Environment

Three Southland flood protection projects will benefit from today’s announcement of Government funding for climate resilience projects across the country. Environment Southland Chairman Nicol Horrell said the Council welcomed the Government’s decision to invest in flood protection and to recognise i

A whale so rare that only six specimens have ever been documented has washed ashore on an Otago beach. On Thursday, 4 July, the Department of Conservation (DOC) staff received reports of a beaked whale, approximately 5 metres long, near Taiari Mouth. After inspection and consultation with marine mam

Federated Farmers have expressed strong support for the recent decision to review methane emission targets, viewing it as an essential step towards fairness for the farming community and beneficial for the New Zealand economy as a whole. “Federated Farmers see this review as an immensely positive de

In a bid to address the kakapo habitat shortage, the Department of Conservation (DOC), Ngai Tahu, and the Coal Island Trust have moved four male kakapo to Coal Island in Fiordland. This initiative seeks to determine if the 1163-hectare island can eventually support a larger breeding population. DOC

A Southland pest control group fears nearly two decades of work could be in jeopardy due to difficult funding conditions. Since 2006, the Mid Dome Wilding Trees Charitable Trust has been working to eradicate rogue pines from over 40,000 hectares east of the Mataura River. However, the group’s fundin

Environment Southland’s latest monitoring has found high levels of potentially toxic algae in the Mataura River at the Mataura Island Bridge. Water users should be vigilant and avoid contact with water and the algae, and swimming in the Mataura River near Mataura township should be avoided. Similar

After facing a severe cyanobacterial bloom, Waituna Lagoon, a designated wetland of international importance, is showing promising signs of recovery. In an effort to combat the toxic algae, the lagoon was manually opened to the ocean in January. Environment Southland’s chief scientist, Karen Wilson,

Cyanobacteria has been found in the Oreti River but there is no threat at present to drinking water supplies around the city. The Invercargill City Council reported to today’s Infrastructure Committee that the ‘Blue Green’ algae was detected on March 13 by Environment Southland. Found in the vicinit