The animalcules* within

The animalcules* within

*Animalcules is the name that Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, a Dutch draper, gave the organisms he saw when he first looked at a drop of pond water using one of his handcrafted microscopes in the 1670’s. My connection with water over the years  When I think back to my...
Formidable Phormidium lurking beneath

Formidable Phormidium lurking beneath

One of my favourite rivers in the Canterbury region is the Ōpihi River. Its mauri, however, has been eroded and like many of our rivers, it is now a shadow of its former self. Currently, one of the many problems in this catchment is toxic algal blooms. These blooms...
Smoke and mirrors in environmental data reporting

Smoke and mirrors in environmental data reporting

The misuse of scientific data to portray a particular perspective is not unusual in advertising, but the presentation of water quality data by the government in New Zealand is a glaring example of misrepresentation to alter public perception. Here is one example:...
Erosional sediment in Coromandel streams

Erosional sediment in Coromandel streams

Memories of Stewart Stream, Opito Bay Opito Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula is a special place to me – where I spent idyllic childhood summers, swimming, diving, exploring, hut-building – and with important experiences that led to my career as a marine biologist...
Te Awaroa – Voice of the River

Te Awaroa – Voice of the River

Across Aotearoa New Zealand, many rivers are disappearing or no longer safe for fishing and swimming, and we are seriously concerned about declining river health. It seems like everyone I talk to from my generation or older had a favourite river or waterhole that they...