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Assessing stabilisation from soil disturbance caused by steep slope harvesting operations.
No full textIn New Zealand, mechanised harvesting of plantation forests on steep slopes has become commonplace to
both improve safety and system productivity. Mechanised harvesting can increase the level of soil disturbance
when compared to motor-manual alternatives. This can lead to increased erosion risk on steep slopes. This
study investigates soil disturbance and post-harvest vegetation recovery in steep-slope plantation forests
following mechanised harvesting operations in New Zealand.
Soil disturbance and vegetation recovery was assessed in fourteen mechanically harvested steep land
plantation forests across New Zealand during 2024. For this study, steep slope mechanised harvesting was
characterised by the use of winch-assist. Sites were assessed immediately after harvest, as well as at 1, 2, and
3 years post-harvest. At each site these harvest areas were chosen to be in close proximity to minimise
variability in terrain, harvest methods, soil, and weather conditions. A line transect method was used to
documenting disturbance types such as soil mixing, topsoil removal, rutting, and changes in slash and
vegetation cover. A total of 52,541 geo-located observations were collected. These data were correlated with
terrain features through GIS mapping to analyse temporal and spatial patterns of disturbance and recovery.
Regression analysis showed that all disturbance types, except for erosion features, were significantly
influenced by the time since harvest. As time progressed, soil disturbance and slash decreased, while
vegetation cover increased. Stand age was the largest determinant of site differences, with more recently
harvested stands showing more significant disturbance and less vegetation recovery. Slash cover declined over
the three years post-harvest, while vegetation cover increased, meaning there was a slow increase in ground
cover overall. By the third year, exposed soil was reduced by 50%, with vegetation cover increasing ninefold,
averaging 65%. Terrain characteristics also played a critical role in disturbance patterns. Steeper slopes had
greater soil disturbance, with less slash and vegetation cover compared to gentler slopes. Vegetation and slash
were more prevalent in valley bottoms, whereas rutting was more prevalent on spurs, soil mixing, and scraping.
Aspect further influenced erosion, soil mixing, and vegetation recovery. At higher elevations on the sites,
disturbances and slash were more pronounced, possibly due to their proximity to landings. Lower relative
elevations showed more vegetation recovery.
This study enhances the understanding of the impacts of mechanised harvesting on soil disturbance in steepslope
forest ecosystems. It shows how stand age, slope, and aspect can affect disturbance patterns and
recovery trajectories. The results provide valuable insights for improving sustainable forest management
practices, particularly in terms of mitigating soil disturbance and promoting faster recovery in steep -slope
harvesting operations
An overview of culturally adapted health education programmes for Pacific peoples: A narrative review
No full textIntroduction: Aotearoa New Zealand’s (NZ) Pacific communities face health inequities, poorer health
outcomes and a higher prevalence of chronic conditions. Pacific peoples’(PP) lived experiences must be
captured and collaboratively used to make informed quality improvement changes within the
healthcare sector. The need for intentional and targeted culturally appropriate education programs and
interventions that are patient-centred, holistic, and focussed on enhancing and empowering PP and
their health journeys is vital to reducing inequities they face.
Methods:A narrative literature review was conducted using specified search terms via Scopus, CINAHL
via EBSCO, Medline via EBSCO and Google Scholar between October 2021 and March 2023. Evidence
from 27 articles, reports and other documents were analysed and synthesised.
Findings:The evidence concludes that health education programmes (HEP) can be a tool for improving
self-management skills and health outcomes. Culturally responsive HEP tailored to serve Pacific peoples
better, are essential. They should be done in collaboration with and led by PP, who know and understand
the broader social and economic impacts that can be barriers to PPs’ health.
