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Environmental Issues

Deforestation, pollution, overpopulation, hazardous waste, and oil spills are huge environmental concerns. Learn how the Department of Conservation, NGOs, volunteers and reserves like Kapiti Island are helping to save the planet. SCIS no. 1807263

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Conservation Day poster

Conservation Day poster

This poster, designed by Don Binney, was produced for Conservation Day in 1979. Since the 1960s, Binney has painted New Zealand’s birds and landscapes, helping raise the public profile of native bi...

Conservation Week 2018

Each year DOC works with community groups across Aotearoa to spread the conservation message. It’s a nationwide celebration of kiwis pitching in to help our native plants and animals

Public Safety Conservation Act

Public Safety Conservation Act

In 20th-century New Zealand the cabinet grew to hold great power and dominate the House of Representatives. An early example of the extent to which Parliament delegated power to cabinet was the Pub...

Conservation poster

Conservation poster

As New Zealanders increasingly used the beach for recreation, there was growing concern about pollution of the coastal environment. This 1977 Conservation Week poster by Eric Heath sought to show t...

Citizen Science: Kiwi conservation

Kiwi conservation

Kiwi are our National symbol and around the country many communities are trying to protect kiwi in their patch from predators and habitat loss. Much relies on private landowners being willing to ge...

Waste crime

Waste crime in the European Union is big business, illegal dumping is estimated to be worth at least 900 million dollars a year. Kathryn Ryan speaks to Jim Baird, a professor of waste and resource ...

Computer recycling

Computer recycling

How to get rid of those old computers and screens sitting around at home.

The Unnatural history of the Kakapo

The Unnatural history of the Kakapo

This documentary tells the tenuous survivor story of the kākāpō: the nocturnal flightless green parrot with "big sideburns and Victorian gentlemen's face" (as comedian Stephen Fry put it). A sole b...

Tiritiri Matangi

Tiritiri Matangi

Tiritiri Matangi and the protection of New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage.

Climate change

Cartoon refers to the Copenhagen Conference on Global Warming held in December 2009.

Climate change

Shows two rats discussing Gareth Morgan, a businessman and environmentalist who has called for the eradication of all predators, including cats, from Stewart Island. The rats explain that MMP is a ...

MMP and pests

The hole in the ozone layer that forms part of Earth’s atmosphere is shown here in 2006 and 2009. The hole is centred over Antarctica, which is visible through it.

Greenpeace activists arrested

Greenpeace activists arrested

Actress-turned-Greenpeace activist Lucy Lawless has been arrested, along with five other Greenpeace activists.

Anti Fracking protest

Anti Fracking protest

Protesters in Wellington against fracking in New Zealand.

Kapiti Island

Kapiti Island is one of New Zealand’s most important nature reserves. As early as 1870 it was identified as a possible site for a bird sanctuary, and in 1897 the government set it aside for this pu...

“Got one!”

In his cartoon, Nisbet draws attention to an often heated debate around the role of a pesticide called 1080. This poison (sodium fluoroacetate) is widely used to directly kill possums (and other pr...

Conservation week poster

Conservation week poster

By the 1980s the need and importance of conservation was recognised as being an essential component to maintaining and promoting our national identity. This conservation week poster and calendar ce...

Erosion

One of the more severe impacts of removing forest cover from hill country (as this photograph shows) is erosion. Erosion occurs when topsoil and pasture is removed by flooding, and or storms and th...

Yates catalogue

Yates catalogue

After felling then burning the bush, farmers would scatter seed by hand (sometimes known as broadcasting seeding) amongst the ash - as this Yates seed catalogue shows. It was hard physical work, bu...

Judy Hutt and Victor Anderlini

Judy Hutt and Victor Anderlini

Awareness and protection of New Zealand’s environment is not only restricted to the land. Since 1975 over 30 marine reserves have been established around New Zealand. In these areas all marine life...

Possum license

Possums are not native to New Zealand. They were successfully introduced from Australia in the 1850s in order to establish a fur trade. But no one then could have predicted the immense damage possu...

Save Waipoua forest!

Save Waipoua forest!

This poster from 1952 was part of a successful campaign to set aside and preserve some 9,105 hectares of the Waipoua forest as a sanctuary. Ecologically important, the Waipoua forest is one of a ha...

New Zealanders! protect your native birds

New Zealanders! protect your native birds

The Native Bird Protection Society (now known as Forest & Bird) was formed at a meeting in March 1923 - the same year this poster was published. The meeting was convened by environmentalist Captain...

