Monitoring plastic pollution in Northland, and the elusive bittern
From Our Changing World by RNZ
March 30, 2026 · 27 min · Episode 410
About this episode
The episode discusses plastic pollution in Northland and the conservation of the Australasian bittern.
Our Changing Word heads to Whangārei to speak to a Northland Regional Council scientist whose been using stormwater drains to estimate the scale of our plastic pollution problem. Plus, just outside Christchurch, one of New Zealand’s biggest lakes is home to the ‘canary in the coalmine’ of wetlands. The secretive and elusive Australasian bittern seems to be in trouble - how can we help? Sign up to the Our Changing World monthly newsletter for episode backstories, science analysis and more. Learn more: Join Alison Ballance on a kayak across a lake to listen to some booming bittern crooners . Listen to the nine to noon interview with John Sumich about the 2025 Matuku muster . The research into microplastics was part of the AIM2 project , which was reported on in 2021 as part of the OCW episode ‘Unwelcome visitors’ . Another source of microplastics is textile waste, but an international project is looking to a future where our clothes are fully biodegradable . Guests: Richard Griffiths, Northland Regional Council Peter Langlands, Bittern Conservation – New Zealand Harry Caley, Department of Conservation Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
People in this episode
Host: Alison Ballance
Guests: Richard Griffiths, Peter Langlands, Harry Caley
Topics covered
- plastic pollution
- environmental science
- wetland conservation
- Australasian bittern
- stormwater management
Keywords
- plastic pollution
- bittern conservation
- stormwater drains
- microplastics
- New Zealand wetlands
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Northland Regional Council, Bittern Conservation – New Zealand, Department of Conservation
Books & works: Our Changing World
Places: Whangārei, Christchurch, New Zealand
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