Latest news with #Kauri
Scoop
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Together By Emma Hercus
With kind wide faces and a washy layering of colour, Together by Emma Hercus reminds us that we are social creatures, bound to one another through shared conversation and a day spent giggling side by side, Kuaka flying above. Each canvas rendered with folkloric care, a charming naïvity and distinctly Aotearoa quality that Hercus uses to hold the breath of an intimate scene and nail it to the wall. A yearning to document our affections, to be wrapped up and absorbed by in years to come. Together centres on the scenes we share amongst friends. Amongst family. The warmth from your lover next to you in bed, the dance of after dinner dishes, and the hum of a communal flat in the evening. The moments where eyes meet over laughter that force our hand to a camera and are talked about fondly in reminiscence. Leading ponies around a paddock, lighting a secret shared cigarette. Eye-contact, joy, tears, touch, presence and shared silence. Hercus reminds us that we are part of something larger than ourselves, larger than tall Kauri trees and our long coastlines, something beating and belonging - community, family, and togetherness. Join us for the opening celebration on Friday evening, 11th July, from 6pm. Kindly sponsored by Almighty, Rock Ferry Wines, Newday Coffee, and Arobake. ARTIST BIOGRAPHY – EMMA HERCUS Emma offers glimpses into a whimsical world shaped by her rural upbringing and coastal surroundings. Her playful yet complex narratives are filled with relatable figures, native plants and animals, with a sense of care for Aotearoa's whenua and its creatures. Known for her distinctive figurative and naïve paintings, the Plimmerton-based artist builds up colour and texture through layers of pigment, often scratching back the surface to reveal a sense of history beneath. Emma's love of people—their stories, energy and shared moments—deeply informs her practice, as the characters she paints often echo aspects of herself. Vague memories, folklore, and everyday scenes emerge and intertwine in her richly embellished works. EXHIBITION DETAILS Together Emma Hercus 12 July – 2 August 2025 Opening Night Friday, 11 July 2025, 6pm Twentysix Gallery 26 Constable Street Omārōrō Newtown Pōneke Wellington Opening Hours Thurs/Fri 12 – 6 Sat 10 – 4 And by appointment
NZ Herald
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
$1 million Ferrari hits man's prized Honda Civic
Kea Kids News: Lone Kauri kids beat the sun to ring in Matariki Who needs sleep when it's Matariki? Reporter Jules and his mates are celebrating together with a pre-dawn bonfire, plus stories and songs with Matua Pita.
NZ Herald
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Smokefreerockquest Waikato Regional Final
Kea Kids News: Lone Kauri kids beat the sun to ring in Matariki Who needs sleep when it's Matariki? Reporter Jules and his mates are celebrating together with a pre-dawn bonfire, plus stories and songs with Matua Pita.
NZ Herald
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Herald
A first look at the North Island's long-awaited new highway
The road will open in June, on a date not yet set. Tour guide and NZ Transport Agency project spokesman Grant Kauri said the views on the road were amazing, including the peak through the gorge when starting out. 'You can see the old Manawatū Gorge road, with Ruahine and Tararua maunga and the Manawatū River in the background. It's absolutely stunning.' Clearly visible is the slip that closed the road through the gorge for a year in 2011-12, five years before more slips closed it for good. In 2021 construction began on the new $825 million highway. It's expected the 11.5km route will take less than 15 minutes to drive, a big improvement on the windy and slow alternative routes in use for the past eight years. 'We're going up a 9.5% grade over a stretch of about 3km. In terms of context and what the fuel will be like it's similar to Transmission Gully,' Kauri said as we climbed towards the road's summit. It's actually slightly steeper than that highway, north of Wellington. As we head towards Woodville, through the wind turbines, the road here looks pretty well ready to use. 'Along the main alignment itself [we're] finishing off the final surface of the asphalt, followed by the line marking and the median barrier installation,' Kauri said. 'We still have a number of works open off the main alignment itself.' Some of that is on the new walking and cycling track that snakes along near the road. At the summit, as the road carves through the hills, Kauri said ground conditions were challenging because of how wet it was. So, the road builders got rid of the unstable material, replaced it with something better and compacted it. There are about 300 workers still onsite and some would remain after the road opened, completing tasks such as drainage and planting. As the road drops towards Woodville, at the Tararua end, the slope isn't quite as steep. Unlike the old gorge road, on the unstable northern Tararua Range, ground conditions here mean slips are unlikely. Kauri said working on the project was a career highlight – something he never envisaged when he began in the industry and used to work on the old road. 'In my former life I was responsible for clearing some of the slips in the Manawatū Gorge. I remember some of the late callouts in the middle of the night – raining, windy.' Covid, Cyclone Gabrielle and challenging ground conditions were the toughest parts of this road build, he said.
