Latest news with #Forest&Bird
Scoop
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Alliance Renews Call For Bottom Trawling Ban In Hauraki Gulf
Members of the Hauraki Gulf Alliance have deployed a massive 'Ban Bottom Trawling' banner on the deck of the Rainbow Warrior, demanding an end to destructive bottom trawling in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. The Alliance, which includes Forest & Bird, LegaSea and Greenpeace, has a long-running campaign to remove trawling from Hauraki Gulf and the renewed call comes as bottom trawling faces increased public scrutiny. Speaking from the Rainbow Warrior, in the Gulf, "Heal the Hauraki" documentary producer Mandy Kupenga says: "For too long, the practice of bottom trawling has bulldozed the rich and fragile ecosystems beneath the surface of the Hauraki Gulf. Entire ocean communities have been devastated. What happens beneath the waves doesn't stay there-when we lose biodiversity in the sea, we lose part of what sustains life on land as well. "We cannot continue turning a blind eye. It's time to restore the mauri-the life force-of the Gulf, and honour our responsibility to future generations. Ending bottom trawling in and around the Hauraki Gulf isn't just a conservation decision. It's a moral one." Gulf advocate Shaun Lee says the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries "needs to listen to 97.2% of 8,909 submitters who have asked for a full ban on bottom impact fishing in the Gulf". LegaSea spokesperson Benn Winlove says he is disappointed the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries is willing to ignore such strong public sentiment against bottom trawling. "Public opposition to environmental destruction is growing and it's incredible that a Minister in charge of ensuring sustainability of fish populations and their habitat is willing to let bottom trawling continue in the Gulf, let alone in the Marine Park." Bianca Ranson, campaigner from Forest & Bird, says: "97% of submitters have called for a complete ban of bottom impact fishing in the Hauraki Gulf yet the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Shane Jones, mocks Tīkapa Moana calling it 'just a mud-stained bottom'. That is an insult to every living thing that depends on this ocean and to future generations who deserve thriving ecosystems abundant with life. Trawling rips up the seafloor turning vibrant thriving ecosystems into lifeless mud. Every year, massive weighted nets are dragged across the seafloor of Tīkapa Moana, killing all life in its path, destroying nurseries for fish, and choking the seabed in suffocating plumes of sedimentation. It's time to end bottom trawling." Bottom trawling is a fishing method that involves dragging heavy nets over the seafloor to catch fish, stirring up sediment, releasing carbon and indiscriminately killing marine life. This is not the first time the massive banner has been used. Hundreds of people turned out to a flotilla in Auckland in 2023 to call for an end to trawling in the Gulf, while that same year a petition calling for a ban signed by nearly 37,000 people was handed into parliament.
Otago Daily Times
08-07-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Award acknowledges conservation work
The work of Dunedin ecologist, botanist, science educator and farmer Kelvin Lloyd has been recognised. Dr Lloyd received an Old Blue Award at the Forest & Bird annual meeting recently. Dr Lloyd said the award was appreciated and followed a long history of ecology and conservation work in his professional and personal life. Dr Lloyd and his wife Beatrice Lee and their two teenage sons run sheep and beef on their 88ha farm near Waitati. About 300 ewes and up to a dozen cattle were taken through winter and fed baleage. More cattle were purchased in spring. An aim on the farm was to sell 200 prime lambs each year, he said. The 88ha farm includes 45ha pasture, 30ha native bush and 11ha of native regeneration and gorse in the Emissions Trading Scheme and a small amount of forestry. He and his family live on a 6ha lifestyle block in Waitati, where he restored a wetland, filling it with harakeke flax and fencing it off. Livestock was shifted between the farm and lifestyle block. Ewe hoggets were currently on the lifestyle block. Dr Lloyd said the clients he had worked for included non-governmental organisations, such as Forest & Bird and farmers and other developers. "Credibility is the rock of my professional work. I strive to get better outcomes for biodiversity in all my work." Dr Lloyd said his conservation work started with trips to the Catlins with botanist Sir Alan Mark to plant trees and being part of the Dunedin branch's project to tackle