Category Archives: Outdoors with nature

Wilding pines march across the Wakatipu landscape

The Wakatipu Basin, with Queenstown as its main town and Arrowtown a secondary town, is a key location for the war between wilding pines and humans. On the human side, the war is led by the Department of Conservation (DOC), … Continue reading

Posted in Land and water, Outdoors with nature, The High Country, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

The High Country is a battle ground

There is an ongoing battle between conservationists and farmers over the future of high-country farming. Groups with recreation interests are also involved in the fight. For much of the last 20 years, the rules of the battle have largely been … Continue reading

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High Country Tenure and Quiet Enjoyment

The New Zealand high country has been undergoing remarkable changes in land tenure over the last 20 years.  Much of the marginal pastoral land has moved into the conservation estate, and much of the better pastoral land has shifted from … Continue reading

Posted in Land and water, Outdoors with nature, The High Country | 6 Comments

Land Use and Vegetation on the Christchurch Port Hills

The recent disastrous fires on the Christchurch Port Hills give cause for thought as to the best land use on these slopes. It seems that no-one foresaw a fire event of this magnitude. With different wind patterns it could have … Continue reading

Posted in Fire, Land and water, Outdoors with nature, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Fire and Devastation on the Christchurch Port Hills

Between 13 and 16 February 2017,  the Christchurch Port Hills suffered devastating fires unlike anything ever seen there before.  As I write this on 21 February, the mopping up operations continue. The fire is now apparently well under control, but … Continue reading

Posted in Fire, Outdoors with nature, Uncategorized | 10 Comments

Understanding the Christchurch Earthquake of 22 Feb 2011: magnitude, location and impact

Last September, those of us who live in Christchurch experienced a 7.1 earthquake. Since then, we have referred to that as ‘the big one’, confident that we would never again experience anything similar.   In that September quake, there were no lives … Continue reading

Posted in Canterbury Earthquake, Outdoors with nature | 2 Comments

Canterbury Earthquake: Aftershock Locations

The map below was sent to me by my colleague Lawrence Hill from the Agricultural Management and Property Department at Lincoln University.  The map was constructed by Lawrence on 7 September 2010.  The axes are latitude and longitude.   The map … Continue reading

Posted in Canterbury Earthquake, Outdoors with nature | 2 Comments

Nature at Work: Liquefaction, Boils, Carbuncles, Aquifers and Silt Volcanoes

In previous posts at https://keithwoodford.wordpress.com about the Canterbury earthquake, I have been trying to compare what we have been seeing on the flats at the western base of Banks Peninsula, where the ancient volcanic peninsula  butts up against the shingle plains, with what … Continue reading

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Canterbury Earthquake: Rockfalls on Banks Peninsula

Our home is on the lower slopes of the Port Hills, which form the northeastern side of Banks Peninsula. The shock waves from the September 4 earthquake travelled about 30km across the sedimentary shingles of the Canterbury Plains before striking … Continue reading

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Nature at Work: More on Silt Volcanoes

Today (Tuesday 7 September) I have been trying to increase my understanding of where the silt volcanoes have been forming, and perhaps some reasons why.  My first insight for the day came when I realised that the surface water in the … Continue reading

Posted in Canterbury Earthquake, Outdoors with nature | 5 Comments