Leadership and diversity in the New Zealand Ecological Society.

The New Zealand Ecological Society (NZES) was formed in 1951 by government and academic researchers keen to foster the newly emerging discipline of ecology. NZES membership has now expanded to include many different contributors to ecology and conservation, from research scientists to conservation practitioners through to environmental policy analysts. Our aim was to examine how diversity in NZES has changed over time, either as a leader or a follower of trends in society. To do so, we analysed available data on NZES membership, governance structure, and awards, which reflect contemporary concerns about equality, matauranga Maori, and interdisciplinary science. We also searched articles in the New Zealand Journal of Ecology, using terms such as 'Maori', 'culture' and 'matauranga' to track the incorporation of indigenous views and matauranga Maori into New Zealand ecological research. Together, NZES membership, governance and awards show a shift in membership and governance towards greater gender equity. Early NZES governance and membership was dominated by men with some notable exceptions largely derived from the field of botany. However, the data provide only a sketchy picture of members, as neither ethnicity nor gender data are collected. As yet, very few published journal articles reflect bicultural values, concerns or management of New Zealand's biodiversity. We discuss possible interpretations of the data, including the changing value of service to societies like ours, and consider pathways to support and value diversity in the NZES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]