conservation Archive

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  Herd homes vs cubicles like home vs prison - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Have you ever felt that after a long day inside a building you just have to get out and feel the sun and breathe some air? I guess not being able to do that is one  of the punishments the prison system imposes on offenders. But even they get an hour or so out in [...] read more
  December 9, 2009 3:35 pm - 11 Comments
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  Global concern at Nats’ plan to mine national parks - by frog

  
  
  
  Scrutiny of Government plans to mine our conservation lands is deepening internationally. And it’s got people hot on Facebook too. The Sunday Star Times ran a powerful feature on the weekend called “Picture imperfect”. It looks at international concern at New Zealand’s environmental performance, including National’s plan to mine conservation land: IT’S JUST a stock-take [...] read more
  December 7, 2009 8:30 pm - 10 Comments
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  Hugging trees: with a spade, trap and chainsaw - by frog

  
  
  
  A Wellington couple, entreprenuerial tree-huggers if you wish, criticise Fed Farmer’s head-in-the-sand attitude on climate change in the Nelson Mail today. They’ve invested in carbon farming a 47ha block of marginal land in Golden Bay. Jonathan Kennett and Bronwen Wall aren’t wringing their hands or seeking emissions subsidy handouts; they’re getting their hands dirty planting [...] read more
  December 2, 2009 1:16 pm - No Comments
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  Happy anniversary to a plucky bird - by frog

  
  
  
  On this day 60 years ago, Geoffrey Orbell rediscovered the takahe in Fiordland. The takahe or nortornis (Porphyrio hochstetteri) looks like a pukeko at first glance, but it’s a bit tougher. It has a big bill and strong legs with which it could happily defend itself in a Friday night Courtenay Place melee. After only [...] read more
  November 20, 2009 8:30 am - 5 Comments
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  Fake DOC signs: Naughty, but funny - by frog

  
  
  
  For some Friday amusement, fake DOC signs have been sprouting up in Southland like truffles. “The signs were either an elaborate prank or a message to the tourism industry to not muscle in on the recreationists”. read more
  November 13, 2009 10:24 am - 9 Comments
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  Mokihinui – Brownlee’s burp - by frog

  
  
  
  So this week our Minister of Mining and Damming (aka Energy and Resources) let slip that the Mokihinui hydro-dam “would not go ahead”. Does he know something or was it just his ‘opinion’? Whatever the brain-burp was, he was ill-advised to say it but it’d be nice to think that there may be Moki fans in Government – perhaps they are closet readers of the 1400-fan facebook page! read more
  November 5, 2009 10:16 pm - 28 Comments
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  Smart hook – smart economics - by frog

  
  
  
  Fisher-turned-inventor Hans Jussiet explains the shield and dissolvable pin that covers baited-hooks as they are launched in this video from an ABC TVshow. Once the shielded hook sinks below the depth of seabirds and turtles, the pin dissolves and the shield is released. [Video included] read more
  November 5, 2009 9:20 pm - 5 Comments
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  The last ocean - by frog

  
  
  
  The Ross Sea is described as the world’s last ocean. The Greens support making the Ross Sea a Protected Area, which would mean protecting the Ross Sea’s Antarctic toothfish from fishing. Do you agree? read more
  November 5, 2009 9:33 am - 8 Comments
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  Burning the Mona Lisa to cook dinner - by frog

  
  
  
  Well known conservative commentator Thomas Friedman contends that destroying our biodiversity to fuel unregulated economic growth is like burning the Mona Lisa to cook dinner. The issue of how we should treat natural capital in our economy resurfaced today in a new economic think-tank report. read more
  November 3, 2009 3:49 pm - 11 Comments
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  Vote for a sustainable ocean: buy the best fish - by frog

  
  
