El Niño to Help Steer U.S. Winter Weather

Sustainable Ecosystems and Community News - ENN
October 17, 2009 2:42 PM
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El Niño to Help Steer U.S. Winter Weather

NOAA released a study this week projecting United States winter weather for the coming winter season. Using forecast E Niño conditions, the study predicts temperature and precipitation trends for the mainland US and Hawaii.

Art Trembanis

CSHEL

Univ of Delaware

sorry!

Wow so sorry about that Art I didn't check my email this weekend! Here it is
pasted right into the email... hopefully next time I won't make such an airheaded
move! ... it looks like the pictures didn't come out?






Emily Cahoon
Cathedral Cove

Cathedral Cove is located in Whitianga at Coromandel Peninsula. It is only
accessible by foot or boat and is a famous marine reserve that includes
Gemstone and Stingray Bays, established in 1992. It is considered a must see
tourist attraction and gets about 150,000 visitors per year! There are many
outlying islands, providing a great area for swimming boating and fishing!
Traveling under the arch is forbidden due to falling rocks. The white cliffs here
are composed of ignimbrite about 8 million years old from a large and explosive
volcanic eruption! Additionally there are reefs of hard rock along with softer
sediment. Underwater caves and arches provide the perfect home for many of
New Zealand's critters including plants, crustacean, and fish.
The arch was used in the movie the Chronicles of Narnia as the passage by
which the children first enter into Narnia. The beach here is sandy with
pohutukawa trees which provide perfect amounts of shade. Also, just off this
beach there is a large rock consisting of pumice and breccia, which has been
eroded by both wind and water, many say it looks like a ship coming toward the
shore.

http://www.whitianga.co.nz/hahei.html
http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-
walks/waikato/hauraki/cathedral-cove-walk/
Kaikoura

Kaikoura is located on the east coast of the south island of New Zealand.
The upwelling currents offshore of Kaikoura bring a plethora of marine life to
the area. The area is well know for its aquatic life, including whales, dolphins,
and seals. Additionally the crayfish is very popular and plays a decent role still
in the economy of the area. Also, Kaikoura is known for its excellent bird
watching areas including the albatross, a famous bird.
Geologically the Kaikoura Peninsula was formed underneath the sea about
60 million years ago and is composed of siltstone and limestone. It has only
been uncovered by the ocean for about 180,000 years, originally its own island;
however debris eroding off the Kaikoura Mountains created a bridge between
the two. The rapid uplift and relentless sea have transformed the once almost
flat layered limestone into strange and unusual shapes. Just offshore there is a
deep underwater canyon known as the Hikurangi Trench, which reaches down to
3000 meters and forms part of the Kermadec-Tonga Subduction Zone.
http://www.virtual-kaikoura.com/
http://www.tourism.net.nz/region/canterbury/canterbury---kaikoura/
http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/nelson-
marlborough/south-marlborough/kaikoura-peninsula-
walkway/features/geology/

Secret to Slowing Global Warming Lies Beneath the Waves

Sustainable Ecosystems and Community News - ENN
October 14, 2009 3:46 PM
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Secret to Slowing Global Warming Lies Beneath the Waves

Life in the ocean has the potential to help to prevent global warming, according to a report published today. Marine plant life sucks 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year, but most of the plankton responsible never reaches the seabed to become a permanent carbon store. Mangrove forests, salt marshes and seagrass beds are a different matter. Although together they cover less than 1 percent of the world's seabed, they lock away well over half of all carbon to be buried in the ocean floor. They are estimated to store 1,650 million tons of carbon dioxide every year — nearly half of global transport emissions — making them one of the most intense carbon sinks on Earth. Their capacity to absorb the emissions is under threat, however: the habitats are being lost at a rate of up to 7 per cent a year, up to 15 times faster than the tropical rainforests. A third have already been lost.

