Ep 4: Heidi Allan - Uncovering nature’s tiny treetop dwellers
In this week's episode, we chat with Master’s student Heidi Allan, whose research is uncovering the hidden world of beetles living high in New Zealand’s forest canopies.
Heidi is a Master's student in Conservation and Ecology at Lincoln University, specialising in canopy entomology – the study of insects living high in our forests.
Her research explores how beetle communities change from the forest floor through the understorey and up into the canopy, and what environmental factors like light, temperature and humidity have to do with it.
“We’ve spent a lot more effort just putting people on the moon than we have looking at our tree canopies,” Heidi says.
Because access is tricky, having to climb trees to great heights, this kind of work hasn’t been done much before. Heidi is changing that by inventing new ways to collect data, which others could then use in the future.
Her findings could help organisations like DOC improve species monitoring, while also giving forest-based industries insights into their impacts and how to reduce them.
Heidi has lived in Japan and the United States, but has always felt New Zealand was home. She loves our wildlife so much that, alongside her Master’s, she volunteers at the South Island Wildlife Hospital, caring for native birds like kiwi, kea and albatross.
Heidi is also a recipient of the Tait Foundation Research Scholarship, which supports postgraduate research at the intersection of technology and the land.
If you'd like to find out more about Heidi's research you can get in touch and see her latest research updates on LinkedIn.
Heidi Allan - LinkedIn profile
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Listen to Heidi’s podcast episode to hear more about her story and her important mahi in the world above our heads.
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[Host – Hiraina] Kia ora and welcome to From the Ground Up. I'm your host Hiraina Tangiora and I'm a lecturer and a PhD student here at Lincoln University. This podcast is all about the fantastic research being undertaken by our post-graduate students and the real world impact this has. In each episode, we'll sit down with brilliant minds to uncover fresh ideas, share inspiring research stories, and explore their student journey. Today, I’m chatting with master student Heidi Allen, who's all about beetles, biodiversity, and the canopy layer of our forests. from drone trap setups to coding her own climate sensors. She’s taking a creative approach to uncover how beetles differ between the forest floor and the treetops. She's also a wildlife hospital volunteer, a line dancer, and loves getting outdoors. So, there’s plenty to get into. Welcome to the podcast, Heidi. It's great to have you with us.
[Guest – Heidi] Thanks. It's great to be here.
[Host – Hiraina] Awesome. So, do you want to start by telling us a bit about yourself and what you’re studying here at Lincoln?
[Guest – Heidi] Yeah. So, um I grew up in Japan, the US, and New Zealand. And I always felt like New Zealand was home. But when I lived in the US, I volunteered at a nature centre and really loved working with wildlife. So, I thought that I'd come back to New Zealand to study wildlife. And I’m studying a master's of conservation and ecology, continuing on from my bachelor’s of conservation and ecology at Lincoln.
[Host – Hiraina] Wonderful. So, you're a repeater. You’re back for more.
[Guest – Heidi] Yes.
[Host – Hiraina] Great. And so you spoken a little bit about being introduced to wildlife during your time in the United States. Was there anything in particular that happened that made you want to pursue this research within that or just the field in general was really exciting?
[Guest – Heidi] Well, I volunteered at a nature cantered through that role I worked in wildlife rehabilitation. So we took injured and orphaned wildlife and then released them when they were ready. And I really just loved working with all of the wildlife. And so I thought I'd continue doing wildlife work here in New Zealand. And in New Zealand, I've got some pretty awesome bird species. So originally I thought I'd be working with birds.
[Host – Hiraina] Mhm. Oh, we're lucky to have you on the job then it sounds like. And so we've got a bit of choice across New Zealand in terms of research post-graduate studies. What made you choose Lincoln University?
[Guest – Heidi] So, originally when I was looking at coming back to New Zealand, I thought I wanted to study conservation and I looked into all the programs and I actually was tossing up between AUT and Lincoln because they're both kind of small conservation programs. Um, but I didn’t want to live in Auckland. I thought a more rural university would be better suited to me. So, I decided to study at Lincoln.
