Dr Colin Meurk has a long association with Te Ara Kākāriki Greenway Canterbury, introducing the Greendot concept through the Meurk & Hall 2006 paper on spatial optimisation of forest/habitat patches in cultural landscapes. He has adjunct positions at Canterbury and Lincoln Universities and is a Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research Associate with over 40 years’ experience throughout New Zealand and globally in the areas of biogeography, conservation biology, ecological restoration, landscape ecology, integration of biodiversity into cultural landscapes, and citizen science (iNaturalist NZ). He has worked extensively with local government, iwi and the wider community across the country in restoration and landscape design and on-the-ground projects. He has taught and supervised under-graduate and post-graduate students in these topics over many years and been invited regularly to give public lectures. His theoretical models for optimising landscape design for conservation have been adopted both in New Zealand and Australia. Examples of specific projects include the Christchurch Waterway Enhancement Programme, Travis Wetland protection and restoration, design of Otukaikino wetland partnership, Ngati Whatua and Ngai Tahu projects, Christchurch 360 Trail and Te Ara Kākāriki. His work has been recognised through many awards and in 2021 received the Queens Honour, being made an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Ecological Restoration.