Forbes
03-05-2025
- Forbes
The Surprising Players Behind Auckland's Regenerative Tourism Push
Mamakan Oustrup Laureijs, owner of Velskov Forest Farm near Auckland, New Zealand. Forget sustainable tourism. In forward-looking destinations like New Zealand, it's all about regenerative tourism. Mamakan Oustrup Laureijs explains the concept to her visitors over a spread of fresh-baked organic bread, strawberries, locally harvested leafy greens and artisanal cheese. "We will be nourished by what the forest farm has to offer," she says. "But we will also give back." At Velskov Forest Farm, a half-hour drive outside of Auckland, New Zealand, that means planting your own tree to help regenerate the old-growth forest that covered the gently rolling hills outside of Auckland before European settlers arrived. Oustrup Laureijs, the farm's owner, shows visitors how it's done. She guides them as they plant native species such as the Kauri, a hardwood tree that can live up to 2,000 years, and the Pōhutukawa, known for its vibrant red flowers that bloom in early summer. Planting trees encapsulates the essence of regenerative tourism, say tourism experts. "Regenerative tourism goes beyond simply minimizing negative impacts," explains Vance Haywood, owner of The Exquisite Group, a luxury tour operator based in Auckland. "Instead, it focuses on actively contributing to the restoration and enhancement of the environment and local communities." Regenerative tourism takes on many forms in the Auckland area. Among them are regenerative tours and hotels, visits to conservation-minded zoos, and replanting entire islands devastated by irresponsible farming. Neil Taylor, a Department of Conservation ranger and volunteer guide, in the forest of Tiritiri Matangi Island. Tiritiri Matangi Island, a sanctuary off the coast of Auckland, is a showcase of regenerative tourism. Once a farm, the island has been reborn as a haven for native New Zealand species, with birds flocking to the areas replanted with native trees. Today, you'll find everything from the takahē, a rare, flightless bird that was once thought to be extinct, to the nocturnal kiwi. But you'll have to spend the night on the island if you want to see a kiwi — they're never seen during the day. A hike around Tiritiri Matangi is an immersive lesson in environmental stewardship. As you wander through the forest up to the old lighthouse and learn about the island's history, you're engaging with the environment and its conservation. Neil Taylor, a volunteer guide with a nonprofit organization called Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi, says regenerative tourism is an ongoing project in Auckland. "It's a continuous process that requires knowledge, action, and a deep connection to nature," he explains. "It's not just an ideal, but a necessary practice for a sustainable future." The kererū, one of New Zealand's native pigeons, in an aviary at the Auckland Zoo. The zoo has a special emphasis on preserving and promoting native species like the kererū. The Auckland Zoo is also dedicated to improving the ecosystem of the island, with new plans and wider conservation projects in focus. They've already made strides with initiatives such as recycling and energy reduction, achieving carbon-zero status seven years ago. And there's much more to come. Jane Healy, the zoo's spokeswoman, says the next phase of its conservation efforts is focused on regeneration. The Auckland Zoo continues to reduce its emissions impact through carbon offsets, mostly through local New Zealand native planting projects such as the ones happening at Velskov and Tiritiri Matangi. All the zoo's energy comes from renewable sources, and managers are working to phase out gas usage. The zoo has large rainwater tanks to collect and redistribute water and taking water from a nearby spring. This water, used in animal moats and other zoo facilities, is treated and then returned cleaner than when it arrived. The zoo also has a system for hand-sorting all of its trash, ensuring that only recyclable materials are sent for recycling and none of