[Host – Hiraina] Great. And following on from what you’re saying there about Lincoln being rural and a bit more a bit smaller um out in the open, what does this place mean for your research because of that?
[Guest – Heidi] Well, in terms of the university itself, the um just having that access to staff that you know really well because there's such a small number of students to staff um means that I can really get all the support that I need for my research. And then in terms of location, there’s a lot of awesome forests because my research involves forests. So I can work with those forests in Lewis Pass and up in Ka kind of areas where I'm conducting my research and it's nice and accessible. Yeah. I'm thinking an hour to two hours maximum away. Yeah. For most of them or the closer ones.
[Host – Hiraina] Yeah. Cool. And how has working in this overall environment? I mean talking about the physical place where university is and then also the location and land shaped the way you’ve approached your studies do you think?
[Guest – Heidi] Well I think that being in this kind of environment where we can just like go out onto our doorstep and and experiment in the fields and and go walking along campus and see the the birds and the insects. has really allowed us to kind of get a wide experience as we're learning in my bachelor's and then for my masters it's kind of given me the opportunity to just go right out on my doorstep and see what's out there.
[Host – Hiraina] Definitely. And so do you think Heidi that these surroundings help keep you grounded in your research that you maybe wouldn't feel in a city center?
[Guest – Heidi] Yeah, it's great because um I can just go outside and and see the things that I'm working with um as opposed to seeing buildings. But yeah, I definitely feel connected to nature and so being able to study outside in nature. Um, even just working on my assignments, I'll go out and sit in the grass or outside to feel the fresh air and the environment.
[Host – Hiraina] Lovely. Not today, but on other days,
[Guest – Heidi] yeah, that are a bit nicer.
[Host – Hiraina] Yeah. Cool. Well, thank you for giving us an overview um, I guess, on how you came to your studies and how you came to Lincoln. Keen to drill down into your studies a little bit more if that's all right. what is the core research problem that you're hoping to solve?
[Guest – Heidi] So, I'm looking at beetles in the tree canopy and um there's really been very little research on our tree canopies here on Earth. Um we spent a lot more effort even just putting people on the moon than we have looking at our tree canopies. So, um I'm looking to find out whether the beetles that we have in our canopies are different to the beetles at ground level.
[Host – Hiraina] Cool. And that's important because we don't really know what's there.
[Guest – Heidi] Yeah. I know.
[Host – Hiraina] Sounds really interesting. Can't wait to sort of see how this progresses for you. And who do you hope will benefit the most from your work cuz this can obviously be more than one person.
[Guest – Heidi] I think my work will kind of guide monitoring practices. So that will benefit those organizations like doc that want to conserve species because we'll be able to find those species that are threatened in the canopy and understand how they might be affected by problems like climate and pollution. But it will also provide benefits to the forestry industry and even other industries that border the forests because then if we can monitor their impacts, it will give us a better understanding of how those practices are impacting the forest and how they can improve.
[Host – Hiraina] Great. And why do you think that it is that we've done more research, you know, on the moon, like you say, than on our forests?
[Guest – Heidi] Well, up until recently, there wasn't really a lot of access to the tree canopies. um people would have to climb and not a lot of people are into climbing 20 m up into the forest. But I think in terms of the moon that's just very novel like outer space and I think the tree canopy gets overlooked as oh yeah it's the forest but it's actually pretty awesome up there.
[Host – Hiraina] Mhm. Absolutely. And in terms of deforestation and all these things that have happened Yes. you know over the last 100 plus years they're probably pretty important to protect what we have.
[Guest – Heidi] Definitely.
[Host – Hiraina] Cool. And the beetles within them. How fascinating. And have you seen what types of forests are you working with at the moment?
[Guest – Heidi] I'm working in red beach forest or beach forest that has some red beach in it.
[Host – Hiraina] Okay. And this is in Lewis Pass and Arthur's pass general areas across from Kakura to Punaki. So Lewis pass and then West Coast and Kota area. And so when it comes to data collection, do you do this all by yourself or do you have others that you bring along?
