{{Short description|New Zealand botanist and environmentalist (born 1932)}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox scientist | honorific_prefix = | name = Sir Alan Mark | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|KNZM|CBE|size=100%}} | image = Alan Mark (cropped).jpg | alt = | caption = Mark in 2013 | birth_name = Alan Francis Mark | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1932|06|19|df=y}} | birth_place = Dunedin, New Zealand | death_date = | death_place = | fields = Botany | workplaces = University of Otago | patrons = | education = | alma_mater = Duke University | thesis_title = | thesis_url = | thesis_year = | doctoral_advisor = | doctoral_students = | notable_students = | known_for = Save Manapouri campaign | influences = | influenced = | awards = Loder Cup (1975) | author_abbrev_bot = | spouse = {{marriage|Patricia Kaye Davie|1957}} | children = 4 | signature = | signature_alt = | website = {{URL|https://www.otago.ac.nz/botany/staff/alanmark.html|University of Otago profile}} }} '''Sir Alan Francis Mark''' {{Post-nominals|country=NZL|KNZM|CBE}} (born 19 June 1932) is a New Zealand botanist and environmentalist. He was an initial member of the Save Manapouri campaign and the inaugural chair of the Guardians of Lake Manapouri for 26 years.
==Biography== Mark was born in 1932 in Dunedin. His parents were Frances Evelyn Mark ({{nee}} Marshall) and Cyril Lionel Mark.<ref name="Who's Who" /> He attended Mornington School in Dunedin<ref name="Standing his ground">{{cite news |last1=Munro |first1=Bruce |title=Standing his ground |url= https://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/magazine/standing-his-ground |accessdate=10 August 2020 |work=Otago Daily Times |date=9 October 2015}}</ref> and received his secondary education at Mosgiel District High School in Mosgiel. He then graduated from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Science in 1953, and a Master of Science in 1955. He obtained his PhD from Duke University in North Carolina, United States, in 1958.<ref name="Who's Who">{{cite book |title=Who's Who in New Zealand, 1991 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6x8OAQAAMAAJ |accessdate=29 July 2015 |last1=Lambert |first1=Max |year=1991 |edition=12th |publisher=Octopus |location=Auckland |page=421|isbn = 9780790001302}}</ref>
From 1958 to 1959, he was a plant ecologist for the Otago Catchment Board. Since 1960, he has been at the University of Otago; first as a lecturer, then reader, then associate professor, and (since 1975) professor. From 1960 to 1964, he was a research fellow for the Miss E. L. Hellaby Indigenous Grasslands Research Trust. During 1966, he was visiting professor at Duke University.<ref name="Who's Who" /> He retired from Otago University in 1998 and has since been ''Emeritus'' Professor.<ref name="Sir Alan">{{cite news |last1=Fox |first1=Rebecca |title=Sir Alan is still picking his priorities |url= https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/sir-alan-still-picking-his-priorities |accessdate=10 August 2020 |work=Otago Daily Times |date=31 December 2009}}</ref>
Mark was asked by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in October 1969 to study the lakeshore of Lake Manapouri to see what environmental effect could be expected from the proposed raising of the lake level by {{convert|27|m}}.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Laura |title=Save Manapouri marks 50 years |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/save-manapouri-marks-50-years |accessdate=10 August 2020 |work=Otago Daily Times |date=7 March 2020}}</ref> A heated public debate started over the proposal and Mark was a founding member of the Save Manapouri campaign. The issue was significant in the 1972 general election, helped the Labour Party win and form the Third Labour Government of New Zealand, and Norman Kirk established the Guardians of Lake Manapouri. Mark was one of the six original Guardians and was the group's inaugural chairperson for 26 years.<ref name="Powerful exploits of engineering">{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Guy |title=Powerful exploits of engineering |url= https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/powerful-exploits-engineering |accessdate=9 August 2020 |work=Otago Daily Times |date=28 September 2019}}</ref>
Mark was a member of the Otago Catchment Board from 1974 to 1986. From 1981 to 1990, he was a member of the NZ National Parks and Reserves Authority. From 1984 to 1986, he held membership of the Land Settlement Board. He was a foundation member of the Native Forest Action Council. He was a member of the Otago Conservation Board and the group's chairperson for some time. He is a life member of Forest and Bird and was the group's president for some time.<ref name="Who's Who" /><ref name="Sir Alan" />
==Honours and awards== In 1975, Mark won the Loder Cup, a New Zealand conservation award.<ref>{{cite web |title=All Loder Cup winners from 1929 |url= https://www.doc.govt.nz/news/events/awards/loder-cup-award/all-winners-from-1929/#2004 |publisher=Department of Conservation |accessdate=10 August 2020}}</ref> He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1978.<ref name="Who's Who" /> In the 1989 New Year Honours, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to conservation.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=51580 |date=31 December 1988 |pages=33–34 |accessdate=10 August 2020 |supp=3}}</ref> Mark received the Royal Society Te Apārangi's Hutton Medal in 1997.<ref name="Honorary DSc">{{cite news |last1=Gibb |first1=John |title=Honorary DSc for Sir Alan |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/honorary-dsc-sir-alan |accessdate=10 August 2020 |work=Otago Daily Times |date=1 May 2014}}</ref>
In the 2001 New Year Honours, Mark was appointed Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DCNZM) for services to conservation.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2001 | title=New Year honours list 2001 |date=30 December 2000 | publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | accessdate=10 August 2020}}</ref> In the 2009 Special Honours, Mark accepted for his DCNZM to become a titular honour and thus became a Knight Companion (KNZM).<ref>{{cite news |title=Who's opting for titular honour and who's not |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/whos-opting-titular-honour-and-whos-not |accessdate=10 August 2020 |work=Otago Daily Times |date=1 August 2009}}</ref> In 2010, he won the Charles Fleming Award for Environmental Achievement.<ref name="Honorary DSc" /> Otago University conferred an honorary Doctor of Science (DSc) on Mark in May 2014.<ref name="Honorary DSc" />
==Books by Mark== *{{cite book |last1=Mark |first1=Alan F. |last2=Adams |first2=Nancy M. |authorlink2=Nancy Adams |title=New Zealand Alpine Plants |date=1979 |publisher=Reed |location=Wellington |isbn=9780588010639}} *{{cite book |last1=Mark |first1=Alan F. |last2=Galloway |first2=David J. |title=Above the Treeline: A Nature Guide to Alpine New Zealand |date=2012 |publisher=Craig Potton Publishing |location=Nelson |isbn=9781877517761}} *{{cite book |last1=Mark |first1=Alan F. |title=Standing My Ground: A voice for nature conservation |date=2015 |publisher=Otago University Press |location=Dunedin |isbn=9781927322048}}
==Family== In 1957, Mark married Patricia Kaye Davie. They were to have two daughters and two sons.<ref name="Who's Who" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Recipients of the Hutton Medal}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mark, Alan}} Category:1932 births Category:Living people Category:New Zealand environmentalists Category:People educated at Taieri College Category:University of Otago alumni Category:Duke University alumni Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of New Zealand Category:New Zealand Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit Category:20th-century New Zealand botanists Category:Scientists from Dunedin Category:Academic staff of the University of Otago Category:Local politicians in New Zealand Category:21st-century New Zealand botanists