Deforestation

New Zealand Bio Diversity

DOC: the unseen effort

Living Legends

Junkmail: silent killer

FRESHEnvironmentalMagazineIssue One

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CONTENTS

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Features5 DEFORESTATIONWhen we think deforestation we think trees being cut down. Unfortunately it is so much more than that. Trees are the foundations for ecosystems and essential for life. What is the real defi-nition of deforestation? More impor-tantly what does it mean to us?

6 NZ BIODIVERSITYNew Zealand is home to a unique variety of species. Deforestation is threatening that right on our backdoor step. 89% of Kiwis don’t even know that deforestation is happening here. If it continues at this rate, we could lose all our native species in six years ...

9 LIVING LEGENDSAs a part of the “Odd Shaped Ball” Fes-tival happening this year, “Living Leg-ends” are planting thousands of trees across the nation. We talked to three students of Cashmere High School that organised 100 other students to join in.

10 DOC: the unseen effortDepartment of Conservation are doing a lot behind the scenes to stop defor-estation. We talk with the Minister of Conservation about their efforts.

11 JUNK MAIL: silent killerThree million tonnes of junk mail is printed every year in New Zealand alone. See what other benefits there are when you put a “no circulars” sign on your letter box.

12 EDITORS PAGEMy thoughts about this months issues and some of your letters.

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“NEW ZEALND’S UNIQUE SPECIES

COULD BE WIPED OUT WITHIN SIX YEARS!!!”

DEFORESTATIONIt’s more than just treesThe worlds rainforests are an extremely valuable resourse, but not for their lumber or their land. They are the main cradle of life on earth. Destroying the rainforests is comparable to destroying an unknown planet -- we have no idea what we’re losing. If deforestation continues at it’s rate, the worlds tropical rainforests will be wiped out within 40 years.

In this issue of fresh magazine we have focused on deforestation which is

rather ironic I think because it is printed onto a tree. At least it is FSC paper (www.fsc.org). Unfortunately, that isn’t enough. Our natural resources are being exploit-ed. Scientists only discovered a few years ago that we are running out of trees. But the loggers kept on logging.

It is crazy to think that in the past few years the plants rainforests have gone from covering 14% to 6% of its land. That’s more than half. In 1997 Brazil was earning lots of money from deforesting the amazon. The logging companies were told to stop but they demanded proof before they stopped. Years later in 2000 scientests gave proof that the forest was deminishing. Even more years down the track they have reduced how much they deforest but continue to destroy the pres-sus amazon.

Deforestation is the permanent removal of standing forests. Although suburban sprawl, industry and agriculture still pose major threats, deforestation has some-what stabilized, in part due to a wave of

When massive swaths of forest are destroyed, species loss follows. Tropical areas, like Brazil’s rain forests, have the world’s highest concentrations of biologi-cally diverse species. When the habitat for plants and animals is cut down or burned, species that may not be present anywhere else on Earth disappear. In addition, deforestation of tropical forests leaves many species of migrating birds without a winter home.

Deforestation is a main cause of the high-er concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In particular, deforesta-tion causes high levels of carbon dioxide: it is released when forests are burned or when they decompose, and when trees that used to take in this carbon dioxide are cut down, levels rise. Greenhouse gases are trapped in the atmosphere and act as a barrier for heat that would nor-mally be released into space; as a result, temperatures across the globe rise and change rainfall patterns, ice cover and sea levels.

forest management and environmental protection laws enacted in the later dec-ades of the 20th century. In many other countries, however, particularly those with large areas of rain forest and boreal forest, deforestation is rampant and the global effects are serious.

Deforestation, current and past, is a seri-ous problem around the world, particu-larly in tropical areas. Countries with sig-nificant deforestation include Thailand, Brazil, the Congo and Indonesia, as well as parts of Eastern Europe, according to GRID-Arendal, a UN Environment Programme collaborating center.

Deforestation affects the earth’s physi-cal environment by causing soil erosion, poor water quality, reduced food security and impaired flood protection, according to a report from the World Resources In-stitute. Because forests are the source of employment and food for many people, their destruction can cause mass migra-tion to cities. With the influence that tropical forests have on weather, particu-larly rain, deforestation can cause altered weather patterns.

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New Zealand’s BiodiversityIt’s under threat now more than ever

Deforestation is the biggest crime against mother nature. New Zealand claims to be

clean and “green”. But seeming we are deforest-ing our native plants and trees, I would think

that’s a bit hypocritical.