wilding pines across Otago. A keen tramper, he was also a member of the national executive of Federated Mountain Clubs for five years and a member the of Otago Natural History Trust for 15 years during the period the trust's Orokonui Ecosanctuary proposal was developed and became a reality. Forest & Bird Canterbury and West Coast regional conservation manager Nicky Snoyink said Dr Lloyd was a former Dunedin branch chairman of Forest & Bird and had been a vital expert witness for the conservation organisation in the Environment Court. Dr Lloyd had also given up large amounts of time volunteering for other conservation-related organisations. "For several decades, Dr Lloyd has played an immense role in New Zealand conservation. "Kelvin's expertise and knowledge of New Zealand's native botany, especially rare species, is a major asset to the country." Beginning work with Wildland Consultants in 2004, he quickly became a valuable source of expert evidence. Among the successful outcomes he was involved with was prioritising wilding conifer control sites for the Ministry of Primary Industries, which led to $16 million being allocated for wilding pine control. His expert evidence also contributed towards improving protection for wetlands on the West Coast. Dr Lloyd's knowledge of wetlands and botany had been very valuable to Forest & Bird in the Environment Court and other forums. His evidence was pivotal in the Environment Court's decision to turn down the proposal for a mine at Te Kuha on the West Coast. He also provided evidence against the land swap for the Ruataniwha Dam in Hawke's Bay and Forest & Bird eventually won its case in the Supreme Court. Dr Lloyd had always been generous in sharing his knowledge and treated others with kindness and respect, Ms Snoyink said. His experience, enthusiasm, reliability and communication skills made him a standout among botanists in New Zealand, she said. "As a science communicator, Kelvin has mastered the art of taking complex scientific information and making it accessible to everyone." Other southerners to be given an Old Blue Award in the latest round were Mo Turnbull, of Hāwea, for his outstanding contribution to Forest & Bird's Central Otago Lakes branch and to conservation in the region, and Jane and Jim Young, of South Otago, for their outstanding service to Forest & Bird and to conservation in their region.
Otago Daily Times
02-07-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
‘Propaganda' accusation led to award for conservation
Long-standing South Otago Forest & Bird members Jane and Jim Young — pictured in their Hinahina native plant nursery — are among four Otago recipients of the organisation's Old Blue awards. PHOTO: SUPPLIED A little unintended reverse psychology has led to an environmental award for a Catlins couple. Hinahina husband and wife Jane and Jim Young were among four Otago recipients of the prestigious Forest & Bird Old Blue award. They received the award for their contributions to the organisation's South Otago branch, which included running its native plant nursery and raising more than $10,000 each year through sales, and serving on its committee for at least 15 years. Mrs Young said she joined the branch following a conversation with "someone less sympathetic to the cause". "I had arranged a meeting between both sides of a contentious debate about creating a marine reserve in the Catlins. "The proposal drew a lot of hostility, and one woman complained on the local radio about the 'Forest & Bird greenie' trying to promote propaganda. "At that time, I wasn't a member ... but I duly became one, thinking if I'm going to be accused of being a greenie I'm going to become one." Both were biology teachers, making ecological activities a natural fit. "As biology teachers we always had an interest in environmental issues and would take kids on trips," Mr Young said. "We tried to preach the good word and so we kicked off from there." Mrs Young said, as with all awards, the Old Blue — named for the sole Chatham Island black robin who saved her species from extinction in the 1980s — was an acknowledgement of the efforts of many. "It's never just a couple of people." The pair would share a celebratory meal with other award recipients and local branch members in Dunedin next week, they said. The other Old Blue award recipients were Dr Kelvin Lloyd, of Dunedin, and Mo Turnbull, of Hāwea. Dr Lloyd was cited for his work as an ecologist, botanist and science educator, having worked as an expert witness for Forest & Bird in the Environment Court. Mr Turnbull received his award for his "outstanding contribution to Forest & Bird's Central Otago Lakes branch and to conservation in the region".