Greenpeace members protesting against whaling

Greenpeace members protesting against whaling

The Rainbow Warrior which was bombed in 1985 was a Greenpeace vessel. Greenpeace is a non- governmental environmental organisation who campaign against worldwide issues such as climate change, gene...

Rena pollution sign

Rena pollution sign

Despite our ‘clean green’ image and our relative isolation we are no safer from environmental accidents than anywhere else in the world. This was graphically demonstrated (as the above signs shows)...

Conservation

A collection of articles, images, videos, audio etc. on environmental issues.

Cornwallis sawmill

Cornwallis sawmill

For many decades after the arrival of European settlers, the large Kauri forests (which once covered 4 million acres) were recognised not for their outstanding beauty, but as an important economic ...

[Trojan cow]

This illustration of men hauling a huge 'Trojan cow' into a green walled city from a blasted landscape outside refers to the controversy surrounding the increasing conversion of land into dairy far...

Kermadec sanctuary hotly debated

A fiery exchange over the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary erupted at a Parliamentary select committee today, as some groups continue to challenge the proposal.

The latest updates

This site is about Greenpeace, its aims and achievements.

Environmental problems

Fifteen environmental issues that require urgent action.

Infographic: why green is the most cost-effective way to live

Infographic showing ways to live green and save money.

Recycling and our environment

List of informational websites about all aspects of conservation and sustainability.

25 Environmental agencies and organisations

A list of links of noteworthy organisations that work on environmental issues.

Overpopulation: a growing problem (infographic)

What is overpopulation and what concerns does it create in the world?

What is air pollution?

The different types of pollution and other environmental issues.

The causes and impacts of deforestation.

Global warming: news, facts, causes and effects

Global warming news and facts presented in various formats.

This non-profit organisation helps protect, sustain and restore New Zealand’s wildlife and environment.

What is pollution?

Video lesson that helps children identify the agents of pollution.

50 people who could save the planet

An article about people whose influence could be crucial for a greener planet.

Create your own Eden

Step by step guides to composting, worm farming, bokashi, and smart gardening.

Recycling for kids

Find stickers, posters and teaching aids on recycling.

Our underwater world

Information about and conservation of New Zealand’s marine environment.

Clean, green image of NZ 'fantastical'

New Zealand's clean green image, is being slammed internationally.

Global warming for kids

Learn how carbon dioxide, methane etc. are responsible for global warming.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

Information on how reducing, reusing and recycling can help your community.

3 Creative ways to teach global awareness

A teacher suggests ways to engage students using global tools to solve environmental issues.

Join the fight for the future of the planet

Earth day is celebrated every year on the 22nd of April.

Nature’s a person?

Te Urewera national park has been granted legal personhood, meaning nobody owns it. The park has the same rights and powers as a citizen.

Environmental activism

Environmental activism

A set on environmental issues.

Conservation education

Find resources to support New Zealand conservation teaching and learning.

Noise pollution

How noise pollution is changing animal behaviour

Land administered by the Department of Conservation

Land administered by the Department of Conservation

Areas protected by the Department of Conservation.

Waste management

New Zealand generates almost 3.2 million tonnes of waste.

Land administered by the Department of Conservation

Land administered by the Department of Conservation

Areas protected by the Department of Conservation.

25 easy steps towards sustainability

ome of the easiest things you can do to help the environment when you’re at home and or out and about travelling.

Reduce reuse recycle for kids

A gallery of ideas to teach children how to reduce reuse and recycle.

Water conservation gold project ideas

A gallery of ideas related to water conservation.

Disposal of household hazardous waste

Disposal of household hazardous waste - classroom lessons

Climate Education Week 2017 Toolkit

Easy-to-use climate science 101 for students.

Renewable energy

Innovative free teaching resources on renewable energy suitable for KS2 - 5.

Deforestation planet

Explorer Michael Fey draws attention to deforestation and its impacts on climate change.

NZ has celebrated Arbor Day on June 5 since 1977. Here is a few of the events happening up and down the country around that date.

Beat plastic pollution

Take part in World Environment Day 2018. Whether you’re a school, government, nonprofit, or business, we’ve got a toolkit for you.

Farming and environmental pollution

New Zealand has had a reputation for being ‘clean and green’ – a country of environmental beauty. However, it’s becoming apparent that New Zealand has an environmental pollution problem.

Bioforce – breeding bugs for biocontrol

New Zealand might be an island nation, but that doesn’t stop a variety of unwanted organisms finding their way to our shores.