A few weeks ago the big pohutukawa near the bach on Ōtata lost its two massive northern limbs. Well, they're not exactly lost, more cracked, bent, and bowed and it happened in completely still and hot conditions. Why then? Rod…
Flourishing beds of kūtai, or mussels, once covered much of the inner Hauraki Gulf, with a typical mussel capable of filtering an estimated 30 litres of water each day. However, following over a century of intensive cultivation, including dredging, this…
Blue Carbon is something we’re hearing a lot about these days. Referring to the carbon captured by marine and coastal ecosystems, this helps reduce the impact of greenhouse gases. Seagrasses, mangroves, and kelp forests all gather and hold carbon in…
Since the first recorded COVID-19 case in New Zealand in February 2020, the country has fought the virus using numerous methods, including lockdowns. What evolved as a four-tier alert level system has led to extended periods where non-essential travel was…
As has been reported in several posts already, in 2019 Auckland Council included The Noises Islands in the regional seabird monitoring and research programme, pledging to a significant 13-years (and counting) commitment. But there are so many seabird species in…
On Wednesday the 20th of October, an Auckland Council-funded weeding trip to Ōtata Island was undertaken to control Rhamnus (Evergreen Buckthorn) on the north-facing cliffs. Due to the location of these weeds, it was necessary to send out a ropes…
The Moana Project investigates larval dispersal of kūtai (green-lipped mussel). The Moana Project is a five-year Endeavour Fund ocean research initiative funded by The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and its aim is to improve our understanding of…
Nurturing and protecting the whenua is a responsibility many New Zealanders can relate to, particularly with increasing awareness of New Zealand’s Predator Free 2050 goal. However, the challenge we all share now is how to offer our moana that same…
A familiar feature of The Noises and wider Hauraki Gulf is colonies of pied shags kāruhiruhi nesting in trees, on coastal cliffs or islands. Getting close up to these colonies reveals the mauri (life force) with birds leaving from or…
In Autumn 2021 Dr Tim Haggitt conducted a subtidal biological survey around The Noises Islands. This marked the second formal subtidal ecological survey since the preparation of Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari. Working with colleagues from Waipapa Taumata Rau/The…