The Lower Hutt tree hunt
The great Lower Hutt tree hunt is on. Council is inviting residents to nominate their favourite tree as part of its work on updating the District Plan.
Cr Simon Edwards, chair of Council’s District Plan Review subcommittee says “We want residents to tell us about a tree in their neighbourhood which they believe is special in some way. It could have visual appeal or be of historical, botanical, or environmental value.
“Whichever it is, we want people to help us identify trees across Lower Hutt that are deserving of special care to ensure future generations can enjoy them.”
Arborists will then assess all the nominated trees against established criteria. If the criteria are met the trees could be noted in the updated District Plan, qualifying them for maintenance costs and protected status.
To nominate a new tree anywhere in the urban area of Lower Hutt, you can: complete an online nomination form at hutt.city/notable-trees, or
email greathutttrees@huttcity.govt.nz
Nominations are open until Monday 22 November 2021.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Poll: Are you still heading to your local for your caffeine fix, or has the $$ changed your habits? ☕
Wellington’s identity is built on its cafe culture, but with costs climbing, that culture is under pressure. We’ve seen the headlines about recent closures, and it’s a tough pill to swallow along with a $6+ coffee.
We all want our favourite spots to stay open, but we also have to balance our own budgets ⚖️
We want to know: How are you handling the "coffee math" in 2026? Are you still heading to your local for a chat and a caffeine fix, or has the cost of living changed your habits?
Keen to read more about "coffee math"? The Post has you covered.
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47% I avoid spending money on coffee
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42.4% I still indulge at my local cafe
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10.6% Irrelevant - coffee is not for me
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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