Subcommittees
Awards
The Convenor of the Awards
Subcommittee is the GSNZ Vice-President.
The subcommittee is
convened according to the Rules
of the Society
Fossil Record File
Hamish Campbell, Institute of
Geological & Nuclear Science, P.O. Box 30-368, Lower
Hutt
Email h.campbell_at_gns.cri.nz
Subcommittee
The subcommittee consists of Hamish Campbell (Convenor), Greg Browne, Penny Cooke, Mike Johnston, Jack Grant-Mackie, Julie Palmer, Ian Raine and Arne Pallentin (who is Convenor of the GIS-Databases-Remote Sensing Special Interest Group).
Fossil Record File curators are Stephen Eagar (Victoria University), Ewan Fordyce (Otago University), Neville Hudson (Auckland University), Belinda Smith Lyttle (GNS, Dunedin), John Simes (GNS, Lower Hutt) and Jane Guise (Canterbury University).
What is the Fossil
Record File?
One of the defining qualities of GSNZ that sets it apart
from all other geological societies is its joint ownership
(with the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, GNS)
of a national research database known as the New Zealand
Fossil Record File (FRF). This is a register of fossil
localities that exists both electronically (as FRED: fossil
record electronic database), and as a paper file. It is
physically administered by six FRF Curators who are based in
universities or GNS offices in the major centres (Dunedin,
Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland). Day to day management
and operation of FRED is carried out by GNS at its Lower
Hutt office.
The New Zealand Fossil Record File is the envy of most other earth science communities globally. There is nothing quite like it anywhere else. Currently there are more than 86,000 fossil localities on record, and it grows daily. So far, about 65% of the paper files have been entered in FRED and the aim is to have all paper files entered. Paper files were initiated in 1946 and the electronic database in 1970.
What is the function of
the FRF Subcommittee?
The function of the GSNZ FRF Subcommittee is to ensure
that the Fossil Record File is managed and administered in a
manner that is compatible with the original spirit intended
of this database: that it is available as a resource for all
earth scientists and especially members of GSNZ. The FRF
Subcommittee is therefore charged with the task of ensuring
that GSNZ interests are maintained. At present, the database
is undergoing significant change as a function of improved
software and computing facilities. Consequently, the FRF
Subcommittee plays a role in any decision making associated
with developments of the FRF and its use.
Meeting and
reporting
The FRF Subcommittee meets infrequently as needs-be,
usually with the FRF Curators, and the Convenor reports on
activities to GSNZ on an annual basis. The last meeting of
the FRF Subcommittee was Friday 20 May 2005.
See the FRED and STRATLEX links on the databases page.
Publications
Ursula Cochran, GNS, PO Box 30368,
Lower Hutt
Email u.cochran_at_gns.cri.nz
The Geological Society of New Zealand publishes a series of guidebooks to features of geological interest as well as a series of miscellaneous publications (including conference proceedings, geological tour guides, and inventories of geological features) and, more recently, biographies. In 1995 an agreement was made between the Geological Society of New Zealand and the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences for the marketing and sales of Society publications. "Geyserland" clearly tops the GSNZ publications list. However, it appears that the Japanese aren't that interested in the home language version. Current projects include bibliographies of Alexander McKay, Harold Wellman.
Geological Reserves
Bruce Hayward, Geomarine Research,
49 Swainston Rd, St. Johns, Auckland
Email: b.hayward_at_geomarine.org.nz
See also NZ
Geopreservation Inventory website
The Geological Reserves Subcommittee is concerned with the identification and protection of the best representative geological features and landforms of New Zealand. During the 1980s and 1990s, the subcommittee oversaw the completion of a national Geopreservation Inventory, which identified, listed, graded and documented c. 2500 different geological features under different subject categories and subsequently according to geographic region. Hard copies of the these inventories by subject area and by region are available for purchase from Bruce Hayward. It should be noted that the Inventory is not a static listing and is continually be upgraded and reassessed as new information comes to hand. The Dept of Conservation maintains an up to date computerised copy of the Geopreservation Inventory for its information purposes. The Subcommittee maintains a watching brief on the welfare of important geological sites and landforms right around the country and periodically makes submissions on Regional and District Plans and RMA permit requests to undertake works that may be detrimental to our Earth Science Heritage.
In the last few years the
Subcommittee has been involved with the following sites:
Northland - One Tree Point Quaternary sequence
(Whangarei Harbour);Taurikura natural jetty (Whangarei
Heads), Pouerua Volcano; Whangape Harbour entrance;
Waimimiti Scoria Miounds (Kaikohe); Maungakawakawa Scoria
Cone (Kaikohe).
Auckland - Takapuna fossil forest, Wiri lava cave,
Parnell Baths cliffs, Stony Batter (Waiheke), Tamaki Estuary
rhyolitic sequences; St Kentigerns peat and ignimbrite
section; Purchas Hill; Mt Roskill; Takapuna Head; Auckland
Eastern Corridor; Wiri Mt; Mangere Lagoon Explosion Crater;
Pt England chalazoidites; Mt Eden management plan.
Hawkes Bay - Cape Kidnappers section; Maungahouanga
Stream dinosaur sites.
Wellington - Titahi Bay fossil forest (Wellington),
McKays Crossing sea cliffs and fan; Wairarapa Fault trace at
Pigeon Bush; Turakirae Uplifted Beach Ridges; Taupo Swamp;
Quartz Hill peneplain; Belmont blockfield; Otaki beach
ridges.
Nelson - Mapua-Kina sea cliffs
Canterbury - Blands Bluff.
Otago - Oamaru pillow lavas.
Southland - White Hill
The Subcommittee currently
(2005) consists of:
Bruce Hayward, Convenor (Auckland), Fred Brook (Northland),
Hamish Campbell (Wellington), Dave Craw (Dunedin), Tony
Edwards (Wellington), Roger Fagg (Timaru), Mike Johnston
(Nelson), David Johnston (Waikato), Jill Kenny (Auckland),
Alan Palmer (Manawatu)
