Category: Greg Presland
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The plight of urban trees
Two recent news stories highlight the threats being faced by our urban forest. The world famous Paturoa Kauri has a new resident. Johno Smith decided to set up home in its branches after the chainsaws made an unexpected reappearance at the site. And in Margan Ave in New Lynn concerned members of the community chose…
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Super City’s CEO’s salary increase and the living wage
Merry Christmas everyone. Someone who will be having a particularly merry Christmas is Auckland Council’s chief executive Stephen Town. He was recently awarded a salary increase. While all Council employees should be looked after and treated properly this particular increase was rather large. His annual salary went from $630,000 per annum to $690,000 per annum,…
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Genetically modified trees may be coming to a forest near you
It appears that the Government is moving to stop local communities through their district plans from trying to prevent the introduction of genetically modified trees. It is currently consulting on a national environmental standard (“NES”) for Plantation Forestry. A NES is a centrally prescribed standard set by regulation which can override the provisions of a district…
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The Te Henga Quarry
By Greg Presland The Te Henga Quarry has been in the news lately. It was due to be closed in March 2015 but there is some doubt that this will occur. The Te Henga Quarry has operated in the foothills for a number of years. It dates back to the Waitakere City days. The formation…
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Oil rigs – coming to a beach near you?
By Greg Presland The Government has recently engaged in consultation with Auckland Council about the granting of oil exploration permits in the area west of Auckland’s west coast beaches. But the Waitakere Ranges Local Board was not included in this consultation and you have to wonder about the advisability of drilling oil wells in an…