them end up in a landfill. "We very much believe in practicing what we preach," says Healey. Chris Judd, a guide at Bush and Beach, shows visitors a dieback station used to decontaminate shoes to protect the native Kauri trees from a deadly soil-borne pathogen. One way of seeing northern New Zealand's regenerative tourism efforts is on a tour. Chris Judd, a guide at Bush and Beach, conducts a specialty tour that shows visitors Auckland's regenerative tourism initiatives. His approach emphasizes educating guests about the unique natural environment of New Zealand, particularly its native plants and forests. "It's more than a walk in the woods," Judd says. "We're helping connect visitors with the local environment. And we're offering more enriching information about regenerative tourism." In this part of New Zealand the forests and native biodiversity have been destroyed by rampant deforestation and introduced predators. Judd creates a sense of connection to the local environment for his tour guests, showing them how they can be part of the solution. But it also goes a step further. Part of the tour contributes to the health of the ecosystem by funding the removal of non-native predators such as stoats and rats, which harm native bird populations and other wildlife in New Zealand. He explains how to protect what's already there, notably the native kauri trees, which are vulnerable to a deadly soil-borne pathogen. Even the tour itself is sustainable. Bush and Beach hopes to shift to electric vehicles this year, one of the final steps to becoming carbon-negative as a business. Clinton Farley, the Hotel Britomart's general manager, shows off his menu which emphasizes sustainability by using all parts of a fish and wasting fewer resources. It's not just tour operators and conservationists who are tuning in to regenerative tourism. The Hotel Britomart in Auckland has a strong push to incorporate sustainability into all aspects of its operations. Even before it opened in 2020, the property's owners wanted to be a Green Star certified hotel, and they were the first in New Zealand to achieve that. (Green Star is a voluntary sustainability rating system in Australasia.) The certification isn't just a plaque on the wall, either; it means that the hotel's design, construction, and equipment all meet high standards for energy efficiency. "Sustainability is one of our core values," says Clinton Farley, the hotel's general manager. Beyond the physical structure of the hotel, Britomart is also working to integrate sustainability into the guest experience. The hotel partners with local suppliers for food and toiletries. It talks about food sourcing. For instance, it does not buy any seafood that has been bottom trawled, and it encourages guests to try lesser-used parts of the fish, like the tail and eyes, minimizing waste and promoting a fuller use of resources. Like the tour operator Bush and Beach, the Britomart is constantly trying to reduce its carbon footprint. Farley says it's always looking for new ways to reduce waste and eliminate any single-use plastics. But he's careful about using terms like "carbon-zero" because there's always more work to be done. The Britomart, he notes, wants to ensure that sustainability isn't an afterthought, but an integral part of the guest experience. Regenerative tourism is everywhere in Auckland, and if you spend enough time here you'll see the same faces. For example, the Britomart has a partnership with Velskov Forest, Oustrup Laureijs' regenerative tourism experience, called Nourishing Nature. "People might eat some produce — honey, mushrooms, herbs, flowers — at Hotel Britomart from the trees that guests have planted at Velskov," she says. "It's a great example of a circular economy." There's still plenty of work to be done when it comes to regenerative tourism. There are trees to be planted, and the forests are still teeming with introduced predators that stalk endangered Kiwi. But Auckland's efforts are without a doubt a model for other destinations trying to achieve sustainability — or, better yet, regeneration.
