Botanist Dr Eric Godley (1919–2010) is widely known for his work on indigenous flora and pest plant control in New Zealand.
Born in Devonport in 1919 he was educated at Takapuna Grammar School, Auckland Teachers’ Training College and Auckland University where he gained a BSc in 1941 and MSc in 1942.
In 1948 he completed a PhD at Trinity College, Cambridge. He has lectured at Cambridge, Auckland and Canterbury universities and has received a number of academic awards for his research.
From 1951 to 1984 Dr Godley was with the former DSIR, as its Director from 1952, then director of the Crop Research Division 1958-81. During his time with the DSIR he developed, at Lincoln, New Zealand’s principal plant research centre on indigenous and naturalised flora.
He also developed a chain of regional DSIR botany field centres throughout the country, introduced the concept of comprehensive Flora of New Zealand series, developed the discipline of palaeobotany, and founded both the New Zealand Journal of Botany and the New Zealand Botanical Society.
Dr Godley has been actively involved in conservation and contributed to the development of a classification system for pest plant control in New Zealand. He has produced and edited many papers and publications including Plants of New Zealand and New Zealand Plants and Their Story.
Citation authorised as true and correct at April 2000.
