How Hydro Operations Shape River Temperature, Pollution, and Public Use Post by CORANZ Member Hydroelectricity is often described as clean, renewable, and benign. In carbon terms, that is largely true. But carbon is not the only measure that matters - … Continue reading
Rethinking a Deeply Embedded Assumption Opinion by Andi Cockroft. Chair, CORANZ In New Zealand environmental debates, one comparison is often made so casually that it has hardened into something like fact: that introduced deer simply replaced the browsing role once … Continue reading
Water quality matters to recreation and communities alike Water connects everything: the places we explore, the rivers we swim in, the taps we drink from, and the landscapes that shape community life. Yet globally, access to safe drinking water remains … Continue reading
Electronic waste - often shortened to e-waste - is quietly becoming one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world. It rarely features in public debate about land use or outdoor environments, yet its impacts are physical, place-based, and increasingly … Continue reading
Maybe Not Anymore For years we have been told that Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) contamination is effectively permanent - that rivers, lakes, estuaries, and groundwater affected by so-called “forever chemicals” are simply lost. The public response has usually been the same: … Continue reading
Guest post by Dave Rhodes Our beaches are dying. Not from oil spills, storms, or sudden catastrophe, but from something far quieter: perfectly legal overuse. Along much of our coastline, intertidal life is thinning, shell beds are shrinking, and rock … Continue reading
Outdoor recreation in New Zealand takes many forms. Some involve skill and preparation; others are simple, familiar, and close to home. What they share is that they all depend on being able to get to places and use them safely … Continue reading
Special report Europe’s wild bees are in a death spiral – and in the next few days the EU could make it much worse says “Stop Bayer-Monsanto”, an organisation and campaign to save bees from pesticides. “The European Commission is … Continue reading
by CORANZ researchers Some residents in the suburb of Aramoho in Wanganui are reported by Newstalk ZB as being concerned with hordes of wild deer entering town streets. One who has lived there for 30 years, said wild deer were … Continue reading
By CORANZ researchers A paper published in 2008 said the possum has been wrongly demonised and has been wrongly condemned as “New Zealand’s Number One Pest.” The author was Annie Potts Co-director, New Zealand Centre for Human-Animal Studies, University of … Continue reading
by Ben Hope On Facebook recently I saw a photo of a field of dandelions and wildflowers in Hawkes Bay with the sobering comment, “But where are the bees?” I’ve wondered that myself here in the South island where there … Continue reading
by Tony Orman At times, much current discussion in the politics of fishing and hunting can revolve around the future administration for the public’s recreational hunting and/or fishing and the concept of reform and setting up a statutory body. Currently the … Continue reading
Opinion by Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Disclosure: I am an avid outdoor persona, born Country, I grew up surrounded by mother nature. Meadows, woods, streams were my playgrounds. But as I aged, I find myself unable to participate in all … Continue reading
CORANZ Will Begin Highlighting Outdoor Recreation in 2026 For much of its history, CORANZ has focused on defending outdoor recreation where it is under pressure: access eroded, waterways degraded, decisions taken without adequate regard for long-term public interest. That role … Continue reading
By Editorial TeamA recent report from Radio New Zealand spotlighted what local residents in central Auckland’s Hobson Bay have endured for years: frequent sewage overflows that spoil a picturesque coastal environment, disrupt recreational use, and pose risks to public health. … Continue reading
From “Salmon Business” 5 January 2026 by Editorial Staff Mowi reports 24,696 salmon deaths at Newfoundland farm, Canada, in December. Mowi has reported the deaths of 24,696 Atlantic salmon at its Friar Cove site on the south coast of Newfoundland, a … Continue reading
The value of advocacy is not measured by volume, but by consistency. Over the course of 2025, CORANZ published more than a hundred posts addressing land access, environmental stewardship, governance, and the long-term interests of outdoor recreation. Taken individually, those … Continue reading
Guest Post by Dave Rhodes Recent reporting on the spread of parchment worm in the Marlborough Sounds raises an uncomfortable question for environmental management in New Zealand: at what point does uncertainty become an excuse for doing nothing? https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/583240/action-on-marlborough-sounds-parchment-worm-in-the-too-hard-basket The … Continue reading
An Analysis of Shane Jones and Fisheries A very personal opinion by Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ. (Please note this is a personal opinion piece and does not reflect any CORANZ specific policy implied or otherwise. I believe we should always … Continue reading
Or: Agriculture, Nitrates, and the Public Interest Opinion by Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Recent opinion pieces in mainstream media have painted a confident picture of New Zealand agriculture’s future. Rising commodity prices, renewed optimism on farms, and calls for lighter … Continue reading