Scoop
28-06-2025
- General
- Scoop
Forest & Bird Honours Six Outstanding Volunteers
Forest & Bird has honoured six long-serving members with the Tī Kōuka award for their exceptional service over a long period to the organisation and to conservation in their regions. New Zealand's largest independent conservation organisation has thousands of dedicated volunteers throughout Aotearoa and is celebrating these six for their passion and hard work over many years. The recipients say they are honoured to be recognised but add they would not have achieved anything without the teams of dedicated Forest & Bird volunteers they work with. David Cornick is the longest serving member of the Lower Hutt branch committee, joining it in 1991. He has been involved in some of the most significant restorations in the region, including Mātiu Somes and Mana islands, and Pāuatahanui Wildlife Reserve. He has also been a member of teams reintroducing rare native birds into these areas. 'David is a knowledgeable and passionate conservationist, a handy photographer, and a humble, hardworking contributor to so many of Forest & Bird's projects,' says Andy Mitchell, Lower Hutt branch chair. Another long-serving Lower Hutt member John Groombridge has been branch treasurer for a quarter of a century. John is also a long-time volunteer and organiser of restoration work on Mātiu Somes Island and a regular volunteer and organiser for other branch projects. 'John has been a solid contributor to the branch for almost 30 years, and our committee recognises his long service and the tremendous amount of mahi he has undertaken,' Andy Mitchell says. Christine Major has been running the North Shore branch-led Tuff Crater restoration's predator control programme since 2010. Christine has been central to the success of the Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland project's predator control. She has been responsible for recruiting and training the baiting and trapping teams and liaising with the council, among many responsibilities. 'Tuff Crater requires a sustained coordinated predator control effort and Christine has been the main reason it has been a success,' Tuff Crater project lead Richard Hursthouse says. Another Tuff Crater volunteer, Paul Pyper, has been leading Thursday working bees at the project since 2016, a total of at least 280 events. Among his responsibilities, he liaises with and trains new volunteers, and works with adjoining landowners over access to control pest plants on their land. The North Shore branch has spent more than $300,000 on restoration efforts at the project and planted more than 28,000 native plants. 'Since Paul has been involved, we have planted 17,000 plants, much of which Paul has been part of,' Richard Hursthouse says. Peter Smith has been the Ashburton branch treasurer since 1996 and has also been a major contributor to other branch and community activities and projects. He played a key role in the establishment of the Ashburton Community Conservation Trust in 2007, which manages the Harris Scientific Reserve. He is still closely involved in management of the reserve, a significant Canterbury plains dryland vegetation site, and he is a strong advocate for conservation in the local media. Ashburton committee member Mary Ralston says the branch would probably not have been able to function without Peter's expertise and support, and that of his wife Edith, the branch chair for three decades. Eric van Essen of the Waitākere branch has been involved in the care of the Colin Kerr-Taylor Memorial Reserve in Waimauku since the early 1990s, where he is honorary ranger. He has created a halo project around the reserve to expand predator control with adjoining landowners. He has also been a regular volunteer at the branch's Matuku Reserve. 'Eric is the ultimate volunteer, willing and able but humble,' says founding chair of the Waitakere branch, John Staniland.
