A VOICE FOR NATURE
BOOST FOR DIVERSITY
Forest & Bird branches throughout New Zealand
have benefited from a recent Tree Planting Fund
established with funds from Philips and Brita Water
Technology. Successful applicants included Wairarapa’s project to protect the coastal rengarenga lily
and Rotorua’s project to create a planted area around
a proposed wetland that will attract native birds.
Closer to home, the West Coast branch is working to
restore blue penguin habitat at Hokitika and Southland will continue their long-running restoration
work at the Te Rere Reserve.
Clutha District Council has Biodiversity Funding for
activities that protect or enhance biodiversity by such
activities as fencing, planting and pest or weed control. Priority is given to areas that are significant habitats for rare and threatened species. In 2010 funding
was provided for
Waipori wetlands
and this year the
Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust received
support for their
predator trapping
programme at Long
Point.
Leith Thomson, field worker for the Yellow-Eyed
Penguin Trust, setting up traps at Long Point
Dave McFarlane
BIODIVERSITY & THE DISTRICT PLAN
T
he Clutha District Council is currently reviewing provisions of its District Plan relating to
Biodiversity so that it can meet its responsibilities for
preserving the natural character of the coastal environment, wetlands, lakes and rivers. It is also charged
with protecting significant areas of indigenous vegetation and habitats of indigenous fauna.
The Council proposes that a mixture of regulatory
and voluntary measures should be introduced. The
district has a relatively diverse range of environments
containing areas of significant vegetation and habitat;
the Council feels that the present five hectare trigger
point for indigenous vegetation clearance is too large.
Full details can be seen on the Council website.
Submissions close on Friday 9 December.
“Anyone who believes exponential growth
can go on forever in a finite world is either
a madman or an economist.”
— Kenneth Boulding
South Otago Branch of Forest & Bird
December 2011
REINDEER NEWS
F
Entomologist, Brian Patrick, at the inaugural BugFest 2011
Carolyn Deverson
LOCAL EVENTS
Snow in November? These things happen in South
Otago. We’re still trying to reschedule our planned
trip to Waitepeka Farms that was to be combined
with a picnic at Kaka Point in memory of Carol
Botting.
You can buy whitey woods, rata, broad leafs,
coprosmas, wineberries, lemonwoods, kamahi
and other species from our stall at the Balclutha
Market Day on Saturday Dec 3rd. All proceeds to
F&B environmental projects.
Don’t forget about the Coal Action Network
Summer Festival in Mataura from January 20–24.
For more information go to:
nocoalsummerfest.org.nz/information
Our Mystery Field Trip (which might just involve
a visit to Waituna Lagoon) is planned for 29 Jan.
Neill Gillespie will be speaking at our next regular
monthly presentation on February 27. His topic
will be: Hydroelectric Generation on the Clutha.
www.flickr.com/photos/hikingartist/4193334698/
LOCAL FOREST & BIRD CONTACTS
Roy Johnstone (President ) 03 418 1319
email: [email protected]
Jane Young (Sec & Newsletter editor) 03 415 8532
email: [email protected]
RAISING OUR PROFILE
www.flickr.com/photos/rukakuusamo/5725020823/
Rudolph’s debut
We first hear about Santa’s reindeer team in the 1823
poem, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’. Rudolph
didn’t appear until 1939 when he starred in a giveaway booklet distributed by a Chicago department
store. He wasn’t employed by Santa until ten years
later when ‘Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer’
became a best seller.
Reindeer recipe
In 2010 a UK supermarket chain caused a furore by
putting reindeer meat on its shelves just in time for
Christmas. Gordon Ramsay’s reindeer stew recipe
includes smoked bacon fat, cloudberries, dark chocolate and a handful of snow.
Unwelcome migrants
The South Atlantic island of South Georgia may
need to find a new design for its flag, which currently
features a reindeer. Norwegian reindeer were introduced in the beginning of the 20th century but cause
major environmental damage and so are under threat
of eradication.
Climate change problems
Many reindeer herds are in decline across their range
as rising temperatures start to turn the tundra to
mush. The lichens that reindeer rely on for winter
feed get water-logged and don’t grow as well during
warmer winters.
Adapta-hoof
At least reindeer hooves can cope with changing
climate. In winter, the foot pads shrink and tighten
so that the hoof can cut through the ice; but when
the tundra is soft and wet, the pads become large and
spongy.
orest & Bird
doesn’t plan to
hide its light under
a bushel. Stands at
the A&P Show, plant
stalls, public meetings and photography competitions
are all part of telling
people what we’re
about.
