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Ocean-roaming birds under threat
"Every year between 50 and 100 million longline hooks are set in the Southern Ocean ... lines trail behind fishing boats for up to 130km as they move into the most far-flung waters in search of new fishing grounds ..."
9 October 2004
New Zealand Herald

Nets leave a trail of death in the sea
"It's quiet at the bottom of the ocean and dark where sunlight never reaches. But illuminate it with artificial light and strange life emerges"
9 October 2004
New Zealand Herald

Axe taken to $300m hoki quota
"The Government has taken drastic steps to rebuild the deepwater hoki fishery, slashing the allowable commercial catch by 80,000 tonnes to 100,000 tonnes ..."
24 September 2004
New Zealand Herald

Fish expert sounds warning on stocks
"The future for global fisheries is not rosy ... governments should be setting aside up to half of fishing grounds as marine reserves to ensure the future of sea life ..."
17 August 2004
New Zealand Herald

New island sanctuaries to fight extinction of signature species
"Conservation Minister Chris Carter today announced a $7 million project to create two island sanctuaries for threatened native wildlife ..."
New Zealand Herald
12 May 2004

Government plays down discovery of contaminated seeds
"The Government today played down a discovery of imported maize seed contaminated with genetically engineered (GE) material ..."
New Zealand Herald
12 May 2004

Harvest fears as MAF starts search for lost seed  "Thousands of genetically modified maize plants may have been harvested in the country's biggest accidental release of GM-contaminated seed"
New Zealand Herald
12 May 2004

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LATEST

Greenland ice sheet larger contributor to sea level rise

Ice is melting faster than expected, and may be responsible for 25 percent of global sea rise.
11 June 2009  See more

Biologist and ecologist Bruce Clarkson joins TerraNature Board

14 October 2009

One of New Zealand's most outstanding contributors to the knowledge and conservation of native flora, Professor Bruce Clarkson, has been appointed as a TerraNature Trustee.

Bruce is Chairperson of the Department of Biological Sciences, and Director of the Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research at the University of Waikato.

During the last 10 years he has been active in community ecological restoration projects.  In 2006, he received the Loder Cup, New Zealand’s top conservation award, in recognition of his "... outstanding contribution across the full range of criteria specified for the award – New Zealanders who work to investigate, promote, retain and cherish New Zealand’s indigenous flora ...".

Throughout his research career, Bruce has maintained a strong interest in applying aspects of his research on the ground, to assist in the protection and restoration of native plants and ecosystems.

He has published some 65 papers and several books on various aspects of the systematics and ecology of New Zealand native plants and vegetation. He has also produced more than 300 reports on natural areas of the middle North Island based on intensive field work and traverses through the forest and wetlands.

In 2005, together with Dr Wren Green, Bruce undertook an independent review for the Chief Executives of sponsor government agencies, of progress (2000-2005) of the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy.

He currently leads a FRST funded research programme on determining the best methods for restoring indigenous biodiversity in cities.
See Trustees

In memorium of Geoff Moon
(1915-2009)

14 March 2009

World renowned nature photographer and conservationist, Geoff Moon, died on March 13th at his home in Titirangi.  As the author of many books on New Zealand avifauna, he provided immense enjoyment to bird lovers, a great awareness of the country's unique avifauna, and inspiration to those interested in protecting nature.

Geoff joined TerraNature in 2006 as an Honorary Trustee, and generously gave numerous bird images that appear on the terranature.org website.  The enormous natural historical record he created will be used for many years to come, but his contribution to New Zealand conservation will be greatly missed.

Geoff was involved with many natural history organisations.  He was honored as an Honorary Fellow of the Photographic Society of New Zealand, an Honorary Life Member of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, and as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1994.

Wildlife photographer Tui De Roy contributes subantarctic images

16 July 2008

Internationally renowned wildlife photographer Tui De Roy of Roving Tortoise Worldwide Nature Photos, has kindly given TerraNature use of a selection of penguin, albatross and landscape images of Snares, Bounty and Antipodes Islands, for use on terranature.org.

Tui has recently been working with Birdlife International's Albatross Campaign, documenting every species of albatross, the most endangered family of birds. This has kept her busy in New Zealand's subantarctic in a specially equipped sailboat, where more albatross breed than anywhere else in the world.