By Miles Archer

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For most native species, the destruc-tion of their habitat is a worse threat

than hunting by humans. Losing their habitat affects all species in an area. Ecosystems have been degraded by the loss of species and disruption of their ecological processes. Forests covered 85 per cent of New Zealand before humans arrived. Today the figure is 23 per cent.

After humans arrived, large areas of New Zealand forest were destroyed by fire. Some fires occurred naturally (started by lightning strikes, for example), or were caused by humans hunting food or clear-ing land.

Early Maori settlers are believed to have set forests alight over wide areas, destroy-ing both lowland and upland forest. Par-ticularly affected were the drier eastern areas of the North and South Islands. In the South Island, high-country beech forests and lowland conifer and broadleaf

tion schemes and by pollution from farms and urban areas.

New Zealand’s once continuous range of unique ecosystems is now a patch-work of isolated fragments. Relatively undisturbed habitats are found at high altitudes in the mountains or a few ecological ‘islands,’ some of these real offshore islands.

Today, most native forest clearance has ended, but in some places wetlands are still being drained and dunes are still being built on. Despite this, a far greater effort is being made in this country to reduce the impact of human activities that are degrading (or have the potential to degrade) the habitats of native species.

(information sourced from http://www.biodiversity.govt.nz/)

forests were replaced by tussock-grass-lands and bracken (the latter’s roots were highly valued by Maori as a food source).

By 1600 more than one-third of New Zealand’s original forest cover was gone. Despite this, other habitats (such as wet-lands and coastal areas) remained largely unchanged.

After the the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840, a flood of European set-tlers arrived. Half New Zealand’s remain-ing forest had been converted to farm-land and towns by 1920, and many more plants and animals had been introduced, some of which displaced or preyed on native species.

Most of New Zealand’s lowland forests, wetlands, dunes and estuaries have been converted into pasture or towns. Many lakes, rivers and streams have been modified by dams, drainage and irriga-

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“Deforestation is bad, full

stop. The fact that it is na-

tive fauna just makes it that much worse”

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To make a difference, someone clever must first have an idea. It takes a genius to put it into action.

Ben Enzo&Samtogether organised one hun-dred students from Cashmere High School to plant 5000 trees at a “Living Legends” event this month in Christchurch.

LIVING LEGENDSWhen Ben Hoare, Enzo Fitzgerald and Sam McWatt were

told that they were going to plant five thousand trees they thought why not invite a few students from school along. One hundred students later, three Year 12’s were leading an army to plant trees and create awareness as well.

educate them about deforestation and why tree planting events help the planet.

Also at the event was Bob Parker(Christchurch Mayor), Tamati Coffey (Breakfast weather host) and Tane Norton (All Blacks Legend). They all helped at the event by mucking in and speaking their words of wisdom.

Ben and Sam both agreed that while New Zealand is trying to keep its “clean and green” image alive, the heart of New Zea-land is dying. “Tree planting is one thing you can do to keep NZ green” said Ben, “Many species native to NZ are becom-ing extinct because of deforestation, pests and our ignorance”.

DOC Conservation Week happens every year and so does their tree planting event. This year it fell into the same dates as the Rugby World Cup, so they made “Living Legends” a theme around Rugby

legends. DOC said that there is little point in over shadowing the Cup, instead they would tie it in with the rugby theme to attract more people.

Sam has been involved with numerous tree planting events and has decided to take on a challenge and hold his own. This will be held this summer and he al-ready has several hundred volunteers for the planting day. If anyone is interested to volunteer or donate you can email FRESH magazine.

Ben said “Tree planting helps increase the capacity of our forested carbon sink and also helps secure our future”. “Why do it? Well why not?” said Sam.

Living Legends is a Rugby World Cup initiative and New Zealand will be

the permanent home for over 100,000 trees nationwide. On the 3rd September 400 people raised their hands to help out with the tree planting in Christchurch.

Three of these people were Ben Hoare, Enzo Fitzgerald and Sam McWatt. They lead 100 volunteers from Cashmere High School. I was interested in how they got so many people to come with them so I caught up with Ben and Sam after the event.

“It was a long day but in the end it is an-other step forward to make New Zealand cleaner and greener” said Sam after the event. Ben, Enzo and Sam wanted to join the tree planting but to achieve more they invited students from their school along. They set up a sign up desk during lunch times and went around each class room motivating people to volunteer and

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DOCThe Unseen Effortcan just stop it over night.

DOC works off the clock to make sure NZ stays as green as possible trying to improve it little by little everyday. Without help from the government and individual dona-tions, DOC wouldn’t be able to function the way it does.

DOC has just finish conservation week it was a great success. Planting 100,000 trees nation wide in cities and towns.