Art Trembanis

CSHEL

Univ of Delaware

2 locations- Brianna Lyons

Christchurch, also known as the Garden City because of its parks and
botanical gardens, is located on the east coast of South Island and has a strong
English feel to it. It was originally established in 1850 by four ships of pilgrims
from England with the intention of making it a utopia with the perfect blend of
(Anglican) church and state, but the hardships of colonial life derailed the
idealistic beginnings of the city.
The city today has been called "more English than England," and does its
best to draw in tourists. Attractions include the Cathedral Square, home to a
Church of England cathedral, punting on the River Avon, and the Botanic
Gardens in Hagley Park.

http://www.christchurch.nz.com/cathedral-square.aspx
http://www.cityscape-christchurch.co.nz/wp-
content/uploads/2009/03/cathedral-chalic-christchur.jpg
http://www.new-zealand-travel-guide.co.uk/New-Zealand/Christchurch-
Botanic-Gardens-30.jpg


Tairua is located on the Coromandel Peninsula, just north of the Bay of
Plenty on the east coast of the North Island. The 584 foot tall volcanic Mount
Paku stands over Tairua, offering a view of nearby islands from its summit.
Tairua Harbor sits at the mouth of the Tairua River and is subject to shifting
sandbars impeding water traffic. This is an estuarine environment that can be
subdivided into "saltmarsh, mangrove, seagrass, and weed communities."
(http://www.ew.govt.nz/PageFiles/11059/TR0852.pdf) The area also appears
to be a vacation spot for New Zealanders.

http://www.new-zealand-travel-guide.co.uk/New-Zealand/Coromandel-
Tairua-Harbour.jpg



In my day-to-day internet travels I also came across these articles, unrelated to
my locations:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/2967140/NZs-favourite-bird-revealed
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8281382.stm

I personally found the BBC link extremely amusing :)

Erika Young (Wellington & Picton)

Erika Young

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND
Sources: www.wellingtonnz.com
http://www.gns.cri.nz/wellingtonfault/

Wellington's Maori name is Te Upoko o te Ika a Maui, which means 'the head of Maui's fish'. The Maori say thatNew Zealand's North Island is a fish that was caught by Maui, the Polynesian navigator. Many Maori still inhabit Wellington today.
11.1% of New Zealand's population lives in the Wellinton region. Wellington is New Zealand's capital city and it is also where the seat of parliament is located. Wellington is also the home of Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor (LOTR) as well as Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie (Flight of the Conchords). The indie film, Eagle vs. Shark was filmed predominantly in Wellington.
The peninsula of Wellington lies on a massive fault line, called the Wellington fault. Wellington lies on top of the Australian plate, which sits over the subducted Pacific plate. The boundary between these plates lies about 25-
30km directly below Wellington. The plates move against each other at a rate of 3.5cm a year. The last major earthquake that occurred in Wellington was about 200 to 450 years ago and an earthquake is expected to occur every 500 to 1000 years. Wellington also lies above the Ohairiu Fault and the Wairarapa Fault, which last erupted in 1855.

PICTON, NEW ZEALAND
Sources: http://www.picton.co.nz/ http://www.newzealandnz.co.nz/picton/
http://www.newzealand.com/travel/getting-to-around-nz/getting-to-nz/cruise_home/picton/picton_home.cfm

The town of Picton is a busy port town located near the north east corner of the South Island, at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound. It is a major exporting hub in New Zealand Many go to Queen Charlotte sound to catch a ferry to Wellington, to go fishing, kayaking, and hiking.
One of the many historical sites in Picton includes Ship Cove, a place Captain Cook had visited numerous times while exploring New Zealand. He also visited Motuara Island, which is also where he claimed British sovereignty in 1770. The island is now a bird sanctuary and a place to watch seals, dolphins, and penguins.

ROTORUA

There are many interesting aspects of Rotorua that are unique to New Zealand and to Rotorua itself. Rotorua is an active volcano zone with many other intriguing qualities like the Maori culture; geothermal earth forces and 16 separate lakes! There are also tons of mud pools and exciting geysers locate in Rotorua. The thermal activity from the active volcano is what gives Rotorua its "famous sulfur smell." Kurai park is located within Rotorua and has mud pools, craters and "sulphur vents."
The actual volcano is Mt. Tarawera, which is not technically located in Rotorua but which is actually 25 miles southeast. Mt. Tarawera is actually a dormant volcano and visitors can fly to visit it from Rotorua. The beginning of the thermal activity began in Lake Rotorua, which used to actually be a violent active volcano. After the molten magma chamber that lay within the volcano collapsed, the chamber filled with water leaving a large lake. There are other thermal areas located in Rotorua as well including Whakarewarewa, Waimangu Valley, Wai-o-Tapu and Hell's Gate. A famed geyser, the Pohutu geyser, located in the Whakarewarewa thermal area, actually erupts multiple times during the day.
The Maori culture is also a very interesting aspect of Rotorua's history. These indigenous people actually contain over a third of Rotorua's population. Rotorua also contains a beautiful redwood forest. Christened "under the sails" people can go to visit this peaceful alcove and see some extremely old wildlife within the Redwoods.

