Scion’s Portfolio Leader for Establishing Indigenous Forests, Simeon Smaill, joined Bryan Gibson on the Farmers Weekly NZ podcast to discuss the growing momentum behind native forest planting in Aotearoa New Zealand. Simeon shared insights into how expanding native forests can help meet climate goals, the long-term benefits for landowners, and why New Zealand needs a transformative moment for native species—akin to the impact radiata pine once had.

The Crown Research Institutes Sustainability Group is highlighting the work of its members over the coming months. Kicking off the series is Kim McGrouther, Scion’s Sustainability Lead and Research Group Leader. In this episode of Plant & Food’s Spotlight on Sustainability, Kim shares her journey, the challenges and opportunities in embedding sustainability across science and operations, and how Scion is leading by example in creating a more sustainable future.

In this episode of Cut the Crop, host Alison Stewart speaks with Scion atmospheric scientist Ilze Pretorius about the biosecurity risks posed by windblown pests and diseases. Ilze discusses her role co-leading Protecting Aotearoa from Wind-Dispersed Pests, a Scion-led, MBIE-supported research programme. She shares how the team is developing the Aerobiological Surveillance and Prediction (ASAP) system to better monitor and manage the movement of airborne pests across New Zealand’s landscapes.

Scion’s Acting General Manager for Forests to Biobased Products, Alec Foster, recently joined Andrew Thompson on The Rural Roundup podcast for a forward-looking conversation on biotechnology. Alec shared his insights on the Gene Technology Bill and discussed how emerging technologies are shaping the future of forestry, agriculture, and biobased industries in Aotearoa New Zealand.