Manawatu's Dr Maurice Alley has been appointed a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to conservation and education.

The tireless work of four people in the areas of education, conservation, youth and health has been recognised by the Queen.

Manawatu's Dr Maurice Alley, Maureen Ax, Dr Nadarajan Manoharan and Horowhenua's Barry Petherick have all been appointed members of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Manoharan, who was appointed for services to health, has practiced as an ear, nose and throat surgeon in the country since 1974, when he started his career in Whanganui.

Murray Wilson/ Fairfax NZ Palmerston North woman Maureen Ax has been appointed a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for youth services and dance.

Manoharan settled in Palmerston North in 1982, but one memory of an emergency birth at Taihape Hospital has stayed with him.

Because of bad weather, all chances of getting the patient to a more equipped hospital were lost, so he had to help the woman give birth. Without help, it seemed certain she would die, he said.

"Every year on the anniversary of the surgery, she knitted the most beautiful jumpers for a few years."

KAROLINE TUCKEY/FAIRFAX NZ Now a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Barry Petherick enjoyed 21 years at Waiopehu College, with seven years as principal.

Advocating for greater access to healthcare for children and heading up several projects in developing services were also recognised in his admission.

Now a MidCentral District Health Board member, Manoharan hopes to continue work on staff engagement, culture and fairness.

Alley, recognised for services to conservation and education, has worked with some of the country's most iconic and vulnerable birds.

He joined Massey University as a veterinary investigation officer in 1968 and has been there ever since.

During his career he has worked identifying diseases afflicting kiwi, kakapo, hihi and yellow-eyed penguin.

"Wild birds are out in the middle of nowhere. They're not easy to work with, they often disappear."

Alley said he was delighted to see the progress that was being made in the sphere with a new Wildbase hospital and a new Wildbase Recovery base at the Esplanade.

Conservation was a subject he had much interest in and he felt privileged to be honoured.

He hoped his own recognition would bring wildlife to focus on a broader level.

Petherick was proud to retire in 2014 after 21 years teaching at Waiopehu College and seven years as principal with a list of social interventions ticked off.

Recognised for his services to education, the Levin school now boasts a medical centre on its grounds, a teen parent unit, an early childhood centre, and has strong ties with the community, industry, tertiary providers and potential employers, his citation said.

"In this community we're fortunate that we've got a lot of people that are very passionate about better outcomes for young people," Petherick said.

"All those achievements - I'm very proud of them, but you do your job, and you may have a number of things that you want to do, and you can't achieve them on your own."

The benefits of the initiatives have shown in the school's attendance rates, he said.

Ballet stalwart Ax was appointed for services to youth and dance, having taught ballet since she was 16.

Ax remembers her burning desire to become a ballet dancer as a child.

"I originally started as a seven-year-old with a shilling in my hand, boarding a bus to ballet class."

Alongside her teaching, she has also done charity work with Meals on Wheels, the Palmerston North Rotary Club, and helped support and mentor school students.

She is a registered teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance, becoming a life member of the academy in 2002.

Ax said she was incredibly proud of the dancers she has met and taught. Many have gone on to pirouette across world stages with renowned companies.