Memorial Awards

The Project Tongariro Memorial Award was established by the society in memory of Keith Maurice Blumhardt, William Edward Cooper, Douglas Neal McKenzie, Derek Ian White and Marie Pauline Williams, who died on Mt Ruapehu while testing helicopter rescue equipment on 9 December 1982.

The award is open to any applicant for study – for fauna, flora, geology, volcanology, weather and natural and human history of Tongariro National Park.

Since the inaugural award in 1991, 35 young researchers have benefited from these awards enabling a wide range of research to be done in the Park. From heather, to bats, skinks, kiwi, stoats, to visitor stats, to geology, to lahars, to botany and climate. An amazing legacy.

The amount shall be determined annually by the executive (originally up to $1000 but since 2002, up to $2000 as long as the society is in a position to fund the awards). Applications for the Awards are accepted up until the end of June each year and are considered at the first executive committee meeting of the new financial year (usually in July/August). The society’s executive seeks independent advice from a representative with an overview of science in the Turangi/Tongariro Conservancy (Dr Harry Keys has assisted with this review since the awards began and continues to do so). Applicants will be advised of the executive committees' decision by August 31st and the awards are announced publically at the annual DOC Conservation Awards.

Recipients of awards are required to provide a photo and short resume suitable for publication by the society. Recipients are asked to acknowledge the society where possible in for example a research publication such as a thesis. All recipients agree to send a copy of their work, including a thesis, to TNHS and are encouraged to contribute a short article for the annual Tongariro Journal.

Note if no applicants meet the required standards in a particular year, an award will not be made.

Please contact Project Tongariro on info@tongariro.org.nz for more info and to apply.

Project Tongariro Meomorial Award Recipients
No	Year	Recipient	Research
1	1991	Catherine Foster	Heather
2	1992	Mark Horricks	Palynology (pollen samples) of Gibson's Swamp
3	1992	Mathew Ward	Investigating visitors' perceptions of crowding in Tongariro National Park
4	1992	Xiang Limin	Plant climate Panautea
5	1994	Charlotte Severne	Geothermal investigations Tongariro - Waihi
6	1994	Suzan Dopson	Mistletoe
7	1995	Shane Cronin - Massey University	Volcanic stratigraphy in the north east sector of Tongariro National Park
8	1995	Nick Monteith - Auckland University	Studying glacial history of Mt Tongariro and Mt Ruapehu
9	1996	Vivienne Nichols	Mangaturuturu lahars - from the study of beech stands
10	1997	Ross Martin	Kiwi-Stoat control research
11	1998	Anna Grant	Post-release behaviour of captive-reared Kiwi
12	1998	Gillian Rapson	Forest-grassland dynamics, Mangaeheuheu Basin
13 & 14	1999	Michelle Prinscep & Paul Broady - Waikato University	Study of Chemistry/Bacteria in Tongariro National Park waterways
15	1999	Amy Trass	Study of forest restoration in the Park (Fruit dispersal & forest regeneration on the volcanic plateau)
16	2000	Ross Martin	Stoat Behaviour
17	2000	Tristram Hayles	The geology of the summit area, Ruapehu
18	2001	Ben Miller	The physical volcanology, petrology and geochemistry of the Wahianoa Valley, SE Ruapehu
19	2001	Gillian Lockett - Victoria Univesity	The geology, volcanology and petrology of a pyroclastic fall deposit, Rangataua Member, South Ruapehu
20	2002	Joanna Meys	Dactyllanthus Taylorii
21	2002	Joanne Chizmar	Volcanology of Tama Lakes
22	2003	Elizabeth Grove	Melicytus aff. Aplinus 'Rangipo'
23	2003	Candice Bardsley	Physical volcanology of Red Crater
24	2004	Ruth Basher	Physical volcanology of Te Maari Craters
25	2004	Jessica Wallace	Vertical flight activity of short-tailed bats (Mystacina tuberculata) within beech and podocarp forests
26	2005	Tom Paulin	Contemporary glacial retreat on Ruapehu
27	2005	Maureen Coomber	Public perception re volcanic hazards on Tongariro Crossing
28	2005	Elizabeth Liggins	Phylogeography of common NZ skink
29	2006	Anja Mobis	The physical volcanology and hazards of pyroclastic eruptions from the Tongariro Volcanic Centre
30	2006	Sascha Brocks	Fantail breeding success after rodent control in the Karioi Rahui - a cost effective monitoring tool
31	2007	Michael Dann	A revision of the native ant species Monomorium antarcticum
32	2008	Terry Blumhardt	UK Search and Rescue methods to be used in Tongariro. Attended international SAR conference in Scotland
33	2009	Natalia Pardo - Institute of Natural Resources Massey University	Physical volcanology of Mt Ruapehu and Mt Tongariro (understanding the physical controls of large scale explosive eruptions)
34	2010	Emma Phillips	Forecasting the consequences of the failure of the eastern rim of Crater Lake, Ruapehu
35	2010	Moniqua Nelson-Tunley	Investigating the genetic dynamics of the small-scaled skink
36	2011	Kirsty Myron	Pittosporum kirkii: autecology and conservation of an endemic epiphytic shrub
37	2011	Yvonne Taura	Rresearch on the effects of willow and willow control on the wetland aquatic invertebrates