News

IPWEA together with LGA South Australia and a wide group of project partners have released the Green Infrastructure Management Manual, a global first of its kind. The manual will empower councils engineers asset managers and planners to integrate nature based infrastructure such as street trees parks green roofs wetlands and coastal habitats into asset and financial management plans. The manual responds to the long standing issue of green infrastructure being left out of asse

Auckland Council has reopened the Hunua Ranges, Waharau and Whakatiwai in time for summer following the final application of 1080 bait last month. The operation targeted rats, stoats and possums to protect native species, particularly the endangered kokako which continues to make a remarkable recovery in the ranges. Regional parks manager Scott De Silva emphasised that caution signs will remain in place for six months to remind visitors that bait and carcasses may still be pr

The Department of Conservation will introduce paid parking at Aoraki Mount Cook, Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Franz Josef as part of a pilot programme beginning in December. Parking will cost 5 dollars per hour with the first 20 minutes free. Local residents can access a reduced annual pass at 10 dollars per vehicle while regular visitors can purchase a 60 dollar annual pass. The pilot, which runs until June 2026, aims to support the cost of maintaining visitor facilities at h

Feral cats have officially joined stoats, ferrets, weasels, rats and possums on the Predator Free 2050 eradication list. Conservation Minister Tama Potaka described feral cats as stone cold killers responsible for significant losses of native birds, bats, lizards and insects. The announcement marks the first change to the predator list since the goal was launched in 2016. It follows strong public feedback calling for feral cats to be included and a growing understanding that

The Department of Conservation (DOC) manages 26 759 signs across Aotearoa. In the 2024/25 financial year, the department spent NZ$350 523 on repairing and replacing signage. Its budget for the coming year has been set at NZ$587 248. Over the three-year span from July 2022, 1 155 signs have been repaired or replaced. In the South Island alone, 902 signs are flagged for replacement or repair. The types of damage speak clearly: bullet holes, signs being driven into, keyed until

The High Court has upheld the Environmental Protection Authority’s (EPA) decision not to reassess glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup. Justice Karen Grau ruled that the EPA acted lawfully when it found there were no grounds to reopen the review of glyphosate or glyphosate-based products. The Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) had sought a reassessment, arguing that the EPA used the wrong legal test and failed to fully consider new evidence about potential health and

Researchers from the University of Otago, Dr Robin Quigg (Ngāti Raukawa) and Els Russell (Ngāti Maru), have found that many parks and reserves in Aotearoa still reflect their colonial origins rather than Indigenous values. Their study, published in Local Environment: The International Journal of Justice and Sustainability , explores how public land management has historically supported the creation of settler nations while limiting Indigenous connections to whenua. In the Dun

Rotorua Lakes Council has announced the elimination of 19 positions as it moves to close the retail arm of its Queen’s Drive nursery,...

Rotorua’s council nursery on Queen’s Drive, which has been growing plants for the city’s parks and reserves since the 1960s, is facing an...

After more than a decade of waiting, the northern tip of Miramar Peninsula — Watt’s Peninsula / Mātai Moana — has officially been given...

A recent article in Stuff highlights the ongoing and renewed efforts by Ngāti Tūwharetoa to have culturally significant lands within...

A recent court ruling brings closure to a long-running case involving a local council and a playground injury. In late 2019, Leon Sheeran...

In a case that shocked the UK, two men have been jailed for over four years for the deliberate felling of the beloved Sycamore Gap tree...

We're pleased to announce the release of our July - August Newsletter! Recently PLF Events Coordinator, Sam, became the first person to...

The PLF has a few updates to share with our membership. Lincoln University Professional Development Day. We are partnering with Lincoln...

Japan’s national parks are world-renowned for their breathtaking beauty, but what truly sets them apart is the uniquely Japanese way they...

New Zealand’s ambitious vision of a predator-free Aotearoa by 2050 is facing uncertainty following the government’s recent budget...

Big changes are brewing in Nelson as the city’s parks and reserves get a fresh shake-up under new management. With a focus on...

Frustrated locals in New Zealand are raising eyebrows over the widespread use of Roundup, which has topped the ACC’s list for...

The New Zealand government is exploring new measures to balance tourism with conservation efforts by charging visitor fees at specific...