[Guest – Heidi] I usually bring other people with me um because it's not seen as a good idea to be doing work in the forest alone. Um but I bring some friends along and we always have a good time on our trips and they come with me to keep me company and do some of the driving as well.
[Host – Hiraina] Lots of fun and research. I mean data collection is really fun.
[Guest – Heidi] It is. Yeah.
[Host – Hiraina] So cool that you can share it with friends as well. Is it too early to ask if you've seen any beetle differentiation yet?
[Guest – Heidi] My preliminary study last year showed that there was a difference. Um, but the the medium and the top height weren't different, but I only went to 15 metres. Um, and the ground level was different. So, there was more types of beetles and just overall more numbers of beetles at the ground level.
[Host – Hiraina] Okay. And in terms of say Kakoto versus Punaki, are there any coastal differences versus inland?
[Guest – Heidi] We expect that there will be differences as you go across a country due to the different rainfall and like climate. So we think that there will probably be more differentiation in the higher rainfall environments and less in the drier areas.
[Host – Hiraina] Mhm. So when you say expect, we're just going to have to keep in touch with your research to find out for sure.
[Guest – Heidi] Yes, we'll see in a year.
[Host – Hiraina] Sounds good. And now Heidi, what uh impact are you hoping that your findings might have on that the wider I guess New Zealand community?
[Guest – Heidi] Yeah.
[Host – Hiraina] Not everyone will be working in doc or um NPI or anything like that. But how how do you hope that others everyday people Isuppose could benefit?
[Guest – Heidi] That's a really good question. Um I think everyday people can benefit from knowing what's in their environment because then they can feel connected to that nature and and if you don't know what's there, you can't fight for it. And so if everyday people see, oh, look, there's this beautiful like yellow and black beetle in our canopy, it can just give them an understanding of what's around them.
[Host – Hiraina] Yeah. No, I really I really love that. Um, and you can't, I guess, care so much about things that you can't see.
[Guest – Heidi] Yes.
[Host – Hiraina] But you're helping to help people see things. Great. And do you see this research being of international relevance at all?
[Guest – Heidi] I definitely think so. Um, there's been some canopy research in tropical forests, but there's been a lot less in temperate forests. Mhm. So I think this will allow us to kind offset the stage for look temperate forests are important too and and their canopies also need the study. So we can then work with other countries that have temperate forests and compare our results and and discuss with them whether they've got the same kind of trends.
[Host – Hiraina] So you wouldn't expect to see similar findings between tropical and temperate in your area that.
[Guest – Heidi] No, I don't expect so. Yeah. The tropical forests have a lot more differences between the ground level and the canopy of their forest in terms o fthe structure and the climate. And so I expect that there will be differences in how the beetles are distributed.
[Host – Hiraina] Mhm. Interesting. And then thinking about other temperate forest countries, what are the countries that would be the most I guess interest um for you to do research with? You obviously lived in the United States.
[Guest – Heidi] Yes.
[Host – Hiraina] Um but yeah, are there others?
[Guest – Heidi] Well, I'm personally quite keen to do research in Japan. um because I I lived there and I feel a bit of a connection to Japan, but also because they've got some pretty awesome beetle species over there that would be very cool to work with.
[Host – Hiraina] Absolutely. Maybe the PhD.
[Guest – Heidi] Yeah, maybe.
[Host – Hiraina] Cool. Thank you for that. And are you seeing, I guess, a strong connection between all of these challenges that we're grappling with locally versus the challenges that we see happening globally as well in terms of environmental impacts.
[Guest – Heidi] Yeah, there's definitely connections. Um, one of the big things that we're looking at with my research is how climate change is affecting the beetles .And so that's something that's affecting everyone all over the world. And if we can see how climate change will affect our species here, it will definitely have an impact on how other countries might be able to assess the impacts of climate change for them.
[Host – Hiraina] Do you feel like we are leading the way here uh in terms of New Zealand's research or are we I guess lagging behind?