She is recognized as one of the world's best wildlife photographers, with work published in more than 25 countries.  Born in Belgium, Tui grew up in the Galapagos Islands, spending 35 years exploring and recording nature.  She now lives in New Zealand in between world projects.

Above: A large colony of erect crested penguin Eudyptes sclateri on the Antipodes Islands.
Copyright © 2004 Tui De Roy, Roving Tortoise Worldwide Nature Photos

View selection of larger Tui De Roy images

Andris Apse provides stunning Snares Islands photographs

6 July 2008

Landscape photographer Andris Apse, has generously provided TerraNature with a selection of images of Snares crested penguin and Southern Buller's albatross in Snares Islands landscapes, for use on terranature.org.

Very few photographers get the privilege of landing on the Snares Islands, so TerraNature greatly appreciates the use of these wonderful images of rarely seen pristine nature.

Rangihau

Recent articles on bottom trawling

Australia adds Orange Roughy to threatened species list

Orange roughy fishing quota is reduced by 43 percent 

NZ government’s stance on bottom trawling in international waters is weak and ineffective

The most destructive practice on the marine environment the world has ever known

Recent environmental issues articles

Arctic summer sea ice falls below normal for fifth year, despite a cool August

Rapid changes in Arctic sea ice

Melting permafrost methane emissions: Another threat to climate change 

A disaster to take everyone's breath away


Wildlife ecologist Doug Armstrong joins Board of Trustees

10 October 2008

The appointment of Doug Armstrong as a Trustee brings a wealth of ecological management experience to TerraNature. He is Professor of Wildlife Ecology in the Wildlife Ecology Group at Massey University, and has been on the faculty since 1993.

Since 1992, his research has been primarilly focused on population dynamics of reintroduced forest birds, mostly involving New Zealand robin, stitchbird, and saddleback on offshore island sanctuaries or mainland forest fragments.

Doug chairs the Oceana Section of the Reintroduction Specialist Group, which is one of several groups within the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).  See Trustees

Three more native birds listed as critically endangered The threatened status of grey duck, eastern rockhopper penguin, and grey-headed mollymawk has worsened.  more

Ice bridge supporting Wilkins Ice Shelf collapses An ice bridge connecting the Wilkins Ice Shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula to Charcot Island has disintegrated.
more

Arctic is literally on thin ice Arctic sea ice has begun its seasonal decline, with a substantial amount of thin first-year ice vulnerable to summer melt. more

Kakapo population breaks 100 The campaign to save critically endangered kakapo has reached a milestone, with the population reaching a record 103 birds. more

Permafrost threatened by rapid retreat of Arctic sea ice  The rate of climate warming over northern Alaska, Canada, and Russia could triple during periods of rapid sea ice loss. more

Explorers marvel at thriving brittlestar colony on a Macquarie Ridge seamount  A rare brittlestar colony has been found on an 850 metre subantarctic peak. more

Earth impacts linked to human-caused climate change  A wide range of Earth's natural systems are impacted.  Siberian lakes disappear over 25 years, as permafrost thaws. more

Critically endangered seabird losing its pulling power  Analysis of Chatham Island taiko, one of the world’s rarest seabirds, found 95% of non-breeding adults are male. more

Tasman Glacier retreat is extreme  The Tasman Glacier is retreating faster than ever and will ultimately disappear.  There was no lake in 1973, but melt has formed one 7km long. more

Antarctic ice shelf disintegration Nearly 14,000 sq.km of the Wilkins Ice Shelf has begun to collapse, showing global warming is changing ice faster. more

No environmental consideration of bottom trawling in orange roughy allowable catch decision  Uncontrolled bottom trawling contradicts NZ's position at the United Nations. more

Orange roughy commercial catch reduced to an all time low  New Zealand has reduced the 2007-08 commercial orange roughy catch in the EEZ by 11 percent.  more

Left: Southern Buller's mollymawk Thalassarche bulleri bulleri on the south coast of North East Island, Snares Islands.  Copyright © 2004 Andris Apse

View selection of larger Andris Apse images
See more on Snares crested penguin


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