  
  Forest and Bird has issued an update of its popular, and very useful, Best Fish Guide. The guide takes into account the state of fish stocks, the amount of seabird, marine mammal and non-target fish bycatch, the damage done to marine habitats and other ecological effects caused by the fishing to decide on its rating. [...] read more
  November 3, 2009 10:02 am - 9 Comments
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  Think our native forests were safe? Think again. - by frog

  
  
  
  “Agricultural intensification over the past 10 years has led to the highest rate of native vegetation loss since European colonisation.” Landcare Research Annual Report read more
  November 2, 2009 11:29 am - 18 Comments
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  Govt takes Green advice on saving Kauri - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  Following my call last week, today the Government has announced it will act to prevent the spread of kauri rot, the didymo of the forest that affects the native kauri tree. The kauri is an evolutionary dinosaur, first appearing in the Jurassic period 195-130 million years ago. It’s a taonga to all New Zealanders. The [...] read more
  October 29, 2009 3:29 pm - 21 Comments
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  Love Wild Rivers? Give them your support - by frog

  
  
  
  Cool. Today a new campaign has been launched for one of New Zealand’s most iconic features – our Wild Rivers. It’s great to see diverse groups – tree-huggers, deer-stalkers, bird-watchers, knobbly-kneed trampers, sharp-edged climbers, risky rafters, kool-kat kayakers, and angelic anglers – representing “over 100,000 New Zealanders” and united in seeking to protect wild rivers [...] read more
  October 28, 2009 12:37 pm - 3 Comments
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  Chalking Nick in Nelson - by frog

  
  
  
  Chalking the opinion of many on the streets of Nelson this morning and challenging Nick Smith, who welcomed Schedule 4 thus: “This Bill at long last puts some pegs in the sand in some very significant areas of New Zealand and says to the mining industries of New Zealand: “These are no-go areas.”…” read more
  October 27, 2009 2:31 pm - 7 Comments
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  The Minister’s sea lion dilemma - by frog

  
  
  
  The annual sea lion sacrifice approaches. This year is not a normal year though. Last summer the pup population nose-dived, by nearly a third. And every mum lost in a net is a number of pups that will not be born. How many will the Minister sacrifice? The first female sea lion to give birth to a pup on the NZ mainland in modern times makes a plea from the big screen. read more
  October 12, 2009 8:13 pm - 2 Comments
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  A blast from the coastal past - by frog

  
  
  
  Guess the author of this quote: “…How much coastline and seafront must be sacrificed forever before we learn that, in issues of profit versus the environment, environment must win? There can be no alternative.” read more
  October 10, 2009 11:00 am - 13 Comments
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  Mining Milford Sound? - by frog

  
  
  
  “Will he rule out of the review of Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act any consideration of mining potential in Milford Sound; if not, why not?” National Parks, openness, ‘hysteria’ and cartoons. read more
  October 8, 2009 10:36 am - 12 Comments
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  Minister Smith please stand up - by frog

  
  
  
  Nick has been surprisingly silent on the decision of Ministers Brownlee and Groser to do a stock-take of our premiere conservation land for its mining potential. Was he consulted? We know he was given a copy of Brownlee’s speech prior, but did he read it? Does he support it? What’s up, Nick? read more
  October 4, 2009 9:11 am - 22 Comments
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  Frog Week with Gerry and Tim - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s frog week! My favourite week of the year. But this one comes under a large grey cloud. My local native frog rellies have not been faring well for a while. They’re threatened by all sorts already. But now they have a new predator – Gerry with his sidekick Tim. All New Zealand’s native frog species are now threatened by mining. read more
  September 29, 2009 6:02 am - 3 Comments
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  Undermining our most generous gifts - by frog

  
  
  
  On 23 September 1887 – 122 years ago yesterday – Te Heuheu Tukino of Tuwharetoa gifted the mountains of Tongariro, Ngaruhoe and Ruapehu to the people of Aotearoa…. This anniversary was sullied by the fact that the Crown is now considering the Park’s mining potential. read more
  September 24, 2009 2:30 pm - 12 Comments