[Guest – Heidi] I think in terms of temperate forest, we're definitely leading the way and and some of the methods that we're using are pretty new methods that haven't been used very much. So, it's pretty exciting to see if if it's something that we can get other people to adopt as well.
[Host – Hiraina] Are you happy to expand on some of those methods?
[Guest – Heidi] In terms of collecting the beetles, um I'm placing flight intercept traps, which are these traps. They're made of two plastic plastic um panes that intersect and the beetles fly along. they hit one of the panes, they drop into a funnel and they're caught. And so these traps have been around for quite a long time, but they haven't been used across different heights in the forest. So I'm placing them all the way up at 18m. And I'm using a drone to fly the line up there and hoist them up. And then we can compare on one tree the beetles caught at different heights. And something that's not really been done before.
[Host – Hiraina] No, be it not. So, you don't get to climb up the trees to put the traps up. How does the drone actually work in terms of getting them up there?
[Guest – Heidi] I fly the drone up over the top branch of the tree and then that carries a fishing line over and my fishing line is attached to the roofing twine that holds my traps. So, I hoist the line of traps up and they slowly lift all the way up to the the top and then they're connected at the bottom and at the top.
[Host – Hiraina] Good old Kiwi ingenuity. And how many traps would you have on an 18 m tree out of interest?
[Guest – Heidi] Three. I'll have one at 2 m, uh, one at 9 m, and one at 18 m.
[Host – Hiraina] Cool. Oh, that sounds really exciting. Are there any other methods that you're using or that you've been observing that you think are quite unique?
[Guest – Heidi] Yeah. So, I'm also using climate sensors and so I'm designing my own sensors that will measure temperature, humidity, light levels, and wind speed.
[Host – Hiraina] Wow.
[Guest – Heidi] And I'll be placing them alongside my traps. And they're pretty cool because they can last a month on batteries without needing to be changed and collect all that data every minute.
[Host – Hiraina] Amazing.
[Guest – Heidi] So, um I'm hoping that if these sensors work really well, then we can continue to use them for other climate forest projects.
[Host – Hiraina] Absolutely. And you're saying that you have made these?
[Guest – Heidi] Well, I'm working on it prototyping at the moment.
[Host – Hiraina] Incredible. And is that as part of your master study, you've been empowered to do that?
[Guest – Heidi] Yes. So I'm working with Tate Communications because I'm a Tate scholar and so part of my project involves that technology element and they're helping me do that.
[Host – Hiraina] And how is how important is it that we can I guess disseminate your research as far as possible?
[Guest – Heidi] Yes. So I guess an important part of that would be publishing so that other academics can see the work but also be great to spread the news at conferences and networking with other people in that way.
[Host – Hiraina] Awesome. Absolutely. And have you written any publications? Is that your plan to do so?
[Guest – Heidi] It is my plan to do so after um conducting the research. I did a preliminary study last year um and so I've written up the publication for that. Just needs to be submitted peer reviewed which is quite a long process.
[Host – Hiraina] Yes. And good on you because you're also juggling doing your mast's thesis aswell.
[Guest – Heidi] Yes. And conferences.
[Host – Hiraina] Have you been to any conferences?
[Guest – Heidi] Yes. So last year I went to the New Zealand Entomology Society conference which was here in Christchurch. Quite convenient. Um and I presented a speed talk at that conference. So 3 minutes just very quickly explaining my research.
[Host – Hiraina] Cool.
[Guest – Heidi] Which was pretty awesome to connect with all those other enmologists.
[Host – Hiraina] Definitely. And have you had other opportunities to present um your research as well even if it's outside of a formal conference.
[Guest – Heidi] Um well I've presented it here at Lincoln quite a few times but um not outside of Lincoln other than that conference. But I am um I have applied to present in a conference in Sweden this year. So we'll see if that works out.
[Host – Hiraina] Great. And how do you find presenting your research? Is it something you are comfortable with? Are you getting better at it?
[Guest – Heidi] I am actually pretty comfortable presenting because it's with my own research, I know it better than anyone else. So, if I make mistakes, then they don't know cuz it's my research.
