Melanie Newfield
@melanienewfield.bsky.social
Science and environment writer and communicator. Loves to talk about risk. Obsessed with plants and hopes to one day see every species of eucalypt.
I make the science behind important issues accessible here: https://theturnstone.substack.com
I make the science behind important issues accessible here: https://theturnstone.substack.com
Getting into the badly-edited photo game for #BirdoftheYear2026. Vote #seabirds
These petrelheads have emissions which are good for the environment (in Aotearoa, seabirds like petrels fertilise our forests, by carrying nitrogen and phosphorus from the ocean and depositing it on land).
These petrelheads have emissions which are good for the environment (in Aotearoa, seabirds like petrels fertilise our forests, by carrying nitrogen and phosphorus from the ocean and depositing it on land).
September 8, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Getting into the badly-edited photo game for #BirdoftheYear2026. Vote #seabirds
These petrelheads have emissions which are good for the environment (in Aotearoa, seabirds like petrels fertilise our forests, by carrying nitrogen and phosphorus from the ocean and depositing it on land).
These petrelheads have emissions which are good for the environment (in Aotearoa, seabirds like petrels fertilise our forests, by carrying nitrogen and phosphorus from the ocean and depositing it on land).
Voting is open in the year's most exciting election #BirdoftheYear. Here's how I'm celebrating: by attempting to recreate the looks of the seabird candidates in makeup.
Get out there and vote now! You don't have to be in New Zealand, we love foreign interference in this election!
Get out there and vote now! You don't have to be in New Zealand, we love foreign interference in this election!
September 5, 2026 at 6:34 AM
Voting is open in the year's most exciting election #BirdoftheYear. Here's how I'm celebrating: by attempting to recreate the looks of the seabird candidates in makeup.
Get out there and vote now! You don't have to be in New Zealand, we love foreign interference in this election!
Get out there and vote now! You don't have to be in New Zealand, we love foreign interference in this election!
It's nearly time for #BirdoftheYear2026. This year, I'm campaign manager for tītī | Cook's petrel. It's a trans-Pacific jet-setter with an underground bunker in Aotearoa, but this bird's emissions are actually GOOD for the environment!
September 3, 2026 at 7:20 AM
It's nearly time for #BirdoftheYear2026. This year, I'm campaign manager for tītī | Cook's petrel. It's a trans-Pacific jet-setter with an underground bunker in Aotearoa, but this bird's emissions are actually GOOD for the environment!
It’s a while since I’ve shared any #Sciart. I only began a regular drawing practice at the start of last May. I draw nearly every day now and it’s made a huge difference. Here’s a recent orchid drawing.
June 11, 2026 at 7:21 AM
It’s a while since I’ve shared any #Sciart. I only began a regular drawing practice at the start of last May. I draw nearly every day now and it’s made a huge difference. Here’s a recent orchid drawing.
Another important election coming up! New Zealand's #BugoftheYear
So many great candidates it's hard to choose.
The forest restorer's faithful friend?
Tough as a tardigrade tadpole shrimp?
Saved by an invasive species giant wētā?
Punk mite?
#sciart
So many great candidates it's hard to choose.
The forest restorer's faithful friend?
Tough as a tardigrade tadpole shrimp?
Saved by an invasive species giant wētā?
Punk mite?
#sciart
January 11, 2026 at 7:54 AM
Another important election coming up! New Zealand's #BugoftheYear
So many great candidates it's hard to choose.
The forest restorer's faithful friend?
Tough as a tardigrade tadpole shrimp?
Saved by an invasive species giant wētā?
Punk mite?
#sciart
So many great candidates it's hard to choose.
The forest restorer's faithful friend?
Tough as a tardigrade tadpole shrimp?
Saved by an invasive species giant wētā?
Punk mite?
#sciart
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate. And a virtual hug for those who find the day difficult.
December 24, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate. And a virtual hug for those who find the day difficult.
Another candidate for New Zealand’s #favouriteplant. A button daisy unique to the wild and windswept Kaitorete Spit. So cute and fuzzy #sciart
December 4, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Another candidate for New Zealand’s #favouriteplant. A button daisy unique to the wild and windswept Kaitorete Spit. So cute and fuzzy #sciart
Here's another candidate for favourite New Zealand plant, the beautiful pīngao. It's great at stabilising sand and is used for traditional Māori weaving, but is threatened by coastal development, sea level rise and the invasive marram grass.
