Distinguished New Zealand forester

Peter McKelvey was a distinguished forester whose research and work helped shape the landscape of his country. Born in 1926, he joined the New Zealand Forest Service in 1945.

Michael Roche wrote the following account of Peter’s contribution. It was published in Australian Forest History Society Inc. Newsletter No. 53, October 2009. He writes:

Peter was part of generation of New Zealand foresters who benefitted from Director of Forests, Alex Entrican's strategy, in the absence of a New Zealand forestry school, he had selected staff complete a BSci in New Zealand and then undertake professional studies overseas with Canberra, Edinburgh and Oxford, being the main destinations. Peter completed a part time BSci in 1949 before proceeding to a forestry degree at the University of Edinburgh in 1951.

On returning to New Zealand Peter joined the National Forest Survey. This was a major Forest Service undertaking, replacing the National Forest Inventory of 1921-23 which though superior to earlier Lands Department timber supply estimates was recognised as still being inadequate. The National Forest Survey continued for a decade with Peter overseeing the final stages of its work and publishing important research on the Synoecology of the West Taupo indigenous forests (Peter, 1963) as well as co-authoring the summary volume of the survey (Masters et al., 1957).

Subsequently he remained at the Forest Research Institute in Rotorua before taking the position of Conservator of Forests for Wellington Conservancy. It was from here in 1966 that he was appointed as the foundation Professor of Forestry of the newly re-established Forestry School at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. Two under resourced forestry schools had been set up at Auckland and Canterbury in the 1920s. Both succumbed to Depression-related retrenchment. The Canterbury school survived longer, closing in 1934. Auckland and Canterbury University Colleges both lobbied for a re-established school from the 1940s and the scene was further complicated by Entrican pressing for a post-graduate teaching and research facility linked to the Forest Research Institute in Rotorua adjacent to the large state exotic plantations. This impasse was not really broken until A.L. Poole, became Director General of Forestry in 1961. Canterbury was successful in securing the school.

Peter was able to spend an extended period of time overseas looking at various forestry education models in order to construct a curriculum fitted to local requirements and to move into a purpose designed building. The first intake of students was in 1970. As that decade unfolded the future of indigenous forests became highly contested with distinct "battle lines" being drawn between the New Zealand Forest Service and environmental groups such as the Native Forests Action Council. During this time Peter addressed the question of forest conservation and it is probably time to critically review some of his assessments. He also chaired a key working party of environmental groups and government representatives that devised a revised indigenous forest policy in the mid 1970s. In the early 1980s he undertook the difficult task of offering an informed commentary on the McLean Report which reviewed the objectives, functions and responsibilities of the New Zealand Forest Service and of the Service's rebuttal (McKelvey, 1981). Ultimately the New Zealand Forest Service was disestablished in 1987 to be replaced by three separate single purpose organisations.

Peter remained as Dean of Forestry until his retirement in 1985 when he became Emeritus Professor. While Dean he continued research into animal control in indigenous forests. He served in various capacities in the New Zealand Institute of Forestry including being President (1972-74) being awarded its highest honours and in 2004 was awarded an honorary DSci by Canterbury University.

After retiring from the University Peter carved another niche for himself as a writer on aspects of New Zealand's forest history drawing on his wide ranging professional and personal experience of forests and forestry in New Zealand. Having gently (and quite accurately) chided me for under playing the place of protection forestry in my own history of New Zealand forestry he produced an authoritative statement in 1995 titled Steepland Forests. This was followed by a detailed historical and study of forest planting on sand country (1999).

In addition he published a number of biographical pieces in New Zealand Forestry on early forester Thomas Kirk (McKelvey, 1991), on the impact of French forestry practices on Canadian forester, Leon McIntosh Ellis the first Director of Forests in New Zealand (1920-28) (McKelvey, 1989), and on pioneer Canterbury tree planter and forestry school benefactor T.W. Adams (McKelvey, 1991). He subsequently extended his scope to write an extended essay on Adams for the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography (McKelvey, 2007). In all, he penned three other entries for forest scientists N.L. Elder and J.T. Holloway and Major Yerex who was in charge of the deer control programme.

Other papers included an overview of the background to the foundation of the school and its early years (McKelvey, 1984, 1991) and a detailed study of the WWII New Zealand forestry companies (McKelvey, 2001). He also wrote an historical account of his own 1970s forestry research in Samoa (McKelvey, 2002).

