Honouring the life of landscape architect Herwi Scheltus
Members of the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects Tuia Pito Ora have been greatly saddened by the recent passing of pioneering landscape architect Herwi Scheltus (23 December 1951 - 27 June 2026).
Institute president Ralph Johns says Herwi had made a significant contribution to the profession. He served on the NZILA Executive Committee for two terms between 1989-1993, was a founding member of the Taupō, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay Branch and was well known for his outstanding career with the Department of Conservation (DOC).
Known for his sense of humour, Herwi appears lying down at the front of this photo of the NZILA executive committee of 1989-1991. Standing at the back are Alan Titchener, Ron Flook (President), Steve Thompson, Sarah Collins and Rob Watson; seated in the middle are John Powell and Julia Williams. In his second term Herwi also served on the committee with April Walker, Claire Findlay and Dennis Scott.
The son of Dutch immigrants, Herwi (a melding of his two first names, Hermanus Willem) was educated at Tauranga's Ōtūmoetai College before gaining a Bachelor of Horticultural Science from Massey University, as well as studying for a year at the California State Polytechnic University in Pomona in 1975.
Herwi next went on to gaining a Diploma in Landscape Architecture from Lincoln where his major design study was titled 'A coastal recreation study of Wainui Valley, Banks Peninsula'. He was in the same cohort as Neil Bromley, David Clutterbuck, Nicholas Empsom, Timothy Heath, Nigel Hutton, Graham Laws, Hugh Lusk, Susan Smith, Stephen Thompson, Julia Williams and Marion Worth.
Herwi's career as a landscape architect began with the Department of Lands and Survey (1979-1987) followed by more than 30 years with the Department of Conservation (1987-2019).
Ralph Johns: "Herwi is one of the landscape architects whose story was added to the NZILA oral history archive in 2009. As recorded in Tuia Pito Ora - He Whakaahua, our 50th anniversary publication in 2022, in a section titled 'Landscape architects in conservation', the fact that Herwi became known as the last landscape architect retained in-house by DOC is remarkable, as are his many achievements as a public servant".
"It's known that as well as working on Crown Land Development programme projects, the nature of his responsibilities in the field of landscape rehabilitation and bioengineering included providing advice, advocacy and training for DOC and other agencies".
"Some of the singular achievements that attach to Herwi and that deserve to be documented in full, are his influence on the ecological and aesthetic design of public conservation lands, working closely with iwi, and his pioneering work on land rehabilitation and revegetation techniques using native plants on large-scale engineering projects in the central North Island".
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A compelling core to Herwi's life was his devotion to his home region of Tongariro Taupō. His lasting legacy in the central North Island includes hosting of World Heritage events, contributing to the Tongariro National Trout Centre and project oversight for DOC on the Waikaremoana Tribal Authority building Te Wharehou O Waikaremoana. In addition he was a long-term member of the Farm Forestry Association, a judge for the Waikato Farm Environment Award trust and served as a Commodore of Lake Taupō Yacht Club in the 1990s.
In recent years Herwi was never idle, still putting his landscape expertise to work for his local community in Taupō through the likes of volunteering for Kids Greening Taupō and at the Taupō Intermediate School.
The school's most recent newsletter made a special acknowledgement of Herwi's mahi and integral role in native planting on the school grounds. Their tribute reads:
"Herwi quietly gave his time, support and expert advice with genuine generosity. He would often pop in during weekends, quietly beavering away, never seeking recognition or acknowledgement—simply wanting to make a positive difference. Today, those thriving native plants stand as a lasting reminder of (his) dedication, generosity, and willingness to share his knowledge and time (for the benefit of) generations to come. Thank you, Herwi, for all that you gave to our kura".
Other tributes to Herwi and condolences to his family have been made on the NZ Herald's notices page and local Taupō Funeral Services page on Facebook.
Two recollections that resonate are that "every person who came into his life was welcomed as whānau" and that he will be remembered as an an "iconic steward" of our natural world and special places.
Ralph Johns says NZILA grieves with Herwi's family - his wife Mary, children Hans and Alaina and grand-children Ollie and Jan - and his community of friends in Taupō.
"Be assured that Herwi's lifelong contributions as a landscape architect will not be forgotten".
Kō ngā tahu ā ō tapuwai inanahi, hei tauira mō āpōpō
(The footsteps laid down by our ancestors create
the paving stones upon which we stand today)
Friends, associates and fellow landscape architects who knew Herwi and have memories to share can send these to admin@nzila.co.nz