Botanist, All Black and saviour of native forest

Brian Molloy will be remembered for saving Christchurch’s Riccarton Bush, but he was also a world-class botanist, ecologist, conservationist and All Black No 588.

Orphaned as a child, Molloy grew up in foster homes in rural

Waikanae and Palmerston

North. Being fostered was a ‘‘mostly positive’’ experience but allowed him to develop an ‘‘independent strength of character’’ that served him well all his life, said daughter Sue Molloy.

He wanted to be a farmer but couldn’t afford a farm. Instead, he completed a twoyear diploma of agriculture from Massey Agricultural College.

Opportunity took him to Canterbury, where he lived for the rest of his 91 years and where he developed passions for native orchids, the high country and the plants on limestone outcrops.

In the early 1970s, Molloy joined the trust board at Riccarton Bush-Pū taringamotu, the 7.8-hectare native podocarp forest 3km from central Christchurch. It was in a ‘‘terrible state through decades of mismanagement’’, said Dr David Norton, a friend and colleague for 40 years.

The grass between the mighty kahikatea trees was regularly cut with a mower, preventing natural regeneration and damaging surface roots. Fallen branches and debris were collected and burned. ‘‘He was clearly shocked by the state of the bush and quickly recognised that unless some pretty drastic action was taken, we would lose it,’’ Norton said.

Molloy convinced the board to stop the mowing and burning. Exotic trees were cut down, unused paths removed, irrigation installed, a native plant nursery established, and in 2004, a predator-free fence built.

Molloy was able to radically change Riccarton Bush because of his training and experience. He studied botany at Canterbury University College, graduating with a bachelor of science in 1957 and a masters of science in 1960. He completed his PhD at Lincoln College in 1966, while working as a research officer for the Department of Agriculture. He was later a field botanist at DSIR and Landcare.

Molloy’s early work in high country tussocklands showed that it was once mostly forested and had been burned before European arrival, said Dr Peter Heenan, a senior botanist at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research and another close friend and colleague.

He became a leading authority on New Zealand orchids and co-wrote the book Native Orchids of New Zealand with John Johns in 1983. Orchids are often delicate and tiny. Molloy had a ‘‘botanist’s eye’’ and spotted plants that others would have overlooked, Heenan said.

He never stopped ‘‘botanising’’, his daughter said fondly. On family outings to the beach, for example, while his children went swimming, he would be looking for unusual plants.

He was a director of the QEII National Trust from 1989 to 1998. He helped farmers identify critically important native plant remnants on their land and protect them forever with QEII covenants.

He’d learnt to read people as a foster child, which made him effective in this role, Heenan said.

It also helped that Molloy had been an All Black and engaged easily with farmers.

As a halfback he toured Australia with the 1957 All Blacks, playing five midweek matches and scoring a try. He was Canterbury captain in 1957.

In terms of rugby, he was most proud of his time with the NZ Universities squad, said daughter Sally. He played in the famous 22-15 student victory over the touring 1956 Springboks at Athletic Park.

In 1977, he was a coach-selector of the varsity all-star team that beat the British Lions 21-9 before his home crowd at Lancaster Park. Outside of tests, it was the only match the Lions lost on that tour.

Brian Molloy, ONZM for services to conservation, was predeceased by his wife Barbara and son Michael. He is survived by daughters Sally, Jane and Sue and five grandchildren. –