By Dr Danielle Shanahan
We are now well into spring, with signs of it all around us. Modern living means that these types of changes often go unnoticed. If this sounds like you, it might be time to go out into nature a little more often—for your own wellbeing!
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The last of the captive population of pepeketua/Hamilton’s frogs have been released from their enclosure following the opening of a new boardwalk that was built to protect them from human foot traffic. This boardwalk was made possible through generous funding from the estate of John Nankervis. Lead Ranger Ellen Irwin shares some of the mahi/work that went into planning for this release.
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Towering above visitors in the ngahere/forest, the non-native pine trees at Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne were originally planted as a forestry trial as early as the 1880s. Jo Ledington, General Manager Conservation and Restoration, shares some of the thinking that has gone into the removal of these trees.
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Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne relies heavily on our amazing community of volunteers. Our volunteers help us with a wide range of tasks and activities. They come from all walks of life and are passionate supporters of the work we do. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them.
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Walking in the sanctuary is a whole new experience in autumn and winter. Fungi peek their heads out of the ground, the green colours of the plants pop in the damp ngahere/forest and different manu come together in groups to forage.
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The Conservation team have been carrying out their biannual Five-Minute Bird Counts (5MBC) recently, in which they count all birds seen or heard within 200 meters of various stations around the valley over a five-minute period.
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"Little is known about Aotearoa New Zealand’s freshwater sponges. To date, only one species has been studied, yet there is a high likelihood that many other exist without us knowing. For my master’s project, I am investigating the diversity of species within New Zealand."
Dive into the world of freshwater sponges with Ella, a passionate master's student from the University of Otago, New Zealand.
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We have all heard it—spending time in nature can improve your health.
Western science is finally catching up with what Māori and many other knowledge systems have always known. People are part of nature, and being separated from it affects our health.
Zealandia researchers have had leading roles in new discoveries about how nature improves our health.
Here are five ways through which reconnecting with nature can improve your wellbeing...
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By Christopher Woolley
Research into what makes people want to take part in different nature-based activities improves our ability to design projects that will engage large numbers of participants from diverse backgrounds. This is important to ensure that projects benefit from sufficient engagement to make them effective, as well as ensuring that projects are generally accessible and appealing. Research from Zealandia's Centre for People and Nature published in the journal People and Nature, examined how different backyard conservation activities appeal to different sorts of people in Aotearoa New Zealand, and what motivates participation.
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Operational report
In 2021, Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne embarked on an ambitious operation to remove around 22,000 exotic perch from Roto Kawau, the lower reservoir. We have outlined this project in an operational report. The purpose of this report is to share our learnings and support other communities with similar ambitions.
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