[Host – Hiraina] Absolutely. That's like presentation tips 101.
[Guest – Heidi] Yeah.
[Host – Hiraina] How to dispel public speaking fears. Awesome. Have you had any international collaboration in your research so far?
[Guest – Heidi] Not so far. But I'm working with other people within New Zealand, but I haven't worked with other people overseas yet.
[Host – Hiraina] Next step.
[Guest – Heidi] Yep.
[Host – Hiraina] PhD maybe. Sounds good. So, I guess thinking back um on how you've um progressed your masters so far in terms of reflecting, what has been the most surprising or rewarding part of the journey?
[Guest – Heidi] I think the most rewarding part of the journey is just the people that I've got to work with and um especially when we get to go on like field trips and and do field work together. It's great to get to know all of the other students and some of them are doing some pretty awesome research of their own. So getting to interact with them and see what they're doing is amazing.
[Host – Hiraina] So in terms of uh postgraduate study here at Lincoln, you mentioned you have a great supervisory team. Uh this is your second program here. Yhave you found that the support mechanisms in place around your learning and research have been really good?
[Guest – Heidi] Yes. So this year I found that there's been some support services available for postgrads that I never knew when I was in my undergrad. So I recently went to a writing retreat. Um it was two days where they just shut us in a room and give us time to work, but then they also feed us and then there's some like mental health and stretching stuff. So it was really great to be productive and get some of those study skills that I can then use throughout the rest of my studies.
[Host – Hiraina] Yeah, the probably the idea of being shut in a room for two days is a nightmare for some, but for researchers is actually quite nice. Get work done. Absolutely. And we've already teased PhD a couple of times, but I will ask you formally, what do you hope to do after completing you rmasters, Heidi?
[Guest – Heidi] I am planning to do a PhD. Um, I'm planning to continue my canopy work. Um, I haven't yet decided whether that will be continuing what I'm doing now here at Lincoln or going overseas and exploring different canopy horizons.
[Host – Hiraina] Mhm .Potentially both. Yeah. Could be a joint venture between Lincoln and another uni.
[Guest – Heidi] Exactly. I think that's a great idea.
[Host – Hiraina] Cool. And thinking about your future and so say you complete your masters, you get your PhD, then after that, how do you see yourself contributing to long-term change in your field?
[Guest – Heidi] So, I'm quite interested in environmental education. And so, I think once I've completed my PhD and kind of got settled into a role as an expert in the canopy, I'd really love to share that knowledge. um both with scientific communities through conferences and interacting with others, but also I really like working with children. So, I'd love to do environmental education with some primary school or preschool groups Aswell.
[Host – Hiraina] You sound like the great person for the job to be honest.
[Guest – Heidi] Thanks.
[Host – Hiraina] And if someone was thinking about doing postgrad study here at Lincoln as well. Yeah. Um what advice would you give to them based on your time here?
[Guest – Heidi] I think the two most important things would probably be find supervisors you like and you can work with and find a project that you love because if you're going to work on it for a couple years or three then you really want it to be something that you're so passionate about that you can continue to work on it and go oh this is awesome for all of those years. And yeah supervisors it's just great to have people that can support you and that you can work with well and communicate together.
[Host – Hiraina] That's very sage advice. Have you had awesome supervisors?
[Guest – Heidi] I do. Yeah, my supervisors are pretty cool.
[Host – Hiraina] Wonderful. Now, what do you do outside of your masters?
[Guest – Heidi] Outside of my masters, I do quite a few things. Um quite busy, but um I volunteer at the South Island Wildlife Hospital, which is pretty amazing because we get to work with lots of New Zealand species. So, we work with kiwi and kia and then more common things like gulls, which are quite quite crazy. Um and I really like doing that. I've been doing that for quite a few years. Then I also do um bouldering is my cousins are really into it so they dragged me into it as well.
[Host – Hiraina] Great. And the Lincoln Uni has a great bouldering gym .Cool. We have it all here.