PICTURES
http://www.cs.waikato.ac.nz/apchi2004/images/rotorua.jpg
http://cache.virtualtourist.com/696100-Rotorua_and_Mount_Tarawera-Rotorua.jpg
https://secure.touchnet.com/C20392_ustores/web/images/store_1/Rotorua_geiser.jpg
http://www.planetware.com/i/map/NZ/rotorua-map.jpg


ARTICLE ABOUT WAIKATO
http://www.waikato.ac.nz/news/index.shtml?article=360


TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK
Tongariro national park, like Rotorua, is also a place rich with Maori culture and also volcanic history. This national park is located on the North Island near the towns of Turangi and Ohakune. This national park has 3 volcanoes named Tongariro, Ngauruhoe, and Ruapehu, which exist at the heart of the park. The volcanic activity is active and the volcanoes are 2 million years old. Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu are 2 of the most active volcanoes in the world including the eruptions in 1995 and 1996.
This national park is rich in contrasting land. There are "chaotic, barren lava flows, winter snowfields, hot springs and active craters" which all exist in the same place. There are many varying plants within the park including "alpine herbs to thick swathes of tussocks and flax, from the hardy, low-growing shrubs of the Rangipo gravel-field to dense beech forests," and these plants flourish although the park is a harsh environment for plants.
Many interesting animals also thrive in the park including the only mammals in New Zealand, the short and long tailed bats. There are also a large variety of birds including north Island robins, fantails, parakeets and even a kereru.Tongariro national park was the first national park in New Zealand, founded in 1887. It is a very beautiful and exotic place to visit with a lot of interesting different biological and cultural phenomenon including the volcanoes and the essence of the Maori culture.

PiCTURES:

http://www.planetware.com/i/photo/tongariro-national-park-turangi-nz740.jpg
http://www.photoseek.com/07NZ-3/bin/images/large/07NZ_7156_Mt_Ngauruhoe_2287m.jpg
http://img5.travelblog.org/Photos/24856/237792/t/1881822-Volcanic-goings-on-in-front-of-the-Emerald-Lakes-in-Tongariro-National-Park-1.jpg

VIDEO:
http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/tongariro-national-park-1951

Royce Jones: New Zealand Loacations

Locations in New Zealand

Wellington:
Wellington is one of the largest cities in New Zealand, and also the capital of the country located along the southern tip of the north island. The city is between Lambton Harbor to the east and a large mountain range to its west. In this mountain range lies an active fault line, which causes a number of earthquakes in the area. The city lies on land with various elevations and gets lower towards the bay. Various types of animals inhabit the area around Wellington, including wild goats that graze in the mountains and deer are often seen. Seal's are found along the coasts next to the mountains throughout the entire year. Along the coast there can be many different geological features found, having red rocks, many caves, and steep drops off high cliffs.
The population of the city is around 180,000, while the entire urban area of Wellington contains a population close to 450,000 people. It is a relatively diverse city, many Europeans, but many other races including the native inhabitants called the Maori. The climate is very temperate with little change in temperature throughout the year. The temperature averages in the summer range from 56-69 F, and during the winter from 52-7 F. The city is known for having a wide selection of very good restaurants and a good schooling system. There are many great views of the city and its surrounding landscape all over. Below are some pictures I found to be very interesting.
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/9842749
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/11362021
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Wellington_panorama.jpg
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/13628674
http://www.wellingtonnz.com/about_wellington/wellington_facts/wellingtons_early_history


Cathedral Cove:
Cathedral Cove is an interesting place with a very serene landscape. This area has a very low population and contains a small residential area with houses and different attractions related to the cove it's self; Such as kayaking and snorkeling. The area is right along the coast of the northern part of the north island. Nearly 150,000 people a year come visit this beautiful terrain. It is a tough journey along the steep cliffs and rocky paths to see the best things. One of the most incredible geological areas is right on the beach where a cavern goes under a great amount rock and can walk under to both sides. From this "tunnel" you can see an interesting geological happening of large rock that sticks out of the water.
The colors of the rocks in the area are predominately an off white color with vegetation growing everywhere. The water is a very clear blue with many different fish species along the coast. Macadamias are grown in the area and are well known to be very good. Millions of years of weathering in pressure have shaped this landscape along this coast into the amazing sight it is to see. Below are some pictures that caught my eye and hopefully I come back with some of my own.
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/977295
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/18325095
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/851766
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/10495288