Latest news with #KateNewton
RNZ News
11-05-2025
- Science
- RNZ News
The missing black petrels of Great Barrier Island
For nearly 30 years, researchers have been banding black petrel fledglings before they make their maiden migration to Ecuador. Only a handful of birds have ever come back. RNZ’s In Depth reporter Kate Newton travels to Aotea-Great Barrier Island to meet the birds, and the dedicated team trying to figure out the mystery of where they go. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
07-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Auckland bird hospital wants public light displays dimmed
A native bird hospital in Auckland wants large public light displays such as the Harbour Bridge and Sky Tower to be dimmed on cloudy nights to help prevent birds from becoming grounded. BirdCare Aotearoa cares for hundreds of injured and grounded seabirds each autumn, disorientated by city lights. The charity said although light pollution comes from across the city, large bright LED displays are a particular problem. Kate Newton reports.
RNZ News
05-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Farmers celebrate new rules to limit forestry conversions - but does a loophole still remain?
Farmers are celebrating new rules to limit farm conversion to forestry. Photo: RNZ / Kate Newton Farmers are celebrating new rules to limit farm conversion to forestry but worry loopholes remain. Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced new legislation will be introduced later this year placing restrictions on full farm-to-forest conversions on Land Use Classification (LUC) 1-6 land. Under the changes, which took effect from 4 December last year, when the policy was originally announced, up to a quarter of farms can be planted in forestry for the Emmisions Trading Scheme (ETS). There will also be a ban on full farm to forest conversions from entering the ETS for LUC 1-5 actively farmed land and an annual registration cap of 15,000-hectares for forestry entering the ETS for LUC 6 farmland. McClay said the Government was focused on maintaining strong food and fibre production while supporting sustainable land use. "We remain concerned about the effect that farm conversions are having on highly productive land - particularly sheep and beef farms in Northland, the East Coast and parts of Otago and Southland." While Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Toby Williams welcomed the changes, he worried loopholes remained which allow for further farm to forest conversions. Williams also raised concerns about transitional measures for landowners with evidence they were in the process of afforestation prior to the announcement, such as ordering seedlings. "The idea that buying seedlings before December 2024 is an intention to plant is an absolute joke," he said, adding it created a loophole for exploitation. "If a forester didn't own the land, they can't have had any real commitment to plant it. Having a contract on seedlings shouldn't be accepted. "We're also hearing stories of farmland being bought for conversion to forestry, with the intention of on selling to foreign investors to get around overseas investment rules." Williams said forestry was important and he wanted to see more processing and value-add programmes in New Zealand - his concerns related to the loss of productive farmland. New Zealand Forest Owners Association (FOA) president Matt Wakelin said the new planting rules were creating "uncertainty" for forest owners, with nurseries already reporting reduced demand for seedlings. "New Zealand forest owners are supportive of integrated land use where farming and forestry can co-exist, however this new policy appears to restrict forestry rather than recognise it as a vital primary industry and core contributor to climate mitigation," Wakelin said. He said the moratorium on full farm afforestation and the limiting of planting on Land Use Classes 1-6 was "unduly hurting" forest owners and much of New Zealand's LUC6 land was ill suited for food production but ideal for planting trees. "The restrictions placed on LUC6 land pushes planting of trees to marginal or less productive land which will have an impact on future timber and fibre supply, jobs and forestry's ability to support New Zealand in meeting its climate change obligations." Wakelin said the changes also added another layer of complexity to the ETS and more clarity was needed. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
