Date: 17 May 2012
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Families with young children and off-road wheelchair users will enjoy greater access to the iconic backcountry of the St James Conservation Area thanks to a project initiated by Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson.
Date: 14 May 2012
The Department of Conservation is cautioning trampers in Fiordland to be prepared for winter conditions as they venture onto Great Walks over the next few weeks.
Date: 11 May 2012
The behaviour of four-wheel drivers who damaged protected wetlands in Canterbury recently has been condemned by 4WD clubs and the Department of Conservation.
Date: 11 May 2012
The Department of Conservation has received reports of vehicles driving across the Waiotahi Spit Scenic Reserve, Opotiki, west of the pipi beds, causing damage to the dunes.
Date: 11 May 2012
Fish & Game and the Department of Conservation are delighted that the testing of 22 rivers in Fiordland National Park showed no signs of the invasive freshwater pest didymo.
Date: 09 May 2012
The Department of Conservation in Otago is introducing changes to their fire permit process.
Date: 10 May 2012
A yellow-eyed penguin rescued from a Christchurch beach with a broken leg was mauled by a dog, prompting a call for owners to be more responsible on beaches.
Date: 10 May 2012
The Department of Conservation has run several kiwi aversion training days in recent months to increase the awareness of the risk that hunting dogs can pose to kiwi in the wild.
Date: 09 May 2012
Preliminary test results have shown that the dolphin recovered from a Taranaki beach last week had DNA characteristics more consistent with Hector's dolphin than Maui's dolphin.
Date: 07 May 2012
The annual Kaimanawa wild horse muster will take place at the end of May, to control numbers in the herd which lives primarily on the Waiouru Military Training Area.
Date: 08 May 2012
As part of a new initiative to encourage more people to get out and enjoy New Zealand's special places, DOC has listed all recreational and tourism businesses operating in conservation areas on the DOC website.
Date: 05 April 2012
A new insect parasite has been released into the Mackenzie Basin and Upper Waitaki for the first time, to help control the spread of broom.
Date: 04 May 2012
Rakiura, a 10 year-old female kakapo, who has spent the last 19 days at Auckland Zoo, is on her way today to join seven other kakapo on Little Barrier Barrier island (Hauturu).
Date: 03 May 2012
Source: Nature Space
A new website for community groups and landowners protecting and restoring New Zealand's natural environment is seen as a valuable tool for their vital work.
Date: 02 May 2012
Kakapo Recovery has been given valuable hi-definition video footage - shot by an Emmy award-winning crew on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island - to edit and use to promote the programme.
Date: 02 May 2012
The Department of Conservation says there are potential benefits from the creation of additional salmon farms in the Marlborough Sounds, provided that nutrient and location issues are addressed.
Date: 02 May 2012
The Department of Conservation (DOC) are concerned about the misuse of one of the local reserves close to Wanganui - Gordon Park Scenic Reserve which has had large amounts of household rubbish and garden waste dumped in the car park and tracks recently.
Date: 02 May 2012
Students from Orautoha School had an experience of a lifetime recently and two of the students, Neihana Hall (11 yrs) and Quintin Rapana (12 yrs) played a special part in releasing four whio (blue duck) into the Manganui o te Ao River on Monday.
Date: 01 May 2012
Source: BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust
A new partnership between Trade Me and conservation group BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust hopes to raise more than $40,000 a year to help save our national icon.
Date: 01 May 2012
Mountain bikers and walkers will now have a smoother trip over an eroded section of the Heaphy Track thanks to $10,500 in donations from Nelson mountain bikers and some national mountain biking businesses to support the Department of Conservation track improvement work.
Date: 30 April 2012
The preliminary pathology report on the dead Hector's/Maui's dolphin recovered from a Taranaki beach last week has indicated that the animal died of natural causes.
Date: 23 April 2012
The three day cycle hikoi travelling the entire length of the Mountains to Sea (Nga Ara Tuhono) section of the National Cycle Trail (Nga Haerenga) takes place Thursday 26 April to Saturday 28 April 2012.
Date: 23 April 2012
Forty weta motels have been installed on Lake Wanaka's Mou Waho island.
Date: 23 April 2012
Mountain bikers can enjoy a second winter season of riding the Heaphy Track from Tuesday 1 May through to Sunday 30 September.