Conclusion:This review highlights a need for PP perspectives and lived experiences to be included in
the design of HEP. Evidence suggests this can lead to improved health outcomes. This review highlights
the need for further research to understand PPs’ lived experiences to assist in developing culturally
appropriate programmes in collaboration with Pacific communities
Reconnecting the heartlands of Ocean-Pacifika through salutations: Ai cavuti, fa‘alupega, fakatāpū
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Social entrepreneurship in tourism: A framework-based scoping review and research agenda
No full textWhile tourism social entrepreneurship (TSE) has been gaining the interest of tourism scholars, little is known about the extent of knowledge on TSE and how understanding this phenomenon may be advanced. To address these gaps, we conducted a framework-based scoping review of academic publications (N = 190) on this topic published from 2006 to 2023. We operationalised Gartner's (1985) framework for new venture creation comprising four dimensions namely individuals, organisations, environment, and processes, which we have extended to include a fifth dimension on impacts to further reflect the societal value of TSE. We found that knowledge of TSE is centred on processes, indicating a strong focus on the supply side of this tourism development approach and signalling critical knowledge gaps especially on individuals and impacts of TSE. We propose a conceptual model that shows the complexity and multidimensionality of TSE. Finally, we contribute a research agenda to advance knowledge of TSE
The undue burden of undue risk – shortcomings of parole within Aotearoa New Zealand.
No full textSupervised post-incarceration monitoring has been widely used around the world throughout the
last centuries, morphing into the modern parole release system we know today. The use, scope, and
particulars of parole release, however, vary significantly between jurisdictions and eras. For better
or worse, parole is firmly entrenched within the modern Aotearoa New Zealand criminal justice
system, and lacking any significant policy and statutory overhauls, parole will remain a key
component of an offender’s journey within the criminal justice system for the foreseeable future.
Parole—as a new approach to punishment—was devised to provide both a reward to incentivise
good behaviour and punishment to discourage bad behaviour by incarcerated individuals. Today,
the intended purpose of parole is less clear. While the original reward and punishment dynamic
still exists, there is an additional (though often unstated) emphasis on providing rehabilitation for
offenders through the parole release process. Further, logistical issues such as prison overcrowding
can become an incentivising factor for early release despite being entirely divorced from the
underlying theories of punishment and parole.
In Aotearoa today, the overarching consideration for parole release is whether an offender poses an
undue risk to the safety of the community. The current Parole Act and Sentencing Act, however,
were only enacted in 2002 and have been modified in numerous ways since their adoption,
highlighting how the historic and practical views of parole adapt over time and in response to an
ever-changing world. Additionally, incorporation and recognition of Māori cultures and values
within the criminal justice system has increased in recent decades, though arguably still to a
nominal degree. It is also worth noting that parole in practice, as any part of the judicial system,
has many functional nuances that are not necessarily readily captured within the statutory language
alone.
Criticisms of the practice of parole are wide-ranging, covering everything from philosophical
arguments to the practical. Here in Aotearoa, the expansive discretionary power of the Parole Board
is coupled with minimal oversight, creating an environment where offenders lack practical options
to meaningfully challenge parole release decisions. Further, the relationship between the Parole
Board and the Department of Corrections is, at times, capricious or conflicting, while also being
solidly interdependent. The intended purpose of parole release becomes convoluted as parole acts
as the main mechanism for rehabilitation. Socio-economic and cultural circumstances also strongly
feed into both who ends up in the criminal justice system—and subsequently on parole—as well as
reoffending and recidivism rates.
This thesis delves into the philosophical and practical reasoning behind parole release, with a
particular emphasis on how parole currently functions in Aotearoa New Zealand. Particular areas
of concern are discussed, along with possible solutions that could be implemented. Parole is deeply
intrenched in the modern judicial system, and given the recent trends with increasing incarceration
rates, it is well-worth considering how parole release can be improved to provide a better outcome
for all involved
Tracing the chemical evolution of globular clusters.
No full textGlobular clusters (GCs) are fragments of the history of the Milky Way. The Gaia-ESO Survey
(GES) includes a dataset of globular clusters which were mainly observed for calibration purposes.
The observations include high resolution spectra from UVES and medium resolution spectra from
GIRAFFE on the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope. A detailed data curation
was undertaken to explore the completeness of the abundances sample. Additional abundances were
determined for 1044 stars across eleven elements through spectral synthesis with iSpec using MOOG.
These abundances were scaled to the GES abundance values which has significantly expanded the
original GES sample. With the extended dataset, the chemical distribution of the stars within
14 globular clusters was investigated. GC abundance traits such as the Na-O and Mg-Al anticorrelations, and multiple populations were found for a selection of clusters. A per cluster threshold
for the separation of stars into two populations was determined using the Mg-Al distribution for
each cluster across this selection of GCs. These thresholds range from −0.47 <[Mg/Al]< −0.26.
