Lots of things happening around the country this week to celebrate conservation week. Noticed that no events are scheduled for Fiordland, where locals are anxiously waiting for news of the Dart Tunnel and Monorail proposals. Know that they would prefer to be celebrating these proposals being declined and the security of our World Heritage Park being assured! Join in the events around the country – http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation-week-home-whats-happening/
And starting from this Monday, register your support in the Forest and Bird “Bird of the Year” competition – opens at 9am Monday and goes through to 9am Wednesday 10th October. I am campaigning for the Mohua – vote for this spunky little bird who has survived despite the best efforts of humans!!
www/birdoftheyear.org.nz and big thanks to Forest and Bird for their work.
And the NZ Govt “celebrates” Conservation Week by rejecting a US proposal for a marine reserve to protect the planet’s last pristine ocean – Antarctica’s Ross Sea: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10832521
What would Labour do?
More votes for the Mohua.
Kevin Hackwell and team have done some great work opposing the ravages of developers, vandals and opportunists who push to profit from destruction of the natural resources we have around us.
Brownlee is prepared to swap wildlife for cash when little is known about the consequences.
Conservation week yes but celebration hardly.
Marking it with some significant conservation action or supporting other doing so would have merit.
“Fiordland, where locals are anxiously waiting”
What? There’s hardly anybody there! The monorail would be a great idea, so people who are unable to hike/tramp etc, could see this part of the South Island. It need not be too intrusive at all.
Any update on Wainuiototo? Is it still Labour’s believe that this area should be protected and if so why am I unable to find any response to the new development plans ?
And for me the Kokako great looking and sounding bird, pity there are so few to be seen
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1209/S00063/amended-application-for-new-chums-development.htm
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2394725/labour-opposes-new-chums-beach-subdivision
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/70110/new-chums-beach-owners-withdraw-public-offer
Meanwhile the actual department continues to shrink like a threatened wetland, as it has done since Labour first created it twenty five years ago.
It might be useful for regional councils and central government to get together to create coherence about who is responsible for what in terms of conserving and preserving NZ’s various treasures and resources. And how the work is funded, and by whom it is done, to what standards, so vital matters don’t wash through the crevasses.
Should there be will enough – attention is also needed for setting up the frameworks for reliably collecting coherent and uniform data for present and future use and for sharing among contributors, including research agencies and universities.
DoC is still on the ‘threatened’ list. Be great to see its range and habitats upgraded.
Richard
If people want to travel in vehicles then there are plenty of roads to facilitate that.
A wilderness area has beauty and biodiversity because roads have not been put there and human habitation is low. Get with it.