Conservation in New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Conservation in New Zealand has a history associated with both Māori and European
s. Both groups of people caused a loss of species and both amended their behaviour after realising their effect on indigenous flora and fauna.
s, thirty one marine reserves
and many other protected areas for the conservation
of biodiversity
. The introduction of many invasive species
is threatening the indigenous biodiversity
since the geographical isolation of New Zealand led to the evolution of plants and animals that did not have traits to protect against predation. New Zealand has a high proportion of endemic
species, so pest control is generally regarded as a high priority.
The New Zealand Department of Conservation
administers approximately 30% of New Zealand's land, along with less than 1% of the country's marine environment, for conservation and recreational purposes. It has published lists, under the New Zealand Threat Classification System
, of flora and fauna which is at risk or declining which are included in national and regional plans.
was saved from the brink of extinction by a conservation effort led by Don Merton
of the New Zealand Wildlife Service
.
had been cleared, representing around 44% of the total land area of New Zealand. Initial attempts to decrease the scale of further deforestation, such as Forestry Rights Registration Act 1983 that created 'forestry rights' have been argued to only be moderately successful. However, they created world class structures of data collection and property rights that made way first for an amendment to the 1949 Forests Act in 1993 and later to the Climate Change Response Act 2002. New Zealand's patterns of greenhouse gas
emissions are similar to Scandinavian countries, in that land use and land use change and forestry are amongst the most significant contributors. Forestry came to be seen as main tool in meeting New Zealand's Kyoto Protocol
targets. Accordingly, REDD
programmes (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) were implemented, whereby reforestation and deforestation was tied carbon emissions credits and traded (ETS
) and commercial carbon-sink forests were planted. Perhaps due to the government's initial control over REDD and the trade in carbon credits there was initially an increase in deforestation and it was not until private forestry owners gained access to the trading scheme and to carbon credits that the scheme started to produce reductions in deforestation.
, an introduced animal pest.
and the Community Conservation Fund
are both government funded.
An early conservation lobby group was the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand
, which is now the foremost environmental organisation involved in conservation advocacy in New Zealand. In recent years numerous conservation, landcare
and activist groups have formed including:
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
s. Both groups of people caused a loss of species and both amended their behaviour after realising their effect on indigenous flora and fauna.
Protected areas
New Zealand has fourteen national parkNational park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
s, thirty one marine reserves
Marine reserves of New Zealand
New Zealand has over thirty marine reserves spread around the North, the South Island, and neighbouring islands, and another two on outlying island groups...
and many other protected areas for the conservation
Conservation biology
Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction...
of biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
. The introduction of many invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
is threatening the indigenous biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
since the geographical isolation of New Zealand led to the evolution of plants and animals that did not have traits to protect against predation. New Zealand has a high proportion of endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
species, so pest control is generally regarded as a high priority.
The New Zealand Department of Conservation
New Zealand Department of Conservation
The Department of Conservation , commonly known by its acronym, "DOC", is the state sector organisation which deals with the conservation of New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage...
administers approximately 30% of New Zealand's land, along with less than 1% of the country's marine environment, for conservation and recreational purposes. It has published lists, under the New Zealand Threat Classification System
New Zealand Threat Classification System
The New Zealand Threat Classification System is used by the Department of Conservation to assess conservation priorities of species in New Zealand....
, of flora and fauna which is at risk or declining which are included in national and regional plans.
Conservation successes
The Black RobinBlack Robin
The Black Robin or Chatham Island Robin is an endangered bird from the Chatham Islands off the east coast of New Zealand. It is closely related to the New Zealand Robin . It was first described by Walter Buller in 1872. The binomial commemorates the New Zealand botanist Henry H. Travers...
was saved from the brink of extinction by a conservation effort led by Don Merton
Don Merton
Donald Merton, QSM was a New Zealand conservationist best known for saving the black robin from extinction. He also discovered the lek breeding system of the kakapo....
of the New Zealand Wildlife Service
New Zealand Wildlife Service
The New Zealand Wildlife Service is a defunct government department that was replaced by the Department of Conservation in 1987.-External links:* - New Zealand Wildlife Service collection...
.
Deforestation
Most of the current 11.9 million hectares of agricultural landAgricultural land
Agricultural land denotes the land suitable for agricultural production, both crops and livestock. It is one of the main resources in agriculture...
had been cleared, representing around 44% of the total land area of New Zealand. Initial attempts to decrease the scale of further deforestation, such as Forestry Rights Registration Act 1983 that created 'forestry rights' have been argued to only be moderately successful. However, they created world class structures of data collection and property rights that made way first for an amendment to the 1949 Forests Act in 1993 and later to the Climate Change Response Act 2002. New Zealand's patterns of greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
emissions are similar to Scandinavian countries, in that land use and land use change and forestry are amongst the most significant contributors. Forestry came to be seen as main tool in meeting New Zealand's Kyoto Protocol
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...
targets. Accordingly, REDD
Redd
Redd is a Turkish rock band established in 1996 by tenor opera singer Doğan Duru and guitarist Berke Hatipoğlu under the name Ten. They used to play at bars until they set up their own studio in 2004. Their first album, entitled "50/50", produced by Levent Büyük was published a year later by...
programmes (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) were implemented, whereby reforestation and deforestation was tied carbon emissions credits and traded (ETS
Emissions trading
Emissions trading is a market-based approach used to control pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants....
