"The book should be mandatory for local body politicians, and planners, plus teachers and students of agriculture, geography, history and natural science at any scholastic level. It could generate a host of research projects and, after 20 years or so, a retrospective to determine whether the rebalancing policies were effective." - Mary Watson, Former President of the New Zealand Geographical Society This is an excerpt from a recent review of Ravaged Beauty: An environmental h

... goes to this topiary wizardry on Oxford Street, in Ashhurst. Complete with small solar panel to illuminate it with fairy lights at night.

Over the holiday break, we have been spending time at our little holiday house in the Pohangina Valley, in the Manawatu. We have been making an effort to get to know how our community here - both human and otherwise. This includes day-time bird spotting and night forays out to the glow worm grotto at the bottom of the gully. We have also heard from a neighbour that an albino deer makes regular trips down from the Ranges to the river, via the gully, but we haven't glimpsed thi