Public trust in science advice depends not only on the quality of evidence, but on confidence that advice is independent, transparent, and free from undue influence. That is especially true in New Zealand, where science advice directly informs decisions on … Continue reading
What New Zealand Must Learn Post by Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Prompted by the article from RNZ, https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/584692/warzone-east-coast-flooding-damage-comes-to-light, further commentary and digging seemed appropriate: Heavy rainfall and flooding continue to dominate headlines across New Zealand, from devastating slips to widespread … Continue reading
CORANZ is trialling a small but important change in how our website content is shared to social media. Over the past year, Facebook has significantly tightened its application permissions, which has caused several long-standing WordPress auto-posting tools to stop working … Continue reading
Guest post by Steve Hodgson New Zealand has been using 1080 for decades. In that time, budgets have grown, control footprints have expanded, access restrictions have multiplied, and the language of urgency has become permanent. We are told the threat … Continue reading
Time for an Honest Conversation By Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ For decades, New Zealand has invested heavily in pest control to protect native forests and wildlife. The scale of that commitment reflects something most New Zealanders agree on: introduced predators … Continue reading
Government Planning Changes Draw Fire - And What It Means for New Zealand Guest post by Dave Rhodes Forest & Bird has labelled recent government changes to national environmental direction a “war on nature,” warning that weakened safeguards for biodiversity … Continue reading
CORANZ Members Should Engage Now Post by Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Two major pieces of legislation - the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill - are before Parliament and are intended to replace the Resource Management Act (RMA). Both … Continue reading
A Governance Problem, Not a Turbidity Debate Post by Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Recent reporting on the Kakahu River has been framed around murky water (eg: see here or here), irrigation pressure, and competing interests. Those elements matter, but they … Continue reading
The announcement of a new national deer control initiative has been presented as a long-overdue step toward addressing the environmental and economic impacts of feral deer. It brings together government agencies and sector organisations, signals coordination, and promises better outcomes. … Continue reading
The Port Hills form the southern edge of Christchurch, running from Godley Head in the east through to Gebbies Pass in the west. They rise directly from the city and overlook Lyttelton Harbour, creating a long, accessible ridgeline rather than … Continue reading
You may not have heard stone skimming described as an activity, but most New Zealanders have done it at some point - usually without thinking of it as anything more than a moment by the water. Stone skimming is the … Continue reading
Or How CORANZ Can Get Its Policies Into Party Manifestos Guest Post by Steve Hodgson If the charts tell us anything, it is this: outdoor recreation is not a top-of-mind voting issue for most New Zealanders. Cost of living, … Continue reading
CORANZ research team came across this comment on Motueka Community Centre’s Facebook site by Luke Wigram that gives a dire warning. Opinion by Luke Wigram Recently, I read an article talking about public conservation land in New Zealand, what we … Continue reading
A new government move to consider bans on rock pool harvesting in parts of Auckland has sparked fresh debate about how environmental concerns intersect with everyday life, community behaviour, and democratic decision-making. The issue centres on Whangaparāoa’s Army Bay, where … Continue reading
And Why Balance Matters Post by Guest A recent regional council statement highlighting the impact of cats on native wildlife has reignited a familiar pattern in New Zealand environmental debate. The figures are confronting. The concern for biodiversity is real. … Continue reading
Guest post by Stephen Hodgson Much of modern political debate is conducted one issue at a time. Freshwater policy here. Climate targets there. Access, conservation, cost of living, housing, wages - each argued in isolation, often with moral certainty and … Continue reading
Book Review by Tony Orman “A Journey Between Worlds” by Kim Rangiaonui Logan, published by Ugly Hill Press, Price $50. The book cover is far from striking at first glance – it’s unusual – but its design has a subtle … Continue reading
Opinion by Paul Revere There are many issues and problems confronting New Zealand in terms of the environment and more particularly fishing -whether freshwater or saltwater – hunting and outdoor recreation generally such as access and its increasing fragility in … Continue reading
How Language Quietly Rewrites Public Power Post by Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Language shapes reality long before legislation does. The words used by government agencies, ministers, councils, and media do more than describe policy – they condition the public to … Continue reading
Opinion by Charles Henry Concerns about the direction of education are no longer confined to staff rooms or academic journals. They are increasingly voiced by parents, employers, and community organisations - including those involved in outdoor recreation. The question being … Continue reading