In the oration for his DSci Professor Roger Sands aptly described Peter McKelvey as "an eminent ecologist, educationalist, forest historian and manager in the field for forestry in New Zealand".

Peter died in 2009.

The Newsletter also published the following bibliography of Peter’s work:

PETER MCKELVEY (1926-2009) - A SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
Our last issue included an obituary of Emeritus Professor Peter McKelvey, the distinguished New Zealand forester, who had recently died in Christchurch at the age of 82. We advised that this issue would include a select bibliography of his publications. The bibliography has been compiled by Michael Roche.
Anon. 2004. Honorary doctorate conferred on "father of forestry education". New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 49(1): 30-32.
Anon. 2009. Emeritus Professor Peter McKelvey 1926-2009. Chronicle, 44(14):4.
Crean, M. 2009. Forestry School Pioneer. The Press, 5th September.
Masters, S.E. Holloway, J.T. and McKelvey, P.J. 1957.
The national forest survey of New Zealand, 1955: Volume I The indigenous forest resources of New Zealand. Wellington, Government Printer.
McKelvey, P.J. 1960. Obituary: B. Guthrie. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 8(2): 373-374.
McKelvey, P.J. 1963. The synecology of the West Taupo indigenous forest. Wellington, Government Printer.
McKelvey, P.J. 1977. Obituary: John Thorpe Holloway. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 22(2): 177-178.
McKelvey, P. 1981. Institutional Options for State Exotic Forestry in New Zealand. First Lead Paper, The Structure of Government Forestry, New Zealand Forestry Conference.
McKelvey, P.J. 1984. Eighteen years on. A progress report and assessment of the future, for the School of Forestry [University of Canterbury, New Zealand]. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 29(1): 9-23.Australian Forest History Society Inc. Newsletter No. 54, January 2010
McKelvey, P. 1989. L. MacIntosh Ellis in France. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 34(2): 15-18.
McKelvey, P. 1991. Thomas Kirk in New Zealand forestry. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 35(4): 16-22.
McKelvey, P. 1991. Thomas William Adams 1842-1919 - Early farm forester. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 36(2): 23-25.
McKelvey, P. 1992. The development of the concept of steepland protection forestry in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 37(1): 20-24.
McKelvey, P.J. 1995. Steepland forests: a historical perspective of protection forestry in New Zealand. Christchurch, Canterbury University Press.
McKelvey, P. 1996. New Zealand forest history. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 41(1): 42-43.
McKelvey, P. 1999. Earlier Professional Schools of Forestry in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 43(4): 30-34.
McKelvey, P.J. 1999. Sand Forests: a historical perspective of the stabilisation and afforestation of coastal sands in New Zealand. Christchurch, Canterbury University Press.
McKelvey, P. 2000. German documents in historical find. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 44(4): 38.
McKelvey, P. 2001. New Zealand foresters at war. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 45(4): 34-39.
McKelvey, P. 2002. Obituary: Mick O'Neill: The passing of a "good man". New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 47(4): 44-45.
McKelvey, P. 2002. Samoan interlude - 36 years ago. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 47(1): 37-38.
McKelvey, P. 2004. The Hocking Papers. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 49(2): 41.
McKelvey, P. 2004. Obituary: Chris Johns: Practical advocate of multiple-use plantation forestry. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 48(4): 43.
McKelvey, P. 2005. Leon Ellis - in search of an enigma. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 49(4): 45.
McKelvey, P. 2005. Obituary: Alistair Graham Duncan Whyte 1939-2005: Quantitative rigour and passion for forestry. New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 50(2): 46.
McKelvey, Peter. 2007. "Adams, Alfred Albert Thomas William 1842-1919". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 22 June. URL: www.dnzb.govt.nz.
McKelvey, Peter. 2007. "Elder, Norman Lascelles 1896-1974". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 22 June. URL: www.dnzb.govt.nz.
McKelvey, Peter. 2007. "Holloway, John Thorpe 1914-1977". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 22 June. URL: www.dnzb.govt.nz.
McKelvey, Peter. 2007. "Yerex, George Franklyn 1893-1967". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 22 June. URL: www.dnzb.govt.nz.

Steepland Forests: Historical Perspective of Protection Forestry in New Zealand by Peter McKelvey (Paperback - 16 Nov 1995). £24.95