Toxic algae alert - Hutt River at Silverstream
Toxic Algae has returned to the Hutt River at Silverstream, and Greater Wellington Regional Council is advising against swimming or walking your dog from Moonshine Park to Pomare Bridge.
There’s also new growth at Birchville, Maoribank Corner and Poets Park, though at lower levels. It’s still safe to use those parts of the river, but keep an eye out and avoid any areas where you see toxic algae.
They’re not currently concerned about toxic algae elsewhere in the region.
You’ll see educational signs along the riverbank, warning you to keep an eye out for toxic algae, and you can learn more about it in this video: www.gw.govt.nz...
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!
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Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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