In this episode of Nature Conversations, I speak with Marie Taylor — a communicator, conservationist, and one of the most passionate advocates for native plants you’ll ever meet.

Marie runs her own native plant nursery, Plant Hawke’s Bay, where she not only supplies plants for large-scale restoration projects but also takes personal responsibility for propagating some of the rarest and most threatened species in existence.

With a background as a QEII National Trust regional representative and her current role as a QEII Board member, Marie brings a unique perspective that blends hands-on nursery work, community engagement, and conservation leadership.

Our conversation explores Marie’s journey, the critical importance of eco-sourcing, the challenges and triumphs of restoration projects, and what it takes to protect biodiversity in a rapidly changing world.

Summary

Marie has channelled her passion for nature into a career working across rural landscapes with a principled, hands-on approach — working tirelessly to conserve some of the rarest plants on earth. She takes a long-term view of restoration, carefully collecting and propagating our precious native flora, and ensuring that these species have a future.

But Marie is also deeply concerned about the alarming population trends of key species. She reminds us that their decline is a warning sign — a measure of the health and integrity of the ecosystems they inhabit. She highlights feral deer and other browsing animals as some of the biggest threats facing our native flora, and asks the uncomfortable but necessary question: Are we prepared to lose another species in the wild — and what is our strategy to prevent it?

Marie’s insights are a powerful reminder that when the ecological ‘canary in the mine’ begins to disappear, it is a call to act — not tomorrow, but today.

Marie, thank you for your work and your wisdom. Your passion for the land and its unique species is contagious, and it has never been more critical than it is right now.

Relevant links:

QEII National Trust

Te Mata Park

Plant Hawke's Bay

Hawke's Bay Regional Council Biodiversity

Biodiversity Hawke's Bay

About the podcast:

Hi! I’m Dr Adam Forbes. I am an Ecologist who specialises in the restoration of forest ecosystems. The Nature Conversations Podcast isn’t about me, however, the purpose of the podcast is to capture knowledge and insights from remarkable people and profile important issues for ecology and nature conversation.

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Keyword

Marie Taylor interview, Plant Hawke’s Bay nursery, New Zealand native plants, native plant propagation, threatened species New Zealand, biodiversity conservation NZ, QEII National Trust, feral deer impacts NZ, rural landscape restoration, eco-sourcing native plants, ecosystem health indicators, saving endangered plants, nature conversations podcast, forest and wetland restoration, rare plant conservation NZ