Many people shudder at the thought of bats. Who’s to blame for this misconception? Was it Bram Stoker who wrote the classic tale of Count Dracula in 1897, or was it the film industry that subsequently embellished the story of the supernatural, blood-drooling vampires? In contrast the two remaining New Zealand bats are not at […]
Observations by GRAEME HILL First published in Forest & Bird magazine, Nov 2012 First, as somebody once said, like execution, it concentrates the mind. Or more so, like inoculation, some brief pain and a little rash can be reassuring for the future. It was a salutary lesson that may well have been learned much harder […]
Forest & Bird, New Zealand’s largest independent conservation organisation, moved its bank accounts from ANZ because of serious concerns over the bank’s investments in fossil fuels. Forest & Bird asked ANZ for a fossil fuel divestment plan in 2016, but hasn’t been satisfied with the company’s response. In March 2018, Forest & Bird announced its […]
One-hundred and fifty scientists from around the country have signed this letter to the Government asking for bold action to tackle climate change. Here is their letter in-full: We the undersigned, representing diverse academic disciplines, call on the government to take robust and emergency action in response to the deepening ecological crisis. The science is […]
In the summer of 2017, Forest & Bird committee member Stefan Fairweather took six months off work to walk the length of New Zealand on the Te Araroa trail. He has written a book on his journey entitled “North to South“. Kia ora from Christchurch, People often ask me “why did you do it?” and […]
Cat Lea is the Marine Research and Conservation Officer at Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari which operates a tourism business in the Hauraki Gulf. One of her main responsibilities is to look after the research that they undertake on a daily basis. She’s well poised to see not only the incredible wildlife that’s in the gulf […]
Seabirds are a perfect indicator of marine health and studying them can reveal the major impacts humans are having. Matt Rayner is a professional ornithologist who does just that, and in his blog reveals some of the big changes he has seen in the Hauraki Gulf and why he volunteers for Forest & Bird’s campaign action group […]
Shaun Lee volunteers with Forest & Bird on the Sea Change campaign, to rebuild the health of the Hauraki Gulf. He also works for Revive our Gulf, a great initiative to restore mussel beds in the Gulf. Here Shaun explains what’s happened to the Gulf’s mussel beds, why they’re so important and how the Sea […]
Dr Roger Grace is a well-known and highly respected marine biologist, campaigner, and photographer whose expertise in marine protected areas has been a vital element to the Sea Change campaign. Here Roger tells us, in his typically humble manner, about his fascinating life and the changes he has seen in the Hauraki Gulf. In 2016 Roger was awarded […]