Scoop
28-06-2025
- General
- Scoop
Forest & Bird Announces Top Awards For 2025
Forest & Bird has announced the recipients of the organisation's annual honours at their AGM today. These include: Old Blue Award | Dr Kelvin Lloyd (Ōtepoti, Dunedin) Old Blue Award | Mo Turnbull (Hāwea, Central Otago) Old Blue Award | Jane and Jim Young (South Otago) Te Kaiārahi Rangatahi o te Taiao Youth Award | Jessica Lamb (Ōtautahi, Christchurch) Branch Award | Upper Coromandel (Waikato) Tī Kōuka Awards David Cornick (Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai, Lower Hutt) John Groombridge (Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai, Lower Hutt) Christine Major (North Shore, Tāmaki Makaurau) Paul Pyper (North Shore, Tāmaki Makaurau) Peter Smith (Hakatere, Ashburton) Eric van Essen (Waitākere, Tāmaki Makaurau) Old Blue Award | Dr Kelvin Lloyd (Ōtepoti, Dunedin) For his passion and expertise as an ecologist, botanist and science educator. Kelvin has been a vital expert witness for Forest & Bird and other conservation groups in the Environment Court and is a former Dunedin branch chair. Kelvin's professional work has ensured better conservation outcomes, and he has also volunteered for many conservation causes. Old Blue Award | Mo Turnbull (Hāwea, Central Otago) For his outstanding contribution to Forest & Bird's Central Otago Lakes Branch and to conservation in the region. Over the last 12 years Mo has become a key branch member and has fostered several projects and fundraising. He has spearheaded and expanded the Makarora predator control programme since 2012 and was an influential member of the Southern Lakes Sanctuary Trust. Old Blue Award | Jane and Jim Young (South Otago) For their outstanding service to Forest & Bird and to conservation in their region. Jane and Jim have been key members of the South Otago branch for more than a decade and a half as committee members, educators and advocates, as well as working on branch projects and running the main branch nursery. Te Kaiārahi Rangatahi o te Taiao Youth Award | Jessica Lamb (Ōtautahi, Christchurch) For her dedication and leadership in Forest & Bird Youth. Jessica co-founded the Rotorua Youth Hub in 2019, became a Youth Leader and Coordinator of the Ōtautahi Christchurch Hub in 2022 and national Youth Director in 2024. She organised several national youth events, formed partnerships with other youth-oriented environmental groups, and inspired and mentored other young conservationists. She has been involved in many hands-on conservation and sustainability projects. Branch Award | Upper Coromandel (Waikato) For its outstanding work in protecting, enhancing and advocating for nature. Upper Coromandel runs several environmental restoration projects and collaborates with iwi on landscape scale projects. The branch works with other local environmental groups, and lobbies councils and politicians to promote conservation and oppose inappropriate developments. It advocates for nature through meetings, local media and protests and is a powerful voice for nature. Tī Kōuka Awards David Cornick (Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai, Lower Hutt) For his exceptional service to the Lower Hutt branch and to conservation in the region. David is the longest service member of the branch committee, since being elected in 1991. He has been a regular volunteer at Forest & Bird and other conservation projects across the region, including the Wellington and Wainuiomata native plant nurseries, Mātiu Somes and Mana islands and Pāuatahanui Wildlife Reserve. John Groombridge (Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai, Lower Hutt) For his exceptional service to the Lower Hutt branch and to conservation in the region for almost 30 years. He has served as branch treasurer for 25 years and has been very active as a volunteer in the branch's projects. He first joined a planting trip to Mātiu Somes Island in 1996 and coordinates working bees to the branch's nursery there, as well as regularly volunteering on other branch projects. Christine Major (North Shore, Tāmaki Makaurau) For her exceptional service to Forest & Bird and North Shore branch's Tuff Crater restoration project. Christine has led the predator control programme at the Auckland project since 2010. The restoration project requires a sustained predator control effort and Christine has been central to its success. She created and trained a team of volunteers, carries out regular monitoring and reporting, and ensures the supply of equipment and baits. Paul Pyper (North Shore, Tāmaki Makaurau) For his exceptional service to Forest & Bird and North Shore's Tuff Crater restoration project. Paul has been leading the Thursday working bees at the Auckland project since 2016, a total of at least 280 events. This has involved training new volunteers, and liaising with the council, community and neighbouring landowners. He has maintained and organised materials and equipment and assisted with planting organisation and events. Peter Smith (Hakatere, Ashburton) For his exceptional service to Forest and Bird's Ashburton Branch and to conservation in the local area. Peter has been an able treasurer for almost 30 years and has supported the committee and branch in their conservation projects, particularly wilding conifer control and health and safety. He also played a key role in the establishment of the Ashburton Community Conservation Trust, which manages the Harris Scientific Reserve. Eric van Essen (Waitākere, Tāmaki Makarau) For his exceptional service to the Waitākere branch and to conservation in his region for more than three decades. Eric has volunteered at Forest & Bird's Colin Kerr-Taylor Memorial Reserve in Waimauku, where he is still honorary ranger and has developed a predator control halo project with neighbouring landowners. He has also worked at the Matuku Reserve and used his photography skills to record the natural treasures of the region.
