Wild Hero 2019: Sir Alan Mark
When Wild Dunedin introduced its inaugural Wild Hero Award in 2019, there was no question who should receive it. Sir Alan Mark has spent more than half a century fighting for New Zealand's wild places, inspiring generations of conservationists and helping shape the environmental movement we know today.
Born in Dunedin, Sir Alan joined the Botany Department at the University of Otago in 1955 and has remained closely connected ever since, now serving as Emeritus Professor of Botany. His research transformed our understanding of New Zealand's indigenous ecosystems, particularly the vital role that high-country snow tussock plays in collecting and storing water for our rivers and communities.
But Sir Alan's influence reaches far beyond academia.
He became one of New Zealand's most respected conservation advocates, helping lead some of the country's defining environmental campaigns. His work on the historic Save Manapouri Campaign protected Lakes Manapouri and Te Anau from being raised for hydroelectric development, a landmark victory that changed conservation in New Zealand forever. He later chaired the Guardians of Lakes Manapouri, Monowai and Te Anau for 26 years.
He also played key roles in the Save Aramoana Campaign, helped champion the Maruia Declaration to protect native forests, served on the New Zealand Conservation Authority and the Fiordland Marine Guardians, and has spent decades speaking up for freshwater, wetlands, forests and alpine ecosystems.
Throughout his career Sir Alan has published more than 200 scientific papers, mentored countless students and inspired generations of New Zealanders to value and protect our natural world.
Wild Dunedin Co-Founder, Co-Chair Neil Harraway said Sir Alan perfectly embodied everything the Wild Hero Award represents.
"Sir Alan's advocacy for freshwater systems in their widest sense lines up beautifully with the freshwater focus of this year's festival. His decades of work to raise our understanding of the ecology of our wild places, and his active support of groups that protect these places, exemplify the aims of Wild Dunedin."
Since receiving the inaugural Wild Hero Award, Sir Alan's contribution has continued to be recognised. In 2025 he was awarded the Supreme BLAKE Medal, one of New Zealand's highest environmental honours, recognising a lifetime of exceptional leadership in conservation. He was also the first New Zealander to be knighted specifically for services to conservation, receiving his knighthood in 2009.
His memoir, Standing My Ground, reflects on a remarkable life dedicated to protecting nature and standing up for places that cannot speak for themselves.
Few people have shaped New Zealand's environmental story as profoundly as Sir Alan Mark. His work has protected landscapes, influenced national policy, advanced scientific understanding and inspired generations to care for the natural world.
A true Wild Hero.
Sir Alan Mark - Tussock Grasslands Bill Morris