The Middlemarch fire and Dunedin’s water supply
The tussock fire at Middlemarch has impacted Dunedin’s water supply and raises issues about our preparedness for climate change.
DoC
A Takahe is not a Pukeko
The Department of Conservation let some volunteers from Deerstalkers onto Motutapu with shotguns to shoot Pukeko to make more room for endangered Takehe. But four Takehe were killed by stray shot gun pellets. DOC is now talking about prosecuting the Deerstalkers. Time for them to accept blame for allowing such a stupid thing to occur. And the Government for compromising DOC’s ability to function by starving it of resources.
Cuts that could kill
DOC is being cut to the bone. DOC staff, Labour and the Greens have all warned that these cuts risk another Cave Creek disaster.
Love DOC Day
Today is Love DOC Day, where lots of people are organising to visit a DOC office and give them cakes and messages of support etc. Organised by by Forest & Bird, and supported by the PSA, The Greens and Labour’s Environment Sector, today is your chance to show your disgust for National’s cuts to our Environmental protectors in a positive way. Get involved!
ImperatorFish: DOC sheds 140 jobs, but new owner remains committed
DOC’s new owners, Warner Bros, are reportedly concerned that too much emphasis has been placed on preserving uninteresting animals, like native parrots and snails. The restructure will see a renewed focus on wolf-breeding, resurrecting Haast’s Eagles and fire-breathing dragons.
Ministers put public land in private hands
You’ll remember the disgraceful Schmuck scandal when Minister John Carter had clauses inserted into legislation specifically to legalise Doug Schmuck’s annexation of a public reserve. John Key took no action. Now, Kate Wilkinson and David Carter got in on the act – forcing DoC to sign over more public land for private use.
Conservation park ‘trimmed’ to suit mining interests
The Standard has been sent copies of documents (1,2,3,4) released under the Official Information Act which show that one of National’s first acts in government was to trim a Conservation Park at the request of a mining company, ignoring local concerns and official advice, to let the company dig up the land for coal.