) and commercial carbon-sink forests were planted. Perhaps due to the government's initial control over REDD and the trade in carbon credits there was initially an increase in deforestation and it was not until private forestry owners gained access to the trading scheme and to carbon credits that the scheme started to produce reductions in deforestation.
1080
The use of 1080 poison (sodium fluoroacetate) is a contentious issue. 1080 is used with carrots and cereal pellets to control the Common Brushtail PossumCommon Brushtail Possum
The Common Brushtail Possum is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, it is native to Australia, and the largest of the possums.Like most possums, the Common Brushtail is nocturnal...
, an introduced animal pest.
Funding
As well as government funding for conservation efforts money also comes from numerous NGOs and private individuals. The Nature Heritage FundNature Heritage Fund
The Nature Heritage Fund is a New Zealand Government funding body set up in 1990 for the purchase of land which has significant ecological or landscape features.It is administered by the Department of Conservation...
and the Community Conservation Fund
Community Conservation Fund
The Community Conservation Fund is a fund made available in New Zealand for conservation projects. It is administered by the Department of Conservation.-History:...
are both government funded.
Conservation organisations
Conservation organisations began to form from the 19th century. Scenery Preservation Societies formed in some of the Provinces.An early conservation lobby group was the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand
The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Inc. is an environmental organisation specialising in conservation of indigenous plant and animal life in and around New Zealand....
, which is now the foremost environmental organisation involved in conservation advocacy in New Zealand. In recent years numerous conservation, landcare
Landcare
Landcare may refer to:*Landcare , a group formed to seek land protection*Landcare Australia, an umbrella organisation seeking land protection in Australia*Landcare Research New Zealand Limited*Landcare...
and activist groups have formed including:
- Beech Forest Action CommitteeBeech Forest Action CommitteeThe Beech Forest Action Committee was an environmental organisation based in New Zealand.It was formed in the 1970s as a grassroots group in Auckland to protest against native forest logging. The group was not totally opposed to the logging but wished to see it done at a sustainable rate.The Beech...
- Native Forest Action CouncilNative Forest Action CouncilNative Forest Action Council was an environmental organisation in New Zealand.It was formed in 1975 from what was the Beech Forest Action Committee to advocate for the protection of native forests and changed its name to the Maruia Society in 1988. The Maruia Society then became Ecologic...
- Maria Society
- Native Forest ActionNative Forest ActionNative Forest Action was set up protect the publicly owned native forests of the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand from logging....
- Save Happy Valley Coalition
- Trees for Survival
Conservation awards
- Loder CupLoder CupThe Loder Cup is a New Zealand conservation award.It was donated by Gerald Loder, 1st Baron Wakehurst in 1926 to "encourage and honour New Zealanders who work to investigate, promote, retain and cherish our indigenous flora"...
- Wellington Conservation Awards
- The Don Merton Conservation Pioneer Award (named after Don MertonDon MertonDonald Merton, QSM was a New Zealand conservationist best known for saving the black robin from extinction. He also discovered the lek breeding system of the kakapo....
)
See also
- Acclimatisation society (New Zealand)Acclimatisation society (New Zealand)Acclimatisation societies were established in New Zealand by European colonists from the 1860s, with the first likely having been established in Auckland around 1861.-See also:*Conservation in New Zealand*Hunting in New Zealand*History of New Zealand...
- Gorse in New ZealandGorse in New ZealandGorse is a major invasive plant species in New Zealand and millions of dollars are spent on its control.Gorse is one of the most widely recognised agricultural weeds in New Zealand...
- Didymo in New ZealandDidymo in New ZealandIn 2004 Didymosphenia geminata, a diatom commonly known as didymo or rock snot, was discovered in New Zealand, the first time it was found in the southern hemisphere. To restrict its spread, the whole of the South Island of New Zealand was declared a controlled area in December 2005...
- Whaling in New ZealandWhaling in New ZealandWhaling in New Zealand dates back to the late 18th century, and ended in 1964 since it was no longer economic. Nineteenth century whaling was based on the southern right whale, and 20th century whaling on the humpback whale...
- Project CrimsonProject CrimsonProject Crimson is a conservation initiative to promote the protection of the pohutukawa and the rata which are under threat due to browsing by the introduced Common Brushtail Possum...
, a conservation initiative to promote the protection of pohutukawa and rata - List of extinct animals of New Zealand
- List of extinct plants of New Zealand