Date: 20 April 2012
Source: Air New Zealand and the Department of Conservation
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Rob Fyfe have today confirmed a major three year commercial partnership between DOC and Air New Zealand.
Date: 20 April 2012
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson has welcomed the signing of a new commercial partnership that will see DOC and Air New Zealand work together to protect and promote our unique wildlife and special landscapes.
Date: 20 April 2012
The Department of Conservation wants more people to experience the rare native birds and wildlife on Kapiti Island and is offering new opportunities for eco-tour operators taking visitors to the nature reserve.
Date: 18 April 2012
The completion of two new solar power systems, providing cheaper, cleaner and quieter electricity at Department of Conservation bases on Great Barrier Island, is being marked at a launch event today.
Date: 18 April 2012
Morepork and kea are the latest victims of speeding vehicles on the Milford Highway. The Department of Conservation has picked up ten morepork and two kea killed by vehicles on the Milford Highway this summer.
Date: 15 April 2012
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
The transfer of seven critically endangered kakapo to Little Barrier Island is a significant move to help secure the species' survival, Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson says.
Date: 11 April 2012
The Department of Conservation (DOC) is set to introduce a new three-tiered pricing system for huts on the Great Walks network and paid campsites throughout the country.
Date: 05 April 2012
The deadline for public comments for the Department of Conservation's review of Kaikoura sperm whale tourism has been extended by two weeks to Friday 11 May 2012.
Date: 04 April 2012
Members of the local community carried out shellfish monitoring and went kayaking amongst the mangroves as part of a close-up exploration of Whangarei Harbour Marine Reserve.
Date: 04 April 2012
The Department of Conservation now has a new recreational hunting permit for small game animals.
Date: 04 April 2012
The three day cycle journey (hikoi) travelling the length of the Mountains to Sea section of the National Cycle Trail is to take place on the 26th through to 28th April 2012.
Date: 30 March 2012
Public hearings for the Riverstone Holdings Limited monorail concession application will begin next week. Hearings in Te Anau will begin on Monday 2 April 2012 and will begin in Invercargill on Tuesday 3 April 2012.
Date: 30 March 2012
The Department of Conservation is pleased with the prosecution of six whitebaiters in the Whakatane District Court on 20th March 2012 for breaches of the Whitebait Fishing Regulations.
Date: 30 March 2012
The Department of Conservation is urging hunters to adhere to their permit conditions and refrain from illegal spotlighting on conservation land.
Date: 29 March 2012
With the start of the 'roar' deer hunting season, the Department of Conservation is reminding hunters spotlighting is not allowed on public conservation land - it is illegal and endangers others.
Date: 29 March 2012
The Department of Conservation is seeking public input into a review of Kaikoura whale watching tourism ahead of the expiry on 30 May of a 10-year suspension of new permits for the commercial activity.
Date: 28 March 2012
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson today warmly welcomed the announcement of the 'Million Dollar Mouse campaign' to rid New Zealand's subantarctic Antipodes Islands of the pests.
Date: 20 March 2012
As more people visit the Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve, a problem is emerging that can cause serious issues for the health of the fish, and for swimmers and snorkelers.
Date: 26 March 2012
Sixty tuatara are now living in the wild on Motuihe Island easily accessible by ferry from downtown Auckland.
Date: 23 March 2012
Source: Department of Conservation and Wellington Zoo
A juvenile northern giant petrel which landed at Castlepoint two weeks ago is believed to have "hitched" a 500km ride with the wind from its home on the Chatham Islands.
Date: 23 March 2012
Good teamwork, aided and abetted by fine weather, has achieved a milestone in the decade-long mission to resurrect a 1930s sawmilling site at Otaki Forks.
Date: 21 March 2012
The Department of Conservation is urging skippers to take all necessary precautions when mooring at pest free sanctuaries after a rat was discovered earlier this month at a popular mooring spot on Anchor Island in Dusky Sound.
Date: 22 March 2012
The Department of Conservation (DOC) may be close to eradicating the environmental threats posed by koi carp in the western Bay of Plenty.
