Blogger: Mike Joy, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science at Massey University Much of the rhetoric coming from the government around mining in National Parks has centred on so called “surgical mining” – the idea is that you can make a small hole and that this hole is the total impact.  This is just classic greenwash.  […]

Guest Blogger: Frog scientist & conservationist, Phil Bishop  (aka Frogman) In the Year of the Frog Archey’s frog was awarded the dubious honour of being named the World’s most evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered amphibian – this means it’s the most Important Amphibian in the World That’s no.1 in a pool of over 6600 species […]

Blogger: Web manager, Mandy Herrick Key’s remark that there is ‘too much hysteria over mining conservation land’ is laughable, given that now he is pursuing a hysterical witch-hunt to find the government leak Hysterical. It’s an interesting word, and one that is much-loved by politicians looking to silence an issue. According to my trusty online […]

Blogger: Denis Tegg from Coromandel Watchdog Reckless. Obscene. Outrageous. These were just some of the first thoughts that ran though my head when I discovered that the National government is looking at opening up 2,500 hectares of conservation land for mining above Thames township.  Miniscule traces of gold lie hidden beneath the cover of bird-filled […]

Blogger: ‘Sea-slug girl’ aka Forest & Bird’s Marine Advocate Kirstie Knowles. What absorbs 1/3 of our atmospheric carbon? What is thought to hold over 80% of NZ’s unique plants and animals? What has forests, volcanos (some of the largest lava fields) and mountains? What holds the world’s tallest mountain?** Where did we come from? What […]

Blogger: Forest & Bird Marine Advocate, Kirstie Knowles Our critically endangered Southern Bluefin Tuna swims around the seas of several countries from Australia to Japan – and while these countries are working to reduce their quotas – we are trying to bump ours up by 25%. The back-story goes something like this. Five (Japan, Australia, Indonesia, […]

Blogger: Kea-conservationist Corey Mosen Last year my entire holiday leave was spent rooting out kea – on the wind, rain, snow and hail lashed mountains of St Arnaud, near Rainbow Ski field in Nelson. The trip below took place in the heart of winter Keas make their homes in small mountainside burrows, and my job was […]

Blogger: North Island Conservation Manager Mark Bellingham Our much venerated 2,500 year old kauri tree – Tane Mahuta – and forest giants like him may recieve greater protection with plans afoot to make our 15th National Park in the heart of Waipoua Forest. Situated four hours from our largest city, a national park will place greater protection […]

Blogger: Mandy Herrick, Web Manager for Forest & Bird The march of pivot irrigators through some of our most iconic landscapes continues unabated. New territorities are being sought everyday – and drylands are being dressed up in lush pasture and filled with cows. Several applications to green our russet brown McKenzie country are currently before Environment Canterbury. […]