Conservation

The Government proposes subsidising the survey work of mining companies in the Mt Aspiring and the Rakiura National Parks, apparently leaked documents suggest.

Long-serving Wanaka conservationist Stu Thorne has retired from his day-job of 40 years to volunteer for more of the same on a remote Pacific Island, 1000km away from New Zealand.

The world has "failed miserably" at protecting tigers in the wild, bringing an animal that is a symbol for many cultures and religions to "the verge of extinction," a top official with the United Nations wildlife agency said today.

Boat owners could face penalties under the Wildlife Act if protected birds continue to be killed in large open-weaved netting they use to deter birds from fouling their vessels' decks.

More than half of the more than two tonnes of rubbish collected in the annual Dunedin coastal clean-up held yesterday had to be dumped.

Forty brown teal (pateke) will be released into Fiordland this month following the release of 20 of the birds last year.

A new site for bignose galaxias has been discovered in springs near the Hakataramea River.

Frustration over Government proposals has prompted the face of the Department of Conservation, Nicola Vallance, to pack away her polar fleece and find a new platform for her environmental concerns. Shane Gilchrist reports.

Deposits of valuable minerals lie undisturbed but off-limits beneath New Zealand's conservation estate.

Water quality in the Taieri River will be highlighted by Green Party co-leader Russel Norman today as part of his dirty rivers rafting tour.