A Rough Guide to our Cyberjungle
Blogger: Forest and Bird’s Web Manager, Mandy Herrick
Ah, ‘tis is the end of Conservation week.
And while many people were busy outdoors planting forests & litter-picking beaches, desk jockeys like myself grew a deep computer tan as the blog-o-sphere trilled, tweeted and twittered to a green tune.
Pukeko, Photo Jordan Kappelly
Below is a quick round-up of some of the online highlights from the week,
First up: our annual Bird of the Year poll.
One week in and already 2,500 votes have been counted with our polygamous, blue swamp hen leading the flock by a beak or two.
After years of polling poorly, this underbird is hoping to seize its rightful title of Bird of the Year by campaigning on its cerebral might and its value to the economy.
The pukeko has typically flown into a stiff headwind of disfavour because of its joint loyalties to NZ and Australia, but it seems this is the bird to back in these recessionary times.
Vote! If you haven’t done already. Polls closes on October 13th.
During Conservation Week over 150 events took place throughout the country from photo competitions to film screenings to talks.
Of course the weather bomb may have put a dampener on many outdoor activities, and with this in mind, DOC posted up a series of natural history videos.
Bugman fielded all types of questions in a three-part live blogging session and the Green’s environmental philosopher-in-chief Kevin Hague pondered questions about the unbridled commercialisation of our conservation estate and waxed poetic about the value of our bogs.
On the small screen, Close Up reporter Hannah Okelford revealed the unbearded face of conservation in this profile piece on our very own Nic Vallance.
Greenpeace International implored people to Unfriend Coal.
And last night Executive member and photographer Craig Potton took TV cameras to a place they rarely venture: onto the frothing, bucking rapids of our threatened wild rivers. Destination: Mokihinui.
Potton is like a boiled down version of Attenborough and Big River Man. Paddle in hand he takes us couch-bound folk into this wild blue yonder and then later drops the h-bomb. Hydrodams.
It’s good stuff. Scrap that – it’s great stuff. Shame we don’t see more of it, but then maybe audience numbers may convince those TV executives to usher in a new age of quality, locally-made, natural history documentaries. Here’s hoping.
