Scion
Race to save Rotorua's native trees nurtures local rangatahi
As forest scientists work to restore native tree species threatened by myrtle rust, a Jobs for Nature programme is empowering young Rotorua men to connect with nature. Audio
Ginseng - digging new roots in NZ
Glen Chen sees huge potential in New Zealand for growing ginseng, a root which has been harvested for use in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. He grows wild-simulated ginseng… Audio
Our Changing World – Getting the best from bark
In a future that is free of fossil fuels, where will we source all the products that we get from the petroleum industry? Scientists at the forest research institute Scion think that trees might… Audio
Rotorua timber building wins global design prize
The timber Scion Headquarters in Rotorua has been named the world's best at this year's World Architectural Festival. RTA studio's Architect and Director Richard Naish tells Jesse about their… Audio
NZ tests to reveal if bio-based claims stack up
Tests of a selection of plastics marketed as bio-based has found half of them are not all they claim. GNS and Scion have developed new tests that will verify if they are. Audio
Plastics designed to degrade on command
Scion scientists are introducing enzymes to plastics that will trigger degradation once the plastic's work is done. Audio
Can we make plastic that's better for the environment?
Nanogirl finds out if we can make plastic that's not so bad for the environment. Video, Audio
Myrtle rust research
Scientists are working to better understand the invasive plant disease myrtle rust, and how it might impact native plants and ecosystems. Audio
Predator wasp considered in eucalyptus-pest battle
An application is being looked at to import and release a parasitoid wasp to control a beetle that damages eucalyptus trees.
Can an introduced parasitic wasp control a nuisance beetle?
After years of trials, Scion entomologists believe New Zealand could safely introduce a parasitic wasp to control the eucalyptus tortoise beetle. Audio
Our Changing World for 9 August 2018
Finding out if an introduced parasitic wasp could be a biocontrol agent for a pest of eucalpytus trees, and how fossil pollen can tell us about lost worlds. Audio
Robots could soon take over dangerous forestry jobs
Some of the most dangerous and labour intensive jobs in the primary sector could soon be done by robots.
To-wood the future
Precision-bred trees will be central to our economy as wood-based products replace plastic and glass fibre in laptop cases, car interiors and even aeroplanes, a molecular geneticist says. Audio
Tackling red needle cast
Red needle cast is a relatively new disease hitting pine plantations in New Zealand and retarding tree growth. Plant pathologist Dr. Nari Williams has been looking at ways to manage it. Audio
Bio-plastic fantastic
Fruit and vegetable growers and other primary producers are looking with new eyes at the waste they produce. Now paua shells, flax, waste from grapes and kiwifruit can be used as ingredients in… Audio, Gallery
Taking on the Giant
The giant willow aphid is infesting willows, apple and pear trees, some native trees and shelterbelts on some kiwifruit orchards. Entomologist Stephanie Sopow is heading to the United States to search… Audio
Nights' Culture - Paul Berrington
Moritz Von Oswald and Mark Ernestus were two Berlin-based electronic musicians who'd been around the scene for a while, and began making music together in the early 90s. Paul Berrington divulges the… Audio
Native plant back from brink of extinction
A chance discovery of seeds in a garden shed has been used to save the white-flowered ngutukākā.