Date: 21 March 2012
To prevent the disease kauri dieback from spreading to the oldest and largest kauri forest in the Auckland region the Department of Conservation (DOC) has closed the tracks in the Mataitai Conservation Area near the Hunua Ranges.
Date: 21 March 2012
This year's Kaimai to Coromandel ECHO Walking Festival will be launched on April 10th with a family-friendly walk at Otanewainuku Forest near Tauranga, and is a great activity idea for the Easter School Holidays.
Date: 19 March 2012
Private land owners or community groups carrying out conservation work on private land could be eligible for funding from the Biodiversity Funds.
Date: 14 March 2012
Whangarei Kiwi Sanctuary staff are today saddened by the loss of a friend of 16 years - Rainbow the kiwi.
Date: 16 March 2012
Creativity, vibrancy and strong conservation messages were portrayed throughout in this year's winning entries in the Seaweek kids pictures and stories competition.
Date: 16 March 2012
Tawa, a fostered takahē chick is entertaining visitors and proving that life is good at the Te Anau Wildlife Centre.
Date: 15 March 2012
There has been some debate about the Department of Conservation's plan to investigate re-instating the winter runs of rainbow trout into the Tongariro River.
Date: 15 March 2012
The Department of Conservation (DOC) will implement a number of additional pest control measures following the sighting of, what is believed to be, a mouse on Matiu/Somes Island.
Date: 15 March 2012
Trampers and hunters heading into Mid-Pohangina Hut in the Ruahine Forest Park will get their feet wet following the permanent removal of a swing-bridge crossing the Pohangina River.
Date: 14 March 2012
A joint National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA), DOC and Auckland University research team is returning to continue their research on Stewart Island's / Rakiura enigmatic white shark population.
Date: 13 March 2012
Source: Offices of the Minister of Conservation (Hon Kate Wilkinson) and Minister for Primary Industries (Hon David Carter)
The Government is considering further measures to protect Maui's dolphins as a new study points to a decline in numbers of the critically endangered species.
Date: 12 March 2012
It may have been a wet summer for many Northlanders, but travellers and tourists from all over the globe were still choosing to spend their time here.
Date: 09 March 2012
Public hearings for the Milford Dart Limited (MDL) Dart Passage tunnel concession application will begin next week.
Date: 08 March 2012
New Zealand's southern most National Park celebrates its 10th anniversary this week. Stewart Island/Rakiura National Park was officially opened on 9 March 2002.
Date: 09 March 2012
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
The Government is considering a proposal to establish differential fishing licences for overseas anglers, Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson announced today.
Date: 08 March 2012
Te Tapatoru a Toi, the first committee of its kind in NZ, continues to be a role model for future joint management of conservation land with the release of its Annual Plan for 2010/11.
Date: 07 March 2012
Youngsters still have a chance to join a snorkelling trip to view sea life in Tonga Island Marine Reserve with the event now being held on Saturday, 31 March.
Date: 06 March 2012
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Seaweek is all about inspiring New Zealanders to celebrate and learn from the sea, Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson said at the national launch of Seaweek last night.
Date: 06 March 2012
The Department of Conservation (DOC), with assistance from the New Zealand Navy, has carried out the first ever survey of the rare Auckland Island shag in the remote subantarctic islands.
Date: 05 March 2012
Department of Conservation staff have closed Te Raoa Bay within Lake Waikaremoana, Te Urewera National Park, after a dive survey has discovered a small infestation of lagarosiphon (oxygen weed).
Date: 05 March 2012
The 2011 Northland kiwi listening results show the highest level of growth since listening records began.
Date: 05 March 2012
The death of a young male kakapo last week - the fifth since September - may be linked to poor genetics, prompting the Kakapo Recovery team to consider removing Basil, an Anchor Island-based bird, from the breeding programme.
Date: 05 March 2012
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Public conservation land around Nelson has been given a boost with the Government purchasing 333 hectares of private land beside Kahurangi National Park.
Date: 02 March 2012
With the Rena incident still fresh in our minds this Seaweek in the Eastern Bay of Plenty encourages our communities to protect our marine environment by reducing the amount of general rubbish in our waterways impacting on our sea and birdlife.
Date: 02 March 2012
With the Rena incident still fresh in our minds this Seaweek on the East Coast encourages our communities to protect our marine environment by reducting the amount of general rubbish in our waterways impacting on sea and birdlife.
