Deep sea oil drilling has now ended in Aotearoa, except inTaranaki. However, Austrian oil giant OMV has announced that a programme to drill exploratory wells in the Taranaki Basin has been postponed immediately amid the COVID crisis, and it has no plans to bring a new rig to New Zealand....
The following letter to The New Zealand Herald was published on April 30 under the heading “Bad fellers are running amok in Auckland,” signed by Allan Matson, the President of Civic Trust Auckland: Clearly, the felling of mature urban trees, both exotics and natives, is of increasing concern for Aucklanders,...
Aotearoa Unearthed: Archaeology for Everyone is a new podcast by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, produced in partnership with the New Zealand Archaeological Association. Eight episodes were released for New Zealand Archaeology Week, April 24-May 2. Katharine Watson, a former president of the New Zealand Archeological Association, said, “The NZAA is...
On 6 April, Auckland’s historic Chief Post Office reopened, to resume its role as the main entrance to the Britomart Transport Centre. The 109-year-old Category A-listed heritage building now opens onto a new public square on lower Queen Street. The upper levels of the building will be used for offices....
3 March is UN World Wildlife Day, the day the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed in 1973. The day celebrates and raises awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants. World Wildlife Day 2021 has the theme “Forests and...
The Hotel Titirangi (Former), Te Uru Gallery and the Treasure House (Former) have been added to the New Zealand Heritage List as a Category 1 historic place. The complex has functioned as a hub for the arts community since 1986. “It has been a long journey for the Trust (and...
The Save Canal Road Native Trees group is asking for people to add their signatures to their open letter to the developer of the Canal Rd site, requesting that he meet with them to work together for a resolution. The community effort to save the stand of native trees at...
Auckland Council’s 10-year budget for 2021-2031 is open for public consultation until 22 March. This “Recovery Budget” will increase the council’s total capital investment from $26 billion to $31 billion over the next 10 years to deliver infrastructure for transport, housing and water, help stimulate jobs, and respond to the...
On 5 December, a fire damaged St Stephen’s Church in Ponsonby. The nave was heavily impacted, and the building needs extensive repair. The church is a Heritage New Zealand Category 2 listed building made of kauri. Church Minister Rev. Grant Ridout says, “Many people grieve the loss of the stunning...
A new report has found that the health of up to 800,000 New Zealanders could be at risk from nitrate in our drinking water. Nitrate is colourless and tasteless. It mainly comes from synthetic nitrogen fertiliser and urine from cows, working its way into rivers and groundwater. High levels of...