Environment – Aotea Green – Great Barrier Island News – Barrier Times – Aotea Great Barrier Island News

Barrier Tracks Abandoned as DOC Seeks Community Help Amid Budget Constraints

The Department of Conservation has confirmed it will cease maintaining five walking tracks on Great Barrier Island, a move that has sparked safety and accessibility concerns among residents. The Coopers Castle track, Kiwiriki track, Line W track, Witheys track, and…

Environment - Aotea Green

Wet Feet and Kāka: Steve’s Barrier Citrus Secrets

Mulberry Grove’s Steve Shares the Secrets to Better Citrus on Barrier

Environment - Aotea Green

Earthquake Rattles Great Barrier Island

An earthquake centered South East of Great Barrier jolted the island on Tuesday evening, leaving residents shaken and diving for cover. The magnitude 5.5 tremor struck at 8:00 PM and was felt by more than 2,000 people across the island…

Great Barrier Island stripped of only fire support role

Fire and Emergency New Zealand has axed the only paid fire support role on Great Barrier Island, a move internal documents admit will actually cost more. The decision to replace an on-island manager with commuting mainland staff has left locals…

Global ocean plastic expedition docks at Great Barrier

An international research crew is scheduled to arrive at Great Barrier Island this afternoon to investigate ocean plastic pollution, viewing the island as a key catchment area for mainland waste. The voyage, organised by the UK-based nonprofit eXXpedition, departed Westhaven…

Environment - Aotea Green

Red alert lifted but severe westerlies remain as Cyclone Vaianu tracks south

Great Barrier Island appears to have dodged the worst of Cyclone Vaianu, with emergency response officials reporting no major damage as the storm’s centre tracks down the mainland. As of 2:30 pm Sunday, the eye of the system had descended…

Volunteers Give Great Barrier’s DOC Huts a Summer Makeover

Two Department of Conservation huts on Great Barrier Island have been given a full refresh ahead of the busy summer period. Over six days, sixteen Backcountry Trust volunteers worked with DOC volunteers and staff — with support from Dulux and…

A mound of dumped tyres in native bush — the same material researchers say is now the country’s largest source of microplastics. Photo / RNZ

Tyre Particles Branded Biggest Microplastic Source in Hauraki Gulf

Marine researchers in Auckland have discovered what is making up the biggest single source of microplastics. They found tiny pieces of vehicle tyres were polluting coastal waters and almost half of the rubber that shed on our roads ended up…

Pōhutukawa in bloom. Photo / Robyn Jaquiery

Environment - Aotea Green

Are pōhutukawa trees flowering early this year? A botanist explains

Flowering pōhutukawa trees are the sign summer is here – and many we have seen are already in full bloom. But are they flowering earlier this year? Ecologist and botanist Associate Professor Bruce Burns, from the University of Auckland, says…

An adult black petrel cruises over the waters of the Hauraki Gulf. Photo / Dan Burgin / WMIL

Black Petrels get a lifeline with new conservation push

Great Barrier’s endangered Black Petrels are getting a major boost, with a new three-year programme aimed at improving chick survival and strengthening the local population. With just 5,000 breeding pairs remaining, scientists hope unprecedented tracking and monitoring will give these…

Transit cancellations: Ferry cancelled: SeaLink — Whangaparapara → Auckland City · Thu, 15 Oct 2:00pm. See live status. · Ferry cancelled: SeaLink — Auckland City → Whangaparapara · Thu, 15 Oct 7:30am. See live status.