72 days ago

Protecting our wetlands and critically endangered wildlife

The Team from Momentum Waikato

Wetlands are a precious part of our ecosystem, acting like the kidneys of the earth, cleaning the water that flows into them. They trap sediment and soils, filter out contaminants; can reduce flooding and protect coastal land from storm surge; and return nitrogen to the atmosphere. In New Zealand they support the greatest concentration of wildlife out of any other habitat and yet 90% of our wetlands have been cleared.

Many of the community conservation groups in the Hauraki Coromandel are working to protect remaining wetlands and the endangered species that inhabit them, such as the Matuku-Hūrepo or Australasian Bittern, pictured below.

This is a strikingly beautiful and secretive wetland bird that has perfected invisibility. Its colour and striations exactly mimic the close, vertical world of reeds and raupō, especially when it lifts its dagger beak right up, narrows itself to angular reed-thinness and sways gently with the wind-rustling stems. The male’s distinctive mating call is a sonorous, haunting boom that reverberates through its wetland habitat - the call of the wild.

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More messages from your neighbours
5 hours ago

Poll: Do you know anyone affected by the Kinleith job cuts and reviews?

Libby Totton Reporter from Waikato Times

“It’s hard to describe how I feel, numbness mostly, it’s all still an unknown,” says Kirby Chitty, a qualified boiler and turbine operator at Kinleith Mill.

Between them, Chitty and her fiancé have spent 30 years at the mill but what happens in the next four months will determine their futures in the South Waikato.

Do you know anyone affected by the Kinleith job cuts and reviews? Tell us about it in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).

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Do you know anyone affected by the Kinleith job cuts and reviews?
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    0% Complete
  • 100% No
    100% Complete
1 vote
2 days ago

Last call for entries to our Resene Shed of the Year 2025!

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Take a look at Paul Bates' "surprisingly roomy" Tardis-inspired shed which took out our 2023 title, and if you reckon your shed is right up there, well, you could be in the running to win a robot lawnmower, Resene vouchers and a subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us why your garden shed is New Zealand's best, and send up to 5 high-quality photos to Resene Shed of the Year 2025, NZ Gardener PO Box 6341, Victoria St West, Auckland 1142. Or email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2025.

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20 hours ago

🕵️‍♂️ Solve It If You Can! 🔎 Riddle Time

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

I’m a place of beauty,
from mountains to sea,
where the long white cloud drifts gracefully;
I’m far from most but close in heart—
what country am I,
a world apart?

Bonus points if you know the photo's location, here's a hint: it's the Riddler's home town!

Do you think you know the answer to our riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm.

Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

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