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Date: 23 December 2017 We are sad to confirm that a volunteer hut warden's body was located near the Pinnacles Hut in Canterbury, in what appears to have been a fall.
Date: 22 December 2017 We are reminding the public to be careful on and around the region’s beaches at this time of year, especially around nesting sites.
Date: 22 December 2017 For the first time in more than a century, kakaruai/South Island robin have produced chicks on Motupōhue/Bluff Hill.
Date: 22 December 2017 Central Hawke’s Bay’s Lake Whatumā Wetland Care Group has secured $25,000 from DOC to continue their critical restoration work.
Date: 21 December 2017 A forest park near Wellington has been swarming with more volunteers than usual for the past year; and they’ve installed a massive new network of next-generation traps to tackle stoats and rats which prey upon brown kiwi and other native birds.
Date: 21 December 2017 Trampers and campers have more options for the holidays with two popular sites reopening in the Tararua Forest Park this week.
Date: 21 December 2017 Funding from the DOC Community Fund is welcome news to Te Aitanga ā Hauiti and the community of Ūawa, Tolaga Bay, as it will go toward their 100-year vision for the Ūawanui Project.
Date: 21 December 2017 Two remote lakes south of Kawhia Harbour are to benefit from restoration work following successful funding applications to DOC’s Community Fund.
Date: 21 December 2017 The outstanding success of pest eradication and native species population growth achieved within Taranaki’s Lake Rotokare Scenic Reserve over several years is now requiring the ‘halo’ beyond the reserve boundaries to be extended ever further.
Date: 21 December 2017 Pirongia’s Te Aroaro o Kahu Restoration Society so desperately wants its own maunga to be a kōkako stronghold, its members have become deeply involved in protecting both the land and species where its future songbirds presently live.
Date: 21 December 2017 In a hidden valley, just a stone’s throw from the new Kapiti expressway, a lifestyle couple are restoring their 19-hectare block of bush for native lizards and insects.
Date: 20 December 2017 The construction of a new pedestrian bridge over the Ohinemuri River at Karangahake Gorge Reserve carpark will begin in January 2018.
Date: 20 December 2017 The fourth year of funding from the DOC Community Fund has been awarded to over 112 projects across the country.
Date: 20 December 2017 DOC will have more rangers working in popular holiday spots this summer to ensure tracks, huts and campsites are in great condition for visitors.
Date: 20 December 2017 Source: Offices of the Minister of Conservation and Minister of Biosecurity The Government will move immediately to strengthen efforts to protect kauri trees from dieback disease.
Date: 20 December 2017 The East Coast is a popular holiday spot for families looking to get away from urban hustle and bustle. There’s lots to do and plenty of places to explore.
Date: 20 December 2017 If you're visiting the Taupo region over summer, there are plenty of trout fishing opportunities available.
Date: 20 December 2017 Three new takahē arrived in Wellington this week and another is moving between pest-free islands. The movements will help provide companions for birds who have lost their elderly mates this year.
Date: 19 December 2017 DOC is keen to ensure people can enjoy our lizard species, without disturbing them.
Date: 18 December 2017 DOC and Gisborne District Council are reminding the public to be careful near New Zealand dotterel/tūturiwhatu and banded dotterel nesting sites on the East Coast this summer.
Date: 15 December 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation A project to protect native species and enhance the landscape of Cape Foulwind in Buller will be boosted by support from the DOC Community Fund, Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage has announced.
Date: 15 December 2017 The reclusive rock wren/tuke is on the rise in Kahurangi National Park due to our predator control programme, recent monitoring confirms.
Date: 15 December 2017 A 171-year-old mystery, at the site of the battle of Ruapekapeka in Northland, has been solved.
Date: 14 December 2017 DOC is investing in road signage on a problematic West Coast backcountry road this summer but says travellers must prepare, drive to the conditions and expect more traffic.
Date: 18 December 2017 Check out these tips for keeping Northland safe this summer.
Date: 14 December 2017 An Invercargill man has been fined for dumping vacuum cleaners and other rubbish in the Seaward Moss Conservation Area.
Date: 13 December 2017 DOC Hawke’s Bay is looking for wardens at Waitara/Glenn Falls, Everetts and Kuripapango campsites.
Date: 14 December 2017 A partnership between DOC, Te Arai and Mangawhai Shorebirds Trust, Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust, and Boffa Miskell will protect the endangered fairy tern.
Date: 14 December 2017 People journeying on SH1 through Kaikoura this summer can camp overnight at DOC campsites or take a break for a walk or seal viewing in areas where access isn’t restricted due to earthquake damage or the highway rebuild.
Date: 14 December 2017 Wellington has gained two new front-line Department of Conservation rangers – a Pest Detection dog called Flint and his handler, Richard Johnston.
Date: 13 December 2017 DOC has worked closely with the Ngāti Pārau Hapū of Waiōhiki Marae since 1987 to manage and protect Ōtātara Pā Historic Reserve.
Date: 13 December 2017 A Nelson man has been fined $16,000 for commercial fishing in a West Coast marine reserve.
Date: 13 December 2017 Get tips for enjoying the summer from DOC in Manawatu.
Date: 12 December 2017 DOC rangers in the Rotorua area are preparing for a hot dry summer and the extreme fire risk that comes with it.
Date: 12 December 2017 A Responsible Camping Ranger will be roaming the Catlins coast this summer to help educate visitors on appropriate places to camp.
Date: 12 December 2017 DOC is praising a Nelson forestry company for temporarily halting operations around a kea nest to protect the kea.
Date: 12 December 2017 Napier had a surprise visitor on the weekend – an endangered Hector’s dolphin.
Date: 11 December 2017 A series of New Zealand sea lion/rāpoka specialists will begin their journeys to subantarctic islands this week for the start of sea lion study season.
Date: 11 December 2017 DNA analysis has ruled out a Norway rat as the culprit for a dropping found on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island last week, news welcomed by DOC.
Date: 08 December 2017 DOC has activated a response plan following a possible rat sighting on pest-free Hauturu/Little Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf.
Date: 08 December 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation groups across New Zealand will benefit from $4.2 million in new funding grants announced today by Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage.
Date: 07 December 2017 DOC is upgrading two tracks through kauri forest in Dome Forest, near Warkworth, to help prevent the spread of kauri dieback.
Date: 07 December 2017 A full-scale response has been launched after a potential rat dropping was found on the predator free island.
Date: 05 December 2017 DOC confirms it has asked New Zealand Police to investigate after receiving a second threatening letter from an anti-1080 protestor in Taranaki.
Date: 05 December 2017 A public tip-off has led to the conviction of a man who illegally fished in Wellington's Taputeranga Marine Reserve.
Date: 05 December 2017 DOC rangers are appealