Environment
Te Ipukarea Soceity: Local nesting petrels under threat
Saturday 17 August 2024 | Written by Te Ipukarea Society | Published in Environment, National
Petrels are a family of seabirds known for covering large distances across open oceanic waters.
Breach notice served over toa tree felling
Friday 16 August 2024 | Written by Talaia Mika | Published in Environment, Local, National
A breach notice has been served to the construction company that cut down 10 ironwood (toa) trees at the Fruits of Rarotonga waterfront in Tikioki, despite the company’s claims of safety concerns and public benefit.
Vairoa stream clean-up aims to protect community from floods
Friday 16 August 2024 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Environment, Local, National
An effort to clean and realign the Vairoa stream in Ruatonga valley as well as reclaim neighbouring land eroded by torrential floods is well underway.
Significant drop in mosquito breeding sites, finds Tutaka
Thursday 15 August 2024 | Written by Talaia Mika | Published in Environment, Health, Local, National
Te Marae Ora (TMO) Ministry of Health’s Tutaka campaign has made significant progress in reducing the mosquito and pest breeding sites with the coordinator reporting that the nation remains safe from mosquito and pest-related diseases.
Community group challenges Water Tariff Assessment, raises financial concerns
Tuesday 13 August 2024 | Written by CI News Staff | Published in Environment, Local, National
The Rarotonga water authority will lose over a million dollars annually, claims Te Vai Ora Maori (TVOM), after its review of the June 2024 Water Tariff Assessment.
Cook Islands leads charge in war against invasive species
Tuesday 13 August 2024 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Environment, Features, National, Weekend
Cook Islands is hosting a regional meeting this week to address the significant threat of invasive species to the country’s ecosystems, food security and biodiversity, while sharing knowledge and seeking solutions with other Pacific nations.
Government and NGOs collaborate on revised Biodiversity Action Plan
Monday 12 August 2024 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Environment, National
The Tu’anga Taporoporo National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) that was endorsed in 2002 has many gaps, is out of date and has not been reviewed or updated for 22 years.
War of the wings: The Rimatara lorikeet and how I learnt to hate the Atiu mynah
Monday 12 August 2024 | Written by Supplied | Published in Environment, Features, Local, National, Outer Islands, Weekend
After a seven-year battle using a combination of poisoning, trapping and shooting, the Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust successfully eradicated an initial population of around 6000 mynahs from Ātiu, making it the world’s largest island-based mynah eradication project. Roger Malcolm, a resident hotelier on Ātiu and one of the key people behind the eradication project, shares his own battle with one of the most invasive bird species in the world.
From pest to past: Ātiu’s epic battle against invasive myna
Saturday 10 August 2024 | Written by Gerald McCormack | Published in Environment, Features, National, Outer Islands
After six years of no reported mynas on Ātiu, the Natural Heritage Trust is declaring its Eradication Project a success. The removal of a population of about 6000 mynas made it the world’s largest myna eradication on an island. It dwarfed the second largest island-eradication of 1641 mynas on North Island in the Seychelles completed in February 2019. By Gerald McCormack, Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust.
Te Ipukarea Society: Plastic free July- Small changes can add up to big differences
Saturday 10 August 2024 | Written by Te Ipukarea Society | Published in Environment, National
During the past month of July, Te Ipukarea Society ran a series of posts on how we can minimise the use of single use plastics in our day to day lives.
Ready to weather the storm: Three-day conference bolsters cyclone preparedness
Friday 9 August 2024 | Written by Talaia Mika | Published in Environment, Local, National, Weather
The Emergency Management Cook Islands (EMCI) hosted a three-day conference to identify areas for improvement in preparation for future cyclones.
Cook Islands to host 300 delegates at 15th Pacific Water summit
Wednesday 7 August 2024 | Written by Supplied | Published in Environment, National
Cook Islands will be hosting close to 300 people at the 15th Pacific Water and Wastewater Conference and Expo as well as the 8th Pacific Water and Wastewater Ministers Forum set to be held from September 2-6 in Rarotonga.
Te Ipukarea Society: Deep divisions at the ISA International Seabed Authority Assembly
Saturday 3 August 2024 | Written by Te Ipukarea Society | Published in Environment, National
This past week Te Ipukarea Society was represented by Alanna Smith and Kelvin Passfield at the International Seabed Authority (ISA) Assembly meeting in Kingston, Jamaica.
Water petition faces Parliament test
Friday 2 August 2024 | Written by Losirene Lacanivalu | Published in Economy, Environment, Health, Local, National
The ‘Keep Our Water Free’ petition will be the first test under Parliament’s new Standing Orders, as previous petitions failed to progress beyond the tabling stage.
PM defends water tariffs as petition with 3407 signatures delivered to Parliament
Thursday 1 August 2024 | Written by Losirene Lacanivalu | Published in Economy, Environment, Health, Local, National
As a “Keep Our Water Free” petition with 3407 signatures was handed to the Clerk of Parliament yesterday, Prime Minister Mark Brown reiterated that “there is no way you can have water delivered to your house without some sort of cost involved”.
Thousands sign petition against incoming Rarotonga water tariffs
Wednesday 31 July 2024 | Written by Rashneel Kumar | Published in Economy, Environment, Health, Local, National
The petition opposing the planned water tariffs in Rarotonga, which has garnered one of the highest numbers of signatures, will be handed to Parliament this morning.
New Suwarrow Park rangers ready for duty after intensive training
Wednesday 31 July 2024 | Written by Supplied | Published in Environment, National, Outer Islands
The newly appointed Suwarrow Park rangers, Johnnie Tangaroa and Keanu Harawira, left Rarotonga for the northern group island last week.
‘Dark oxygen’ discovery sparks call for independent seabed mining research
Monday 29 July 2024 | Written by Rashneel Kumar | Published in Environment, Local, National
The recent discovery of oxygen production by deep-sea nodules has intensified concerns over the potential environmental impacts of deep-sea mining in the Cook Islands.
Te Ipukarea Society: Youth keeping an eye over nature
Saturday 27 July 2024 | Written by Te Ipukarea Society | Published in Environment, National
This past week, a group of our youth came together to participate in the Mata Natura Youth Programme.
Search called off for missing crew member of Lady Moana
Wednesday 24 July 2024 | Written by Losirene Lacanivalu | Published in Environment, Local, National, Outer Islands
Cook Islands Police are expected to finalise their investigations into the missing crew member of the inter-island vessel Lady Moana and submit their report to the coroner.
