Book Critic: The Valley by Asher Emanuel

Stories from Our Changing World

This week's episode is about the Pest Free Purerua-Mataroa peninsula project. At the northern end of the Bay of Islands, this peninsula is home to a large population of northland brown kiwi. Claire takes a tour with project leader Andy Mentor to learn about their work. First stop is on a slight rise that looks out over the narrow peninsula neck - an important area for the team.

Is this our most ambitious conservation project yet?

Covering more than 300 thousand hectares of the Southern Alps region, the Te Manahuna Aoraki Project is one of our most ambitious pest control projects yet. The aim is to create New Zealand's first ever pest free national park. And to help achieve that goal, the team involved is wide ranging and diverse, from existing conservation groups to the Defence Force. Oh and it's making the most of AI technology too. Here to explain how it is all coming together is Simone Smits, the manager of Te Manahuna Aoraki. Hi Simone!

Helping out couples who struggle with fertility

According to Health NZ data, more than a quarter of couples in New Zealand will inexperience infertility ... and one in eight will require medical assistance to achieve pregnancy. But of course, treatments like IVF, or in vitro fertilization, can be costly, and there are no guarantees. That's why two years ago Jaimee Lupton founded Gingernut's Angels to help provide financial support to couples struggling with pregnancy.

Find out why wool is having a moment

It's not a stretch to say the last few years have been a really tough time to be a sheep farmer .. some farmers were earning so little from wool that it barely covered the cost of shearing. But things could be looking up. Last week's PGG Wrightson National Wool auction saw prices climb to their highest level in 15 years. So what's behind the turnaround, and is it here to stay? Rachel Shearer from PGG Wrightson Wool joins Jesse.

The fan who took centre stage in La La Land in Concert!

Have we got a great story to brighten your Wednesday. Over the weekend an event called 'La La Land in Concert' was on in Sydney; that's where an audience watches the Oscar award winning film La La Land with a live orchestra and jazz band performing the soundtrack, all conducted by the film's Oscar-winning composer Justin Hurwitz. Except this performance didn't go to plan. Here to explain what happened next is audience member Sterling Nasa.