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2020 News

  1. Nationally threatened bat species discovered in Morrinsville

    The long-tailed bat (pekapeka whiore roa) has made a surprise appearance in Morrinsville in the Waikato.

  2. Pacific Soils Portal officially launched this week

    For decades, soil scientists from Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research have been visiting Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) to collect soil samples and map soil patterns. The work is vital to help decision-makers improve their soils knowledge and land-management practices. Now, soil map...

  3. Myrtle rust update: Mature native trees now dying

    The first known case of mature tree death due to myrtle rust infection has been observed in the East Cape of Aotearoa New Zealand, suggesting localised extinction for some native myrtles could become a reality.

  4. Expanding our S-map soil mapping capability

    Govt. makes $6.25m investment in mapping NZ’s most valuable soils, saying they are vital to our economic, environmental and social wellbeing.

  5. Science NZ Awards 2020

    The annual Science New Zealand awards recognise achievements in three categories: Early Career Researcher, Team, and Lifetime or Individual Achievement.

  6. Machine recognition helping to catch trap-shy predators

    MW scientists have been contributing to a national “Products to Projects” initiative, coordinated by Predator Free 2050 Limited, to help achieve the goal of eliminating rats, stoats and possums from New Zealand.

  7. Backpacking kākā in the Waikato

    The kākā is a large, noisy, olive-brown parrot, endemic to New Zealand and usually found in native forest. Under threat particularly from predatory stoats and possums, and from habitat loss, kākā are classified nationally as “At Risk”.

  8. New Canterbury postgrad school could hold the key to food sustainability

    A new postgraduate school focusing on food sustainability has launched in Canterbury.

  9. Weka tucker – could mice and rats be on the menu?

    A recent study has suggested that New Zealand’s native scallywag bird, the weka ([Gallirallus australis]), may be able to help restore native biodiversity by suppressing pest animals such as rats and mice. The study, published in the [New Zealand Journal of Ecology], found that rats, mice, and even ...

  10. Prehistoric Aotearoa brought to life in virtual reality

    Virtual reality is bringing prehistoric New Zealand back to life thanks to a collaboration between Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research and digital agency, Waxeye.