A Look At NZ’s Conservation Science

Supporters of NZ’s conservation by aerial poisoning have commonly defended their position with the statement “Look at the science.”Most of the published science on conservation in NZ is accessed readily, appearing in the NZ Journal of Ecology (NZJE). A browse through the issues from the last couple of years reveals glimmers of hope for ecological management, plus some not so nice things. The following is a quick run through.

Inadequate Consultation of Māori on 1080 Poison

A review of the Department of Conservation’s (DoC’s) consultation with Māori on the aerial use of 1080 poison. Most Māori participants felt uncomfortable with the use of poisons in the environment, protecting the forest biodiversity, while the poison was contradictory to fundamental Māori beliefs.