December 1, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Here's another candidate for favourite New Zealand plant, the beautiful pīngao. It's great at stabilising sand and is used for traditional Māori weaving, but is threatened by coastal development, sea level rise and the invasive marram grass.
It's time to vote again! This time, there's a shortlist of 40 amazing native plants which are contenders for NZ's favourite native plant. OK, some of the contenders are a little obscure, but who couldn't love a rebel forget-me-not!
Voting links here. You don't need to be in New Zealand.
Voting links here. You don't need to be in New Zealand.
November 30, 2025 at 7:02 AM
It's time to vote again! This time, there's a shortlist of 40 amazing native plants which are contenders for NZ's favourite native plant. OK, some of the contenders are a little obscure, but who couldn't love a rebel forget-me-not!
Voting links here. You don't need to be in New Zealand.
Voting links here. You don't need to be in New Zealand.
Green Humour nails it
greenhumour.substack.com/p/defining-a...
greenhumour.substack.com/p/defining-a...
Defining a UN Climate Conference
Four years of drawing cartoons for COPs, and I think I finally have a definition for it.
greenhumour.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Green Humour nails it
greenhumour.substack.com/p/defining-a...
greenhumour.substack.com/p/defining-a...
I did an art class this weekend and had a go using a dip pen and plant inks. Drawing was fun and I loved the look the pen and inks made, apart from the nibs being almost impossible for a left hander to write with (although drawing was fine). Here's my drawing of prairie grass. #sciart
November 9, 2025 at 6:17 AM
I did an art class this weekend and had a go using a dip pen and plant inks. Drawing was fun and I loved the look the pen and inks made, apart from the nibs being almost impossible for a left hander to write with (although drawing was fine). Here's my drawing of prairie grass. #sciart
So it turns out that the story of austral snipe is an emotional rollercoaster. The story of tutukiwi is one of the saddest in #conservation, but the story of the Campbell Island snipe is one of the happiest. So here it is...
#Sciart
#Sciart
November 7, 2025 at 7:07 AM
So it turns out that the story of austral snipe is an emotional rollercoaster. The story of tutukiwi is one of the saddest in #conservation, but the story of the Campbell Island snipe is one of the happiest. So here it is...
#Sciart
#Sciart
Feeling sad today, so thought I'd share something from one of my art projects, which is to bring life to Aotearoa's #extinct species. Here's a little treasure called tutukiwi, a shorebird which lived in the forest, extinct in 1964.
November 5, 2025 at 6:48 AM
Feeling sad today, so thought I'd share something from one of my art projects, which is to bring life to Aotearoa's #extinct species. Here's a little treasure called tutukiwi, a shorebird which lived in the forest, extinct in 1964.
There's so much wrong in the world that it's overwhelming. But, if you can, spare a thought for the thousands of species which are silently slipping into extinction. This adorable weevil's just hanging in there, but how many more of our smaller creatures have we lost without noticing?
October 25, 2025 at 7:37 AM
There's so much wrong in the world that it's overwhelming. But, if you can, spare a thought for the thousands of species which are silently slipping into extinction. This adorable weevil's just hanging in there, but how many more of our smaller creatures have we lost without noticing?
It’s a while since I’ve shared any #sciart, so here’s a recent piece to accompany my article on the North Island kōkako. I’ve also included a piece from a year ago when I first started drawing to illustrate my articles.
October 15, 2025 at 3:48 AM
It’s a while since I’ve shared any #sciart, so here’s a recent piece to accompany my article on the North Island kōkako. I’ve also included a piece from a year ago when I first started drawing to illustrate my articles.
If you're into science communication #Scicomm and are in Auckland, Hamilton, Napier-Hastings, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch or Dunedin, check out the networking night for the Science Communicators Association of NZ. I'm co-hosting in Wellington.
October 12, 2025 at 9:48 PM
If you're into science communication #Scicomm and are in Auckland, Hamilton, Napier-Hastings, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch or Dunedin, check out the networking night for the Science Communicators Association of NZ. I'm co-hosting in Wellington.
Most accurate journalism I've seen on Aotearoa/ New Zealand in a long time.
The Government of New Zealand has made a new tourism ad and it's surprsingly honest and informative!
Honest Government Ad | Visit New Zealand!
YouTube video by thejuicemedia
www.youtube.com
October 10, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Most accurate journalism I've seen on Aotearoa/ New Zealand in a long time.
On my recent visit to #TiritiriMatangi island I took this video in the forest. The birdsong here is extraordinary. I’ve never heard anything like it.
October 6, 2025 at 4:14 AM
On my recent visit to #TiritiriMatangi island I took this video in the forest. The birdsong here is extraordinary. I’ve never heard anything like it.
If you need something uplifting, it’s hard to go past the story of the hihi, and how a group of high school students and their inspirational teacher helped bring it back from the brink of extinction.
open.substack.com/pub/theturns...
open.substack.com/pub/theturns...
A new sunrise
Tiritiri Matangi has given us hope for the survival of the hihi, but these birds are still in serious trouble (11 minute read)
open.substack.com
October 6, 2025 at 3:41 AM
If you need something uplifting, it’s hard to go past the story of the hihi, and how a group of high school students and their inspirational teacher helped bring it back from the brink of extinction.
open.substack.com/pub/theturns...
open.substack.com/pub/theturns...
Such a frustrating and misleading headline. Do better @theguardian.com
Soybeans are overwhelming used for feed. 80% of protein produced on Brazil's croplands is used to feed animals iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1....
The recent tariff issue is a prime example of how the world's taste for meat (not soy) is shaping distant landscapes. www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
The recent tariff issue is a prime example of how the world's taste for meat (not soy) is shaping distant landscapes. www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
How the world’s taste for soya is eating Brazil’s Amazon
Cultivation of the crop has made a few wealthy but at a huge cost to untouched forest as it spreads across vast areas of former wilderness
www.theguardian.com
September 30, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Such a frustrating and misleading headline. Do better @theguardian.com
Just a quick reminder that polls close tomorrow in the year's most anticipated election: #Birdoftheyear2025 #BOTY2025
Make sure you get your votes in, and if you aren't sure who to vote for, here are nine worthy but sometimes overlooked candidates. theturnstone.substack.com/p/time-to-vote
Make sure you get your votes in, and if you aren't sure who to vote for, here are nine worthy but sometimes overlooked candidates. theturnstone.substack.com/p/time-to-vote
Time to vote!
The year's most contentious election - that's right, it's Bird of the Year 2025 (5 minute read)
theturnstone.substack.com
September 27, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Just a quick reminder that polls close tomorrow in the year's most anticipated election: #Birdoftheyear2025 #BOTY2025
Make sure you get your votes in, and if you aren't sure who to vote for, here are nine worthy but sometimes overlooked candidates. theturnstone.substack.com/p/time-to-vote
Make sure you get your votes in, and if you aren't sure who to vote for, here are nine worthy but sometimes overlooked candidates. theturnstone.substack.com/p/time-to-vote
Another under appreciated candidate for #birdoftheyear2025, the teeny-tiniest tītīpounamu. #sciart Weighs less than a large garden snail.
September 20, 2025 at 4:31 AM
Another under appreciated candidate for #birdoftheyear2025, the teeny-tiniest tītīpounamu. #sciart Weighs less than a large garden snail.
Here it is, my guide to why you should vote for some of Aotearoa’s under-appreciated birds. open.substack.com/pub/theturns...
Time to vote!
The year's most contentious election - that's right, it's Bird of the Year 2025 (5 minute read)
open.substack.com
September 19, 2025 at 6:06 AM
Here it is, my guide to why you should vote for some of Aotearoa’s under-appreciated birds. open.substack.com/pub/theturns...
I decided to get behind #Birdoftheyear2025 so I've written a guide and done some drawings for 9 underappreciated birds. Here's one for hākoakoa #skua since I was inspired by @hakoakoa-boty.bsky.social
The guide comes out tomorrow. Can you guess which other birds are on my list?
The guide comes out tomorrow. Can you guess which other birds are on my list?
September 18, 2025 at 6:22 AM
I decided to get behind #Birdoftheyear2025 so I've written a guide and done some drawings for 9 underappreciated birds. Here's one for hākoakoa #skua since I was inspired by @hakoakoa-boty.bsky.social
The guide comes out tomorrow. Can you guess which other birds are on my list?
The guide comes out tomorrow. Can you guess which other birds are on my list?
Hihi putting in a strong showing a day before voting opens in #BirdoftheYear2025
September 14, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Hihi putting in a strong showing a day before voting opens in #BirdoftheYear2025