Continuing with the theme explored in the previous post, the role of semi-managed nature in supporting biodiversity, this post explores how land development can sometimes lead to the enhancement – rather than the degradation – of an environment’s ability to support biodiversity. (more…)
November 24, 2010
The spoonbills are back! Mixing homes with nature
Posted by envirohistorynz under commentary | Tags: biodiversity, wetlands, spoonbill, white-faced heron, subdivision, housing development, urban design, stormwater, children and nature, sustainability |Leave a Comment
November 21, 2010
The role of semi-managed nature in supporting biodiversity
Posted by envirohistorynz under commentary | Tags: 2010, Asian Studies Review, biodiversity, conservation estate, Convention on Biological Diversity, COP10, Dr Catherine Knight, ecosystem services, Japan, Kumano, Landcare Trust, lowland forests, national parks, New Zealand, pastoral landscape, plantation forest, QEII Trust, satoyama, semi-managed nature, Winifred Bird |Leave a Comment
Hot off the press today is Catherine’s article on satoyama, the semi-managed nature in rural Japan, which has been published in the latest issue of Asian Studies Review. The article is highly topical, because satoyama was a prominent theme in this year’s Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which was just held in Nagoya, Japan last month. (more…)
March 31, 2010
Lindsay Gow: two decades of environmental policy – then and now
Posted by envirohistorynz under commentary | Tags: 100% Pure NZ, 1980s, agricutural run off, biodiversity, clean green NZ, Department of Conservation, environmental policy, estuarine ecosystem, government, Lindsay Gow, Ministry for the Environment, Pauatahanui inlet, pollution, siltation, Think Big era |1 Comment
Last year, Lindsay Gow retired from his position as Deputy Secretary of the Ministry for the Environment after more than two decades leading environmental policy work in New Zealand. envirohistory NZ asked Lindsay to share his thoughts on how New Zealanders’ attitudes towards the environment and environmental issues have changed over this period:
The first change has been in public and political opinion.
20 years and more ago environmental policy was very much the junior partner in the both government and public eyes. Although the establishment of the Ministry for the Environment and the Department of Conservation came out of a reaction to the rapacious “think big” developments, it was not easy to get policy issues and ideas launched. We found that the onus of proof was against, not in favour of environmental protection. (more…)
January 9, 2011
Canterbury Plains: an ecological “ground zero”
Posted by envirohistorynz under commentary | Tags: biodiversity, Canterbury, Canterbury Plains, Colin Meurk, coprosma, deforestation, Environmental History, farming, farming productivity, Four Leaf, ground zero, industrial agriculture, intensive farming, Japan, kanuka, Landcare Research, matai, New Zealand, Rebecca Macfie, Resource Management Act, satoyama, semi-managed nature, The Listener, totara, Waipara Valley |Leave a Comment
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