Date: 01 March 2012
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson has praised Genesis Energy Ltd for their work with DOC to increase numbers of the rare native whio (blue duck).
Date: 01 March 2012
The future of one of New Zealand's most endangered species is looking brighter, with the latest whio breeding season resulting in 206 new ducklings at one breeding site alone.
Date: 29 February 2012
A new win-win situation for the health of our native forests and the people dedicated to protecting them is emerging in the Kaimai bush north of Tauranga.
Date: 20 February 2012
The latest results of underwater monitoring at Tuhua (Mayor Island) Marine Reserve near Tauranga reveal an emerging success story that will be explained at a public presentation on 6 March, coinciding with Seaweek celebrations around the country.
Date: 27 February 2012
Thanks to the efforts of the local community, plans have begun to find an alternative route to the magnificent Mermaid pool on the Otito Reserve close to Matapouri after the old path was blocked by a rock fall.
Date: 19 February 2012
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson joined a convoy of four wheel drivers to officially open a new 20-bed hut on the popular St James Walkway yesterday.
Date: 24 February 2012
At least 60 endangered native birds have been found dead on the Clutha River near Roxburgh.
Date: 21 February 2012
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson has praised the generosity of a private family trust which has launched a multi-million dollar conservation project in Abel Tasman National Park.
Date: 21 February 2012
Read an overview of the topics the Northland Conservation Board discussed in February 2012.
Date: 21 February 2012
An extensive 30-year multi-million dollar project to restore Abel Tasman National Park's natural ecology is being launched with initial funding from a private family trust.
Date: 20 February 2012
One of our rarest and most endangered native birds, the New Zealand shore plover has been released on pest free Motutapu Island to increase its chances of survival.
Date: 20 February 2012
Some staggering figures have been calculated in an attempt to find out what is killing Whangarei's kiwi population.
Date: 17 February 2012
What started out as an offer of assistance over a cup of tea has resulted in a successful long-term conservation partnership in the Wairarapa.
Date: 17 February 2012
You are invited to view mesmerising marine life in Tasman Bay's two marine reserves next month, with snorkelling events to to mark Seaweek.
Date: 16 February 2012
The recently completed track upgrade of the Rimutaka Rail Trail has added width to the narrowest section of track which now provides users comfort and safety on a truly multi-use track.
Date: 14 February 2012
Hunters can still apply to fly into the Tasman Wilderness Area to hunt during this autumn's roar deer hunting season.
Date: 13 February 2012
Sofia d'Aubert-Phillips of Methven and Leo Fosita of Christchurch have jointly won the design-a-badge competition run by the Department of Conservation and the Kiwi Ranger programme.
Date: 10 February 2012
Analysis of the remains of a 1 year old male sea lion recently found on the Otago Peninsula by Department of Conservation (DOC) staff revealed it was shot.
Date: 10 February 2012
Thanks to a Herculean conservation effort by Hurunui College in North Canterbury, three great-spotted kiwi/roroa will be returned to the Nina valley tomorrow.
Date: 10 February 2012
Efforts are being stepped up to protect native wildlife on Adele Island after a rat was found dead in a trap on the Abel Tasman National Park island sanctuary.
Date: 10 February 2012
The Department of Conservation has seized equipment found at two illegal gold sluicing sites in the Glenhope Scenic Reserve in recent weeks, and is reminding the public only approved gold prospecting is allowed in conservation areas.
Date: 01 February 2012
One of the Department of Conservation's 'dog friendly' campsites in the Kauaeranga Valley was the site of a wananga (place of learning) for dogs to learn about avoiding kiwi in the bush.
Date: 24 January 2012
The Waiau Falls Scenic Reserve in the Coromandel briefly changed from its usually peaceful, uncrowded location in mid-January when 70 people descended on the falls to film a television advertisement.
Date: 02 February 2012
People visiting parks and reserves in the Wairarapa are warned to be wary of wasps, with the height of the wasp season approaching.
Date: 03 February 2012
A plan to display male kakapo Rooster at Te Rau Aroha Marae (Bluff) overnight on 5 February has been cancelled to ensure the wellbeing of the bird.
