Finalists For Whakamānawa Ā Taiao
Council Chair Geoff Crawford says the 2025 awards are the first since the transition to a biennial event. (The previous awards were in 2023.)
Chair Crawford says entering the Environmental Awards helps tell the story of the environmental work happening in Northland and shows that collectively we are making a difference.
Finalists (in alphabetical order) are:
Bay of Islands International Academy
Bream Head Conservation Trust Reserve Revegetation
Earth Buddies
Hokianga Harbor Care Incorporated Society
Hurupaki School
India Clarke
Jill Mortensen
Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust
Ngā Kaitiaki O Ngā Wai Māori
Ngā Kaitiaki o te Ahi
Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust - Te Pou Taiao
Piroa Conservation Trust
Project Island Song
Roman Makara
Te Kura O Hato Hohepa Te Kamura
Te Runanga Nui O Te Aupouri- Oranga Whenua Oranga Tangata Taiao Team
The Love Bittern Project
Tū Mai Rā Energy Northland
Weed Action Native Habitat Restoration Trust
Whangārei Girls' High School
Award categories include:
Environmental action in the community
Environmental action to protect native life
Environmental action in water quality improvement
Environmental action in education
Environmental leadership
Youth environmental leader
Kaitiakitanga
Environmental action in business
Environmental action to address climate change
Chair Crawford says winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at Waitangi on Thursday 26 June.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
6 days ago
- Scoop
Six Northland Tertiary Students Awarded Scholarships
Six Northland students have been named as recipients of Northland Regional Council's annual Tū i te ora Scholarship, each receiving $4000 and paid work experience with council this summer. The recipients are Aakash Chatterji, Nehana Griffiths, Riana Lane, Isaac Morrow, Raine Ross, and William Trubshaw, who were selected from a pool of 26 applicants. This is the sixth year council has awarded the scholarship, which recognises, encourages and supports student to undertake study that relates to council's environmental and regulatory functions, whilst contributing to council's vision 'Tiakina te taiao, tuia te here tangata - Nurture the environment, bring together the people'. Pou Manawhakahaere - Group Manager, Governance and Engagement Auriole Ruka says the scholarship provides value for both the recipients and council, with the recipients able to gain hands-on experience and council benefiting from the extra support during the busy summer period. "It's a great opportunity for the recipients to apply what they've learned through their tertiary study to real life scenarios, and our teams really value the different experiences and perspectives the recipients bring." Nehana Griffiths, who will join council's Climate Action and Natural Hazards team, is passionate about learning how land has been utilised and the impacts of this over time. "I enjoy looking at environmental management cases and learning how different communities in different contexts and situations tackle environmental problems, and what we can learn from those results for the future." Riana Lane will join council's Biosecurity Partnerships team to help support community projects aimed at managing plant and animal species. She is determined to help protect the environment for future generations to enjoy and treasure. "I want to apply my love for our flora and fauna in a career in conservation, breeding programmes, and zoology to work with and study our native species, and to support them to survive and thrive in our changing world." Ruka says the scholarship also enables council to tap into talent early and create a valuable pipeline for future employees. "The scholarship offers students an incredible chance to gain valuable experience and discover if a career at council aligns with their career goals. We've had several previous recipients return to council after graduating or remained in casual and fixed-term roles." "We're really looking forward to having this year's recipients join us this summer and hope they enjoy the experience so much that they also return to council once they've completed their studies to enrich the region and its people with their knowledge and skills." The six winners (in alphabetical order by surname) are: Aakash Chatterji, from Whangārei (Te Uriroroi, Te Parawhau, Te Mahurehure ki Whatitiri, Te Taoū. Ngāti Whātua, Ngā Puhi, and Varanasi India). Diploma in Environmental Management (Level 6) at NorthTec. Nehana Griffiths, from Whangārei and Dunedin (Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Rehua, Te Rarawa, Te Waiariki, Ngāti Korora, Ngāpuhi). Bachelor of Arts, majoring in History and minoring in Geography and Māori Studies at University Otago. Riana Lane, from Whangārei. Bachelor of Science, majoring in Biological Science and minoring in Psychology at University of Canterbury. Isaac Morrow, from Kerikeri (Te Aupōuri). Bachelor of Marine Science at University of Otago. Raine Ross, from Mōtatau (Ngāti Te Tarawa, Ngāti Hine). Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science) at Massey University. William Trubshaw, from Whangārei. Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science conjoint, majoring in Biological Sciences and Geography, and minoring in Mathematics at University of Canterbury. Ruka says the recipients will join NRC from mid-November 2025 to mid-February 2026 in the Biosecurity Partnerships, Climate Action and Natural Hazards, Hydrology, Te Tiriti Partnerships and Engagement Team, and Water Quality teams. More information about the scholarship and recipients is available from
RNZ News
6 days ago
- RNZ News
Almost all sika deer culled in ambitious Russell Forest eradication project
Trailcam image of a sika hind at Ngaiotonga Reserve, south of Russell. Photo: DOC Just three sika deer remain in Russell Forest a year after an ambitious eradication project began, the Northland Regional Council says. Biosecurity group manager Don McKenzie said 64 deer had been removed so far along with about 500 goats. Any recoverable meat was distributed to local communities, he said. The Russell State Forest trial was launched in May 2024 at an estimated cost of $1.5 million. It was so far ahead of schedule and under budget. Critics have said local hunters should have been used, but McKenzie said experts with specialist equipment, such as thermal imaging drones, were required given the need to locate every last deer. The council earlier told RNZ the project, if successful in Russell Forest, could be expanded to the 13 other wild deer populations around Northland. A sika hind is captured by a trailcam in Russell State Forest. Photo: DOC Those populations were scattered between Kaiwaka, near the Auckland border, and the bush behind Kaitāia airport. The council said wild deer arrived in Northland in the 1980s and 1990s as a result of illegal releases and farm escapes. Unlike other parts of New Zealand, deer were not released in Northland by the acclimatisation societies of the 19th century, which meant numbers were still low enough to make eradication possible. Russell Forest had the region's only known population of sika deer, which were smaller and more elusive than the other species found around New Zealand. Earlier, Department of Conservation senior wild animal advisor Dave Carlton told RNZ deer had no natural predators in New Zealand, so numbers could grow rapidly. He said wild deer fed on forest plants, trees and seedlings, altering forest composition, removing food for native animals, and hindering regeneration. Carlton said Northland was the ideal region to aim for deer-free status because it was bordered by the sea on two sides and Auckland city on the other. Wild Deer Free Te Tai Tokerau is a partnership between the regional council, DOC, hapū and iwi - in this case Te Kapotai, Ngāti Kuta, Patukeha, Ngatiwai and hau kainga from Ngaiotonga - and the deer farming industry. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
7 days ago
- Scoop
Resident Satisfaction On The Up
Horowhenua residents say they're more satisfied with Council than they were last year. Every year Council asks the community to provide feedback on how satisfied they are with the services and facilities we provide. This year we asked more than 8,000 residents for their views, and when we crunched the numbers their overall satisfaction rate was 63 percent. That's upslightly from last year's 62 percent, and it's much better than the 49 percent satisfaction score from 2022. 'While there will always be more work to do to improve the amenities and services we provide, we're proud of this result,' says Chief Executive Monique Davidson. 'It shows that the hard work being put in by your Council and its kaimahi is paying off – and that you're seeing the results.' Things people liked included our libraries, which recorded a 94 percent satisfaction rating, and kerbside rubbish collection, which scored 92 percent. On the other hand only 39 percent of respondents were satisfied with footpath maintenance, and just 40 percent believed Council is open and transparent with its decision-making. The Net Promotor Score (NPS), which measures customer loyalty and satisfaction and can range from 100 to –100, dropped from –9.5 last year to –13.2. 'We appreciate the frankness with which people have told us we can do better in some areas, and we're working hard to improve,' says Monique Davidson. 'The survey is so useful to us. It allows us to celebrate when the community tells us we're making a difference – but it also helps us focus closely on what isn't working as well.'
