Electricity and Power Crisis:
Over the last few weeks, New Zealanders have been making a combined effort to reduce their electricity usage to compensate for dropping hydro-lake levels. Shortly after they achieved their goal, energy authorities declared the fast-aproaching power crisis over. However, while threats of enforced power cuts and cold showers have been averted for the moment, authorities are encouraging New Zealanders to continue to save power.
Agricultural and forestry products make up 69 percent of total exports, worth over $13 billion a year. New Zealand's reputation for "quality products from a quality environment" depends on environmentally sustainable land use practices.
Land degradation, weeds and pests are serious issues for many areas of New Zealand. Between 1986 and 1990, natural disasters and adverse climatic events cost the Government more than $175 million in direct assistance to primary producers.
The estimated loss of soil through erosion and transport by rivers to the sea is estimated to be 400 million tonnes a year.
Sustainable land management in rural areas is threatened mainly by farming practices, while in urban areas, the threats come from poor landscape design or bad subdivision practice.
Pesky Possums:
In New Zealand, there are about 70 million possums, which would make it about 20 possums per person.
Possums are not native to New Zealand.
The first possums were brought to New Zealand in 1837 from Australia. Possums are native to Australia and are protected there. Possums are not a problem in Australia. Many trees in Australia have possum defenses such as spines, prickles or poisonous leaves. In New Zealand possums have no natural enemies.
That is why possum numbers increased so fast. The possum is not protected in New Zealand, it is a pest. Most native New Zealand trees have yummy leaves and no possum defenses. The possum is doing a lot of damage to the native plants, animals and birds.
It is important to protect New Zealand native plants and animals from pests. So why did people bring possums to New Zealand? Possums were brought to New Zealand to start a fur industry. At the height of the fur trade, trappers killed 20 million possums in a year. But that did not make much of a dent in possum numbers. Possum numbers can build up quickly because every mother possum has a baby each year. People didn't realise the harm possums would cause to the forest and the wildlife would be much greater than any value their fur provided. Perhaps if people had thought about the problems that possums would cause they would not have brought them to New Zealand!
Why possums are pests:
Possums like to eat the juicy new growth on trees - it is very hard for the tree to grow when all of its new growth is being eaten.
In New Zealand forests possums will go back to the same tree night after night, eating the tree to death.
The possum's favourite trees are New Zealand natives, such as the pohutukawa, rata, totara, kowhai and kohekohe.
Because possums are eating native trees they are eating the food of New Zealand native birds - this is not good for the birds.
By eating native trees the possums are also eating the homes of native birds.
Possums also disturb nesting birds and sometimes eat their eggs and chicks. Possums have been caught on camera eating kokako eggs and chicks.
Possums have even been known to push kiwi out of their burrows so they can have a dry place to sleep!
Sometimes possums will eat native land snails - there are not many of these snails left.
Possums can also be a problem for farmers. Possums can spread a disease called 'bovine tuberculosis' to cows, cattle and deer. If the farmer's animals get tuberculosis they will get sick and may die.
Possums cause problems in city gardens too. They eat trees in people's gardens, especially apple, plum, citrus fruit, and roses. Possums are noisy and can keep people awake, and they have been known to go inside houses!
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