This year, CTA has submitted its choice of five birds for Forest and Bird’s Bird of the Year competition. They are as follows:  

The letter below was published on October 29. Photo: Sandy Austin, Flickr: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0    

The Ōrākei Local Board has voted to challenge the proposed Resource Management Amendment Bill, which targets the city’s need for intensive development and the building of more homes, more quickly. The local board has questioned the need for the proposed bill and recommended the government should be asked to “pause...

Media Release – Civic Trust Auckland Housing Supply Bill should build on heritage rather than destroy it   Civic Trust Auckland (CTA) is concerned about the government’s new Housing Supply Bill that would permit the building of up to three homes of a maximum of three storeys on most sites...

A damning new report released today by Greenpeace Indonesia has revealed the New Zealand dairy industry’s role in supporting illegal palm oil plantations and destruction of protected Indonesian rainforests. The report – called ‘Deceased Estate’ – documents palm oil plantation expansion in national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and even UNESCO sites,...

Applications are open until 15 November for Auckland Council’s Regional Historic Heritage Grant. This grant aims to encourage best practice and community involvement in the care of our regional heritage sites and places. Find out more. Image: Auckland Council

Voting for Forest & Bird’s Te Manu Rongonui o Te Tau/Bird of the Year 2021 is now open. Visit the website to read about our native manu and rank your top five favourites. 

The Environment Court decision on the Mission Bay development appeal has just been released and it has been declined in full. The proposed 8-storey development will not be built. Hopefully any future plans will be designed to complement the local environment. The decision says that the developer was seeking to...

A project is underway to refurbish the heritage 1908 Māori Hall on 5 Edinburgh St, Auckland Central (just off K Rd) and activate this historic space for community events, to support youth development, the arts, creativity and wellbeing. The Māori Hall has lain derelict since 2008, when it was last...

Last year, the government passed laws to protect our remaining few wetlands. Now it is considering a proposal that would effectively strip wetlands of all meaningful protection. Forest & Bird’s petition is seeking the following: Protect fresh water: Stop the continued destruction of wetlands and encourage their restoration. Maintain meaningful...