[Guest – Heidi] Yeah.
[Host – Hiraina] And what kind of work um what would a weekend or a volunteer stint at the South Island Wildlife Hospital look like? So, usually I go in and depending on how many other volunteers are there, I might be doing some like cleaning of enclosures and prepping animal food or if the other volunteers are newer, then I'll be training them or um sometimes assisting the vet with medical things. So, my very first day I showed up, I assisted with the surgery on a penguin's foot, which was quite exciting and a little bit too bloody for me.
[Host – Hiraina] Mhm. You've picked the right sort of research path for you.
[Guest – Heidi] Yes.
[Host – Hiraina] based onthat. Cool. And do you think if you hadn’t have had that experience in the US in your younger years that you may not be doing all the work that you're doing now or do you think it was inevitable that you would come around to it?
[Guest – Heidi] It's a really good question. I think it was working at the nature centre that really drove me to work with wildlife. So, I've always liked the environment and I probably would have gone into some environmental field, but working with wildlife really came from that experience of doing wildlife rehabilitation and also the education. I did a preschool environmental program there and so that really developed my love of working with kids and teaching them about our awesome environment.
[Host – Hiraina] So, Heidi, what is the one thing you want people to take away about your research from our chat today?
[Guest – Heidi] I think I want them to take away that we have beetles in our canopy and that they're awesome. And um yeah, they should get excited that we should learn what's up there. It's a whole new thing to discover.
[Host – Hiraina] Absolutely. You've definitely you've taught everyone who's at least listening to our episode today that that's the case. You've taught me as well. So I appreciate that. Now, how could others if they are listening and they're interested get involved and support the work that you're doing?
[Guest – Heidi] Um people can probably get involved through their local organizations like we've got um local branches of the entomology society. So, if they're interested in insects, then they can do that. Um, in terms of canopy research, that'd probably be a bit more niche, but if you reach out to people at Lincoln or even there's some people at UC that do canopy research, so you can get in touch with different scientists. Well, I'm happy for people to reach out to me via my email. So, that would be heidi.allanuni.ac.nz and I'm happy to answer any questions people have or get them involved.
[Host – Hiraina] Great. Awesome. And this is a hard question, so I apologize.
[Guest – Heidi] It's okay.
[Host – Hiraina] If you could sum up your research journey in one sentence, what would it be?
[Guest – Heidi] Discovering the canopy through working with awesome people.
[Host – Hiraina] I love that. Yeah, that's cool. That's great. It definitely sounds like from what we've talked about today as well that that is a nice way to put a bow on it I guess I guess summarize our conversation. So, thank you. Two fun questions to round us out.
[Guest – Heidi] Yep.
[Host – Hiraina] What is your favourite food or fibre product? My favourite food or fibre product would probably have to be curry.
[Host – Hiraina] Okay. Do you want to elaborate for us?
[Guest – Heidi] Well, I really like Japanese curry. It's my favorite food and it's um really easy to make and so it's my go-to like, oh, I don't have time to make dinner, so I'm just going to chuck on some Japanese curry. It's delicious.
[Host – Hiraina] I mean, you are busy with your masters and all of your volunteer work, so it makes sense that it would be a time-sensitive meal. Great. And final question, if you had $1million of research funding, how would you spend it?
[Guest – Heidi] I think I would probably build a team so that I could expand my research to have more sites and more different forest types. and then having a team so that we can identify all of the beetles and um go deeper into the knowledge because with the funding I have and the time I have in a masters, I’ll be able to identify some of those species, but there'll be other things I collect like flies that will just be completely ignored because they're not part of my question.
[Host – Hiraina] True.
[Guest – Heidi] So, it' be really great to utilize those other species that we're catching.
[Host – Hiraina] A big thank you to Heidi Allen for joining me today and sharing her research journey. Such an insightful koreo. This has been from the ground up. Thanks so much for listening. If you enjoyed today's episode and want to hear more about our postgraduate research as well as the people behind it, don't forget to rate, subscribe, and share this podcast with your friends. See you next time.
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