Date: 30 January 2012
The Department of Conservation's efforts to save a rare native bird in the Mount Aspiring National Park's Makarora Valley have received a boost from the Mōhua Charitable Trust.
Date: 01 February 2012
A necropsy on an endangered Bryde's whale found floating in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park has shown that the whale was alive when it appears to have been hit by a vessel.
Date: 01 February 2012
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
The game bird habitat stamp and art prints for 2012 were launched by Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson today, to mark World Wetlands Day, held internationally on February 2 each year.
Date: 02 February 2012
A sea lion pup and its mum have been moved by the Department of Conservation (DOC) from Tomahawk Beach in Dunedin to a quieter location today.
Date: 31 January 2012
Three new arrivals in Ahipara are causing quite a stir in the local community. With fluffy feathers and beaks, Ahipara's newest celebrities are in fact three newly hatched New Zealand dotterel chicks.
Date: 31 January 2012
The death of another adult kakapo - the second this month - makes the opportunity for the public to see a live one on display this weekend even more special.
Date: 27 January 2012
The Department of Conservation is conducting surveillance in Whakatane/Opotiki rivers to identify koi carp and is asking the public to report any sightings.
Date: 26 January 2012
99 pilot whales were stranded at the base of Farewell Spit in Golden Bay at 11am Monday 23 January on the outgoing tide.
Date: 23 January 2012
Samples taken by Department of Conservation (DOC) staff, from four Gray's beaked whales which stranded and subsequently died at the eastern end of Papamoa beach last Saturday 21 January are being sent to Massey University today for analysis.
Date: 21 January 2012
Department of Conservation (DOC) staff, supported by local iwi representatives have been working today to collect samples and bury the bodies of four Gray's beaked whales which stranded and subsequently died at the islolated eastern end of Papamoa Beach, near Tauranga.
Date: 20 January 2012
A sea lion pup and its mum are being moved by the Department of Conservation (DOC) from Tomahawk Beach in Dunedin to a quieter location today.
Date: 19 January 2012
The first successful breeding of captive reared pāteke/Brown Teal released into Fiordland National Park has been confirmed.
Date: 18 January 2012
The Department of Conservation has decided not to lay charges against a group of prison inmates on a rehabilitation programme who took seafood from a marine reserve.
Date: 18 January 2012
Source: Kakapo Recovery programme
The death of a male kakapo on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island has brought disappointment to the Kakapo Recovery team, as it faces a year without any breeding.
Date: 18 January 2012
A man has been fined $1250 for taking a dog to Flora Hut in Kahurangi National Park, putting kiwi and blue duck at risk.
Date: 13 January 2012
DOC has extended the deadline for submitting on the Milford Dart Limited (MDL) Dart Passage tunnel and Riverstone Holdings (Riverstone) monorail concession applications by 15 working days.
Date: 12 January 2012
Fourteen young wild whio, ready to fledge, have had a helping hand in finding a suitable new home within Fiordland.
Date: 10 January 2012
The Department of Conservation, as part of Southern Rural Fire, responded to a fire last night in the Doubtful Islands group in Lake Te Anau.
Date: 11 January 2012
Two kiwi that were last seen and handled in 2007 and 2008 respectively were found while tracking Northland brown kiwi in the Purua Kiwi Sanctuary, Whangarei in January 2012.
Date: 06 January 2012
In a combined effort with Environment Canterbury and Christchurch City Council, DOC is asking local landowners for sightings of Lythrum salicaria, commonly known as purple loosestrife.
Date: 04 January 2012
An extensive search and rescue operation has sadly failed to find the Department of Conservation volunteer missing on Raoul Island since Monday morning.
Date: 03 January 2012
A long range search helicopter has joined a boat and ground search team looking for a Department of Conservation volunteer on Raoul Island, missing since early yesterday morning.
Date: 02 January 2012
There has been no sighting so far of the missing Department of Conservation volunteer, with the aerial search of the coastline of Raoul Island called off around 8pm due to fading light. Evidence suggests that the man was swept into the sea while carrying out routine meteorological readings around 6am today.
Date: 02 January 2012
A Department of Conservation volunteer is missing after going on a routine mission this morning to carry out meteorological work on Raoul Island in the remote Kermadec Island group.
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