Honorary Life Membership recognises outstanding and sustained contributions and service in activities and roles directly or indirectly under the auspices of the New Zealand Geographical Society by a member of the Society. The contributions and service may take a number of forms including activities such as the following:

• branch office holder
• Council delegate
• national office holder
• Board of Geography Teachers representative or office holder
• Director of the Geography Resource Centre
• longstanding participation in branch or national activities
• longstanding participation in Board of Geography Teacher related activities
• editorship of Society journals
• editorship of Society Proceedings
• editorship of Society books
• Editorship of Society newsletters
• representative of the Society on national boards, committees, organisations and so on
• representative of the Society on international boards, committees, organisations and so on
• biennial conference organiser or committee member
• organiser of Society workshop or seminar
• promoter of Society activities, initiatives, interests
• significant individual sponsor of Society activities

The award consists of a certificate and citation presented at the Society’s Annual General Meeting.

Announcement of Honorary Life Membership is made at the Society’s AGM, in New Zealand Geographer, the Society’s Newsletter, New Zealand Royal Society Alert, and through a Press Release.

The recipient may use the designation HLMNZGS in recognition of the award.