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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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The Living Planet Report 2020

The findings of The Living Planet Report 2020 are clear. Our relationship with nature is broken.

Conservation week

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.

The collapse of Hauraki Gulf Marine Park

Two decades since its creation the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is overfished and overrun with kina, sea urchins

Public Safety Conservation Act

Public Safety Conservation Act

In 20th-century New Zealand the cabinet came 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...

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 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

Wildlife conservation island

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

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.

Anti Fracking protest

Anti Fracking protest

Protesters in Wellington against fracking in New Zealand.

Kāpiti 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...

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...

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...

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...

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)...

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

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.

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.

What is air pollution?

The different types of pollution and other environmental issues.

The causes and impacts of deforestation.

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.

Recycling for kids

Find stickers, posters and teaching aids on recycling.

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.

Join the fight for the future of the planet

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

Saving Te Urewera national park

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

Conservation education

Find resources to support New Zealand conservation teaching and learning.

Noise pollution

How noise pollution is changing animal behaviour

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.

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.

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’ However, it’s becoming apparent that New Zealand has an environmental pollution problem, especially regarding water quality.

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.

Young Ocean Explorers

Our vision is to create generational change by connecting hearts and minds with the importance of enjoying and caring for our oceans.

Computer technology measures forces behind kauri dieback

Computer technology is helping scientists to better understand the disease threatening our kauri forests.

Fox River rubbish spill should be declared a national disaster, volunteers say

Eight weeks into the clean-up effort on the Fox River in South Westland, 95 percent of its length remains contaminated by rubbish from a flood-torn landfill.

Posters on Conservation

Posters on Conservation

Posters with conservation as a common theme.

Investigating environmental issues and taking action

Lesson plans to encourage children to find an environmental issue and work towards a solution.

Land report highlights issues with soil degradation

An environmental report released in 2018 found we are damaging and losing our soils and our native plants and animals.

Wairarapa drought

Wairarapa drought

Bruce McKenzie, a Wairarapa farmer, looks anxious during a drought in Janurary 1998. When climate change brings increased droughts, it threatens the very livelihood of such people.

Environmental Encyclopedia

This book covers a range of environmental issues around the world. Read this book and others on this topic from Gale Virtual Reference Library available through EPIC. School login maybe required.

The young ecoleaders award. School Journal Curriculum level 3: 2018

This play connects with concerns and the ways ordinary citizens can help address environmental issues.

History of Conservation Week

History of Conservation Week including posters from over the years.

Conservation Week activities

Teaching resources from TKI to inspire activities based on place and environment.

The kids are alright - they're fighting climate change

Secondary students in New Zealand take a day off from school to protest against climate change.

Climate Change March, 2019

Climate Change March, 2019

Photograph taken at school climate strike march on Queen Street, Auckland. Attended by an estimated 80,000 people. The marchers were rallying to protest governments inaction over climate change. T...

Forest conservation in New Zealand

Mr. Hooker inspects forest in New Zealand (1885) to report on kauri forests and forest conservation.

Ross Intermediate: a carbon neutral school

Ross Intermediate leads the way to become carbon neutral.

The class newspaper. School Journal Year 5: Part 04 no.2: 2003

Tama decides his story for the class newspaper will be about his whanau and their action to protect the beach and the local kaimoana. School login is required.

Rāhui and conservation

Use of ‘rāhui’ and conservation-related words in nineteenth century New Zealand.

The Beginning of bush burn

The Beginning of bush burn

In an effort to create farmland, large tracts of our native forests were cut or burnt down. While bush burning effectively cleared the land it was a dangerous practice, and one that had a disastrou...

This page from Many Answers will guide you to reviewed websites and databases on climate change.

United Nations environment programme

Explore news and stories about climate change, green economy, biosafety and other programmes under taken by the United Nations.

Pollution of the Waiwetu Stream

Hutt River Board discusses the pollution of the Waiwetu stream by oil from the railway workshops

Conservation education resources

Education resources designed for students to learn about and appreciate New Zealand’s environment.

Managing hazardous substances in New Zealand

Creating a betting system for managing hazardous substances in New Zealand.

Rāhui sign, Hauraki

Rāhui sign, Hauraki

This sign indicates a modern form of rāhui (ban). The taking of pipi and cockles is prohibited in the area. The ban is the result of a partnership between the Ministry of Fisheries and the Hauraki ...

Global warming: news, facts, causes and effects

Fighting kauri dieback

Kauri forests once covered over a million hectares of Aotearoa, from the Far North to Te Kauri, near Kawhia.

Find more information on environmental issues using EPIC databases like Global Issues in Context and Environmental Studies. School login maybe required.

1,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of livestock dung builds up each year in the Wellington region. Establishing non-native dung beetles would mean this dung could be dealt with in 1-2 days.

Environmental Health Student portal

Learn about environmental health which is the interrelationship between human health and the environment, either natural or manmade.

In a very short amount of time the human population has exploded in size.

The environment and environmental issues

This page from Many Answers will guide you to reviewed websites and databases on our environment and environmental issues.

Plastic pollution explained

Much of the planet is swimming in discarded plastic.

From 1977 Arbor day has been celebrated on 5 June.

Deadlocked: New Zealand’s NZ$1bn sand mining project

Trans-Tasman Resources has been involved in a protracted legal battle over a proposed off-shore sand mining project.

The importance of wetlands

Dismissed as worthless, pestilent places, wetlands—where the water table is at or near the Earth’s surface—are anything but.

Should we stop using the weedkiller glyphosate?

It has been the subject of nationwide protests, billion-dollar lawsuits in the United States, and recently Japan turned away New Zealand honey because of it.

Fight for the Wild

ocumentary film & podcast series exploring the notion of a Predator Free 2050 in Aotearoa.

Top results for Environmental Issues from AnyQuestions

Pollution

Pollution occurs when harmful or poisonous substances are introduced into the environment. Air pollution, water...

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Globalisation

Globalisation or globalization is the way in which our world has become more integrated, or joined up. It is about...

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Forests (New Zealand)

Forests (New Zealand)

Aotearoa New Zealand's forest ecosystem supports native and introduced trees, shrubs, animals, and birds. Forests...

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