Currently, DOC are looking into the sustainability of areas around NZ subject to natural and unnatu-ral deforestation. Researching ways to rebuild the fallen and make New Zealand home to many native fauna and animals once again, “The way it should be” said Kate Wilkinson.

Check out there website to find out what else they are up to or how you can helpDOC build a better future fortomorrow.

The Department of conserva-tion (Te Papa Atawhai) is New

Zealand’s conservation experts for natural and heritage places through out the country.

The current NZ Minister of Conser-vation Hon, Kate Wilkinson sent us a letter about what they are doing to help conserve New Zealand’s most important natural resource.

New Zealand is home to 14 national parks each with it’s own protection level. They are unique from each other and all have an important role to play for the planet.

Wilkinson admitted that while New Zealand is trying to keep up it’s clean and green image, it can be “difficult” to keep it that way.

“One person can only do so much” Kate said “Only when we come to-gether can we see a difference”

Most of NZ’s parks have been “pro-tected” since 1997. However two thirds have left most of it vulnerable to mining and deforestation. With mining being such a big export in New Zealand, there is no way they

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Junkmail: silent killerCure the planet with a ‘No Circulars’ sticker

However, it all depends on the wording that’s on your mailbox. For example a no circulars isn’t going to stop you from getting junk mail and a no junk mail sign isn’t going to stop you from getting un-wanted pamphlets and brochures. What will cover it all is an addressed mail only and that’ll axe even your local commu-nity newspaper.

If you do wish to receive your local news paper then you can call them up and they give you a free sticker that says some-thing like “Star - Yes”. As simple as that.

Fines for breaking householders’ wishes are as high as $20,000. How’s that for a nice present.

A fun fact that may surprise some is that we spend 8 months of your lives looking

through junk mail and circulars. How’s that for a waste of time.

After talking to a few people about there success stories they said that the “amount I spend on stuff I don’t need has gone down considerably, and I have a clear conscious about our environment”

There are organisations out there that are helping stop the trending of junk mail a circulars like “Junkzilla Killer”. For almost a year the organisation have been delivering free junk repellent stickers around New Zealand.

You can get your free sticker today by visiting their website www.junkzilla.co.nz and you can help save the planet in one easy step.

Junk mail is responsible not only for clogging up our letter boxes but is

responsible for over a 1/5 of paper use in New Zealand.

“We can’t even put our letters in...most of the letter box they have the mouse-trap, and when the people put the junk mail in there it is a nightmare to us,” one postie says.

“Paper represents about 204,000 tonnes of the waste stream.. about 20% roughly and junk mail would be quite a small proportion of that,” says Warren Snow from Envision New Zealand.

To stop this horrendous amount of paper being wasted one would think all you needed to do was place a sticker on ones letter box.

When it comes down to it cut down trees carelessly is just annoying. Why must we all pay for a few peoples stupid ac-

tions?Jono Bishop

There must be another way to make it more sustainable. We

aren’t just cutting down trees we are taking away the home to

many animals.Cara Davis

When learning about the eco-system we see how things

work together but when we take something away it is hard for an ecosystem to recover.

Katie Stuart

My only question is why? Of course there are reasons for chopping down trees but the

way it’s being done.Cameron Potts

It’s unresourceful and it’s also disrespectful. They no one really has the right. The world doesn’t own the trees.

So how can anyone claim them for themselves?

Samantha Kennett-Ny

Editors PageThe page where I share my opinion and yours.

Deforestation is a broad topic for the first issue of a magazine and with limitations and the word count

police (me) around it is hard to put so much into words that get across to you. Our aim is to educate you on en-vironmental issues. What they are, what people are doing to help and how you can help out in a small or big way.

Deforestation is no lite topic. My favourite place in New Zealand was deforested not to long ago (a picture is featured on page five). I grew up knowing that place and visited it often. It feels like a part of my heritage has been taken from me.

On that note I took the position as editor at FRESH magazine. I am grateful for my connections through Montage Productions who helped me get here today. Now I can be involved with creating awareness for not only deforestation but also things like poverty, water security, fossil fuels and green technology. The list goes on.

With out you this magazine wouldn’t happen. It makes me happy that you have read this magazine and enjoyed it or not. Either way you have heard.

Mitchell PottsFRESH Magazine Editor

Editors Note Your Opinion

Darren Morrows Opinion on Deforestation

Fresh

Fresh is created in Christchurch. Our focus is to bring forward the ideals of sustainablity and global issues that

effect you and how some people our making a difference.

Editor - Mitchell Pottsmitchell@fresh.co.nz

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