If you’d like to receive
an electronic copy of
our monthly newsletter, email:
[email protected]. You don’t need to
be a member of Forest & Bird, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
“Man is a clever animal who behaves like
an imbecile.”
— Albert Schweitzer
Cutting down the air miles
Not all reindeer can fly. Terrestrial ones cover huge
distances on foot hoof, covering up to 5000 km a
year during their migrations.
Want an eco-friendly Christmas present?
How about a necklace with a pendant made of
recycled, sterilised reindeer droppings sprayed with
glitter? Available from an Illinois zoo for a mere $20.
Car pooling in the
festive season
Q How do you fit
four reindeer in a
car?
A Two in the front
and two in the back.
Q How do you fit
four elves in a car?
A Take the reindeer
out first.
www.flickr.com/photos/rukakuusamo/4776006617/
RENA – A TIMELY REMINDER
I
t could have been worse. Three hundred and fifty
tonnes of oil spilled into the sea, killed thousands
of birds and other marine animals, and despoiled kilometres of beaches. Yet, after a slow initial response,
thanks to the efforts of the salvors, working under incredibly difficult and dangerous conditions, the bulk
of the oil was extracted and more than a hundred
containers have been so far safely removed from the
stricken ship. By and large, the weather was cooperative, and the fragile Rena remained in one piece.
Will we be this lucky next time? Because if there’s
one thing we can be sure about, it’s that there will be
a next time. Even if the rules, regulations and safeguards are tightened up – and there’s every indication that they need to be – we will never be immune
to technological failure, natural disasters and/or
human error.
Let’s hope that any New Zealand government, now or
in the future, will think very carefully before making
decisions that will significantly increase the chances
of our marine environment suffering catastrophic
damage.
Little blue penguins recovering in the Oiled Wildlife Response
Centre at the Bay of Plenty
DEFENDING DENNISTON
Australian company, Bathurst Resources, wants to
devastate public conservation land on the Denniston
plateau with a 200 hectare opencast coal mine. Forest
& Bird is urging the government to keep its promise
to publicly notify any proposed access arrangements
for mining on conservation land that is not specially
protected under Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals
Act. Legislation to confirm the promise has not yet
been passed. If the minister publicly notifies the Denniston mine access arrangement, then all New Zealanders would get the chance to have a say in whether
this unique ecosystem should be destroyed.
Forest & Bird would like a 5900-hectare reserve created on the Denniston Plateau and surrounding
areas to protect the last remaining habitat of several
endangered species. We are also appealing
against Bathurst’s resource consent for its mine. See:
www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/campaigns/
South Otago Forest & Bird
PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION 2011
Theme: Conservation – People & Projects
YELLOW-EYED PENGUIN NEST SEARCHES
Above and Beyond
Roy Johnstone
Another One Here?
Jim Young
Photos may be viewed at the National Bank, Balclutha, until mid
December and then at the Owaka Museum until mid January.
Penguin to the Fore
Fergus Sutherland
Planting
Thomas McLeary
FIRST PLACE – 12 & under
Mel Young from DOC reports that so far 49 nests
have been found at Long Point, which compares well
with previous years. Catlins results overall are about
10% down on last year, possibly because heavy salt
spray at most sites has taken the top off the canopy,
limiting nesting opportunities.
Gathering PenguinData
Alan McLeary
Reusable Rainbow
Joanne McLeary
GOOD NEWS FOR THE WAITAKI
Forest & Bird has welcomed the decision by Environment Canterbury (ECan) to decline nine irrigation and water take consents covering 5350 hectares
of land in the Upper Waitaki Valley. Water quality
was the most critical issue cited by the commissioners who noted that the main potential for adverse
environmental effects was leaching of harmful nutrients from the irrigated pasture into groundwater,
and from there into streams, rivers and lakes.
There are still a large number of decisions by ECan
on water consent applications for the Mackenzie
Basin due to be released before Christmas. Forest &
Bird hopes that the upcoming decisions will reflect
the same concerns and considerations around water
pollution.
Let’s Grow Together
Trish Breen
FIRST PLACE – OPEN
Planting for the Future
Joanne McLeary
SECOND PLACE – OPEN
Salt Marsh Study
Jane Young
Tuis
Helen Gilder