Ice, Mice and Men

Our Far South is packed with history and wildlife, and is renowned for its breathtaking and photogenic beauty. But does our appreciation of the region run more than skin deep? Do Kiwis really understand how important the region is and what issues are facing it?

In February 2012, Gareth Morgan trapped ten of New Zealand’s top experts on the region in a boat with 40 ordinary Kiwis for a month. Together with Geoff Simmons, he grilled them about the issues facing the region and Ice, Mice and Men is the result. What they found was startling. Our Far South – that part of New Zealand that extends from Stewart Island almost without interruption to the South Pole – harbours precious wildlife and is the engine room of the world’s oceans and climate. We are blessed to live in this unique part of the world, but we also have a huge responsibility to look after it. Ice, Mice and Men looks at the three ways we risk inflicting long-term, even permanent harm, on this precious and fragile region. The race to exploit resources has been underway for three centuries, and may be poised to escalate. Pressure from human activity may be threatening biodiversity and even the survival of species. And looming ever larger is the threat of climate change. Damage done to Our Far South will have profound implications, both for New Zealand and right across the globe. Gareth Morgan is a well-known columnist, philanthropist and author. Geoff Simmons is an economist for the Morgan Family Charitable Foundation and has previously worked for the New Zealand Treasury. He is also Co-Creative Director of the Wellington Improvisation Troupe. All proceeds from the sale of this book go to the Million Dollar Mouse Fund

Dr Gareth Morgan is an economist, public policy analyst, portfolio investor, motorcycle adventurer and philanthropist. Through the Morgan Foundation Gareth has instigated a series of books on issues of public interest. He has also co-authored with his wife Joanne, 5 books on their offshore motorcycle trips, and has written three books on personal investment. See ‘Other Titles’ for more information. His latest project “Our Far South” set out to raise New Zealanders’ awareness of the importance of the area between Stewart Island and the South Pole – the race for resources, the sensitivity of Antarctica to climate change and the threat to biodiversity or our subantarctic islands from overfishing, marine pollution and climate change. This project led on to Gareth’s participation in further conservation projects – Predator Free New Zealand, Million Dollar Mouse, Stewart Island Treasure, and New Zealand’s Cleanest River. Gareth is a shareholder in Welnix, which owns the Wellington Phoenix Football team and part of the Hurricanes rugby franchise. Gareth’s directorships have included a national legal firm, publicly listed companies, advisory boards of government departments, New Zealand’s largest web site auction house TradeMe Ltd, and Leite Verde SA a Brazilian dairy industry business. Gareth graduated from Victoria University with a PhD in economics 1982.