About

Ko Rangitoto te maunga te rū nei taku ngākau

Rangitoto is the mountain that speaks to my heart

Ko Tāmaki te awa e mahea nei aku māharahara

Tāmaki is the river that alleviates my worries

Nō Tāmaki Makaurau ahau / I’m from Auckland

E mihi ana ki ngā tohu o nehe, o Kirikiroa e noho nei au

I recognise the ancestral and spiritual landmarks of Hamilton where I live

Ko Monica Peters ahau / My name is Monica Peters

Monicalogues was originally set up to share my PhD research journey on community environmental groups, ecological restoration, and citizen science to a wide audience. Since then, I’ve worked on projects at the interface between science, the public, and the environment. Many of the conferences and symposia I’ve attended along with musings on art and environment are documented in over 150 blog posts. The unifying thread is how we seek to better understand the natural world, and our relationship to it.

Selected Achievements

  • Completed a PhD on community conservation and citizen science in Aotearoa as well as Master’s degree in Fine Arts
  • Received four major scholarships and awards for research, travel and public speaking
  • Cycled the length of Aotearoa (3000km) and across the widest point of Te Ika a Maui (1000km)
  • Contributed two terms as Board Member for Forest and Bird
  • Volunteered with the Department of Conservation on Hauturu, Little Barrier and Rangitāhua, Raoul Island
  • Created environmental education and tourism resources in Mongolia for a German development agency (GIZ)
  • Awarded an Artist in Residence at the Chicago Centre of Book and Paper Arts
Most weeks, no matter the weather or if it’s still dark, you’ll see me tackle an early morning double ascent of the Hakarimata Steps. I use the time to reflect (between breaths!) on our relationship to the environment.

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