Lloyd Esler

{{Short description|New Zealand botanist, teacher and former Invercargill City Councillor (1957 - )}}

{{Distinguish|Lloyd Eisler}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2024}}

File:Lloyd Esler.jpg

Irwin Lloyd Esler {{post-nominals|country=NZL|QSM}} (born 1957) is a New Zealand natural history teacher, columnist, and former Invercargill City Councillor.

After studying botany at the University of Otago and education at Otago Polytechnic, Esler worked at the Otago Museum from 1978 to 1986. He then taught at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery from 1991 to 2001.{{cite web |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/southern-honours-lloyd-esler |title=Southern honours: Lloyd Esler |work=Otago Daily Times |date=2 January 2009}}

Esler unsuccessfully ran for Invercargill City Council in 1992, garnering only 3,641 votes and coming 26th.{{cite news |title=Election '95 |newspaper=The Southland Times |page=4}} He made it onto the council in 2010 and rose up the ranks with each subsequent election, being the second highest polling councillor in 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/local-elections-2010/4215402/Tim-Shadbolt-keeps-Invercargill-mayoralty |title=Tim Shadbolt keeps Invercargill mayoralty |work=Stuff |date=9 October 2010 }}{{cite web |url=https://icc.govt.nz/consult-south/elections/2013-local-authority-election-results/ |title=2013 Local Authority Election results |publisher=Invercargill City Council}}{{cite web |url=https://icc.govt.nz/consult-south/elections/2016-invercargill-results/ |title=2016 Invercargill results |publisher=Invercargill City Council}} Esler did not run for re-election in 2019, instead running for the Environment Southland council{{cite web |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/old-hands-and-new-faces-contest-southland-elections |title=Old hands and new faces to contest Southland elections |date=17 August 2019}} and topping the poll.{{Cite web|url=https://www.es.govt.nz/about-us/elections|title = Elections - Environment Southland}} He did not run for re-election in 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/end-era-three-councillors |title=End of an era for three councillors |date=6 October 2022 |work=Otago Daily Times |first=Ben |last=Tomsett}}

Esler has written a weekly history column for The Southland Times since 2002.{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/features/131826618/one-thousand-columns-and-counting |title=One thousand columns and counting |date=28 April 2023 |work=Stuff |first=Michael |last=Fallow}}

Esler was awarded the Queen's Service Medal in the 2009 New Year Honours for services to the community.