“Peter is a fungal scientist (mycologist) with Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research in Auckland. His main role is as science team leader for colleagues who research systematics of fungi, bacteria, plants, and invertebrates; the team also manages five national collections of these biota, including the NZ Fungarium of dried fungal specimens and ICMP culture collection of living fungal strains.
His research on fungi addresses taxonomy and applied uses of wood decay species, and fungal conservation. He is also keen to promote awareness and education about fungi, co-establishing the annual NZ Fungal Forays in 1986 and, for more general biodiversity awareness, urban BioBlitz from 2004.
In addition to assisting DOC with advice on threatened fungi, Peter is active with the Global Fungal Red List Initiative to assemble data on NZ’s threatened fungi for IUCN Red Listing. By late 2019, 30 NZ species were accepted by IUCN for Red Listing, among 285 fungal species globally (cf. 40,000 plants and 75,000 animals). He is a member of the IUCN SSC Fungi Specialist Group.”