These two populations have been identified as Primordial and Intermediate, where the Intermediate
population shows enrichment in Al, Na, Ca, Ti, Si, Mn, Y, Ba and Eu, and depletion in Mg. Clusters
where no threshold was determined were, for the majority, the metal rich clusters. Within the metal
rich clusters, the Intermediate population was potentially traced as an Mg enhancement rather than
Mg depletion. The abundance variations were then examined in the context of the wider Milky Way
(MW) chemical evolution. Separation of accreted and in-situ clusters resulted in a comparison of
the MW and Gaia-Enceladus galaxies, finding common chemical signatures. With these abundance
comparisons and populations, we have gained further understanding of the chemical history of these
GCs
Concordance in perceptions of mental wellbeing between Pacific children and their mothers in Aotearoa New Zealand.
No full textPacific children make up a rapidly growing and population in Aotearoa New Zealand (A|NZ). They face challenges however, as pacific families experience disproportionate burdens across key social determinants of health and are and are found to present with higher rates of psychological distress compared to the general A|NZ population. Despite this no previous research has examined differences between Pacific mothers and their children’s perceptions of the child’s mental wellbeing. Parent-child relationships have a significant effect on youth mental wellbeing, and parental recognition of emerging difficulties has a major factor in early intervention. International research consistently shows low to moderate concordance between children and parents reports of mental wellbeing, with parents frequently under-reporting compared to their children. No studies have investigated this within Pacific families living in A|NZ despite Pacific worldviews that emphasise family and relational spaces between people (vā). Examining the concordance and discordance between mothers and children’s perspectives on mental wellbeing in this context is essential for improving understandings of Pacific children’s wellbeing and providing implications for future research and practice.
This study used data from the Pacific Islands Families (PIF) Study, a longitudinal birth cohort, focusing on the 9- and 11-year measurement waves. A repeated cross-sectional retrospective design was employed to investigate concordance between Pacific children and their mothers perspective of the child’s mental wellbeing through elevated symptoms. The primary variable was the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) including the child’s self-reported version (CDI:S), and parent report version (CDI:P). The agreement was first assessed using a categorical transformation of CDI scores through unadjusted paired sample contingency analyses and Cohen’s κ. A further unadjusted analysis was performed using negative binomial regression. Finally, selected secondary variables consistent with the Fonofale model and framework were individually entered into adjusted negative binomial regression to test as potential confounders.
Data was available for 860 mother-child dyads at the 9-year wave and 932 dyads at the 11-year wave. Most adolescents reported an absence of elevated depressive symptoms, with 64.7% at the 9-year wave and 79.5% at the 11-year wave. Paired sample contingency tables showed that 65.0% and 79.2% of dyads were concordant at the 9- and 11-year waves respectively, however agreement beyond chance was negligible (9-years: κ = 0.026, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.001–0.050; 11-years: κ = 0.041, 95% CI: 0.007–0.074) with a strong asymmetry from children reporting elevated depressive symptoms where their mother did not. Negative binomial regressions indicated a small but statistically significant association between children’s and mothers CDI scores (9-years: incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.044, 95% CI: 1.002–1.087, p = 0.038; 11-years: IRR = 1.109, 95% CI: 1.068–1.151, p < 0.001). The IRR scores for both years were attenuated further towards the null and often rendered non-significant when adjusting for covariates.
Across both measurement waves, the study’s hypotheses were only partially supported. Consistent with expectations, most Pacific children reported an absence of elevated depressive symptoms. However, and diverging from the predicted moderate levels, only a very small level of agreement was found between mothers and children’s perceptions of the child’s mental wellbeing, and maternal CDI scores provided limited association even before adjustment. Discordance of disagreement was found to be asymmetric as predicted; children who reported the presence of depressive symptoms were rarely identified by their mothers. Interpretations for this difference in perceptions were presented through the Fonofale model and understandings of Pacific worldviews of family and vā. Further interpretations around developmental factors and relationships are discussed, followed by an examination of strengths and limitations and implications for policy and future research
