Ice mice and men : the issues facing our far south /
Our far south : Beyond Stewart Island : a documentary
Geoff Simmons and Gareth Morgan with John McCrystal.
- 223 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some colour), maps ; 23 cm + 1 videodisc (59 min. ; 12 cm)
DVD: Our far South : beyond Stewart Island : a documentary / written and presented by Te Radar ; directed shot and edited by Hunter Abbey. Accompanied by: 1 videodisc (DVD)
Includes endnotes p: 217-223. Includes bibliographical references.
Why is our far south importand? (Zone one: subantarctic islands ; Zone two : southern ocean ; Zone three : Antarctica) -- A race for resources? (the race for the subantarctics ; The real race for the Pole ; The Antarctic Treaty : the end of the race? ; Mining for answers ; Eco-tourism : an oxymoron? ; Marine resources) -- Climate change (Climate change 101 ; What can we learn from current trends? ; What can the past tell us? ; What does all that mean for New Zealand?) -- Conservation (The ecosystems of our far south ; What species are most at risk? ; What are the threats? What can we do?)
Our far south is packed with history and wildlife, and is renowned for its breathtaking and photogenic beauty. But does our appreciation of the region run more than skin deep? Do Kiwis really understand how important the region is and what issues are facing it? In February 2012, Gareth Morgan trapped ten of New Zealand's top experts on the region in a boat with 40 ordinary Kiwis for a month. Together with Geoff Simmons, he grilled them about the issues facing the region and this book is the result. What they found was startling. Our Far South - that part of New Zealand that extends from Stewart Island almost without interruption to the South Pole - harbours precious wildlife and is the engine room of the world's oceans and climate. We are blessed to live in this unique part of the world, but we also have a huge responsibility to look after it. This book looks at the three ways we risk inflicting long-term, even permanent harm, on this precious and fragile region. The race to exploit resources has been underway for three centuries, and may be poised to escalate. Pressure from human activity may be threatening biodiversity and even the survival of species. And looming ever larger is the threat of climate change. Damage done to our far south will have profound implications, both for New Zealand and right across the globe.--Cover.