.