Standing My Ground: A Voice for Nature Conservation

For over five decades, Alan Mark has been a voice for conservation in New Zealand. From his call in the 1960s for the establishment of tussock-grassland reserves in the South Island high country to his involvement in the 201113 campaign to save the Denniston Plateau from mining, he has been a passionate and effective advocate for the preservation of areas of ecological importance. Alans conservation activities have paralleled – and are informed by – a distinguished academic career as a botanist and ecologist. In this book Alan describes the challenges and achievements, the frustrations and successes that have made up his remarkable life, now in its ninth decade. A revered figure in the conservation movement, rewarded for his contribution by a knighthood in 2009, he has also endured his share of criticism and insult, which he has weathered with the support of Otago University and his family. As well as providing an important record of New Zealands conservation battles and documenting the life of an outstanding New Zealander, this is an inspiring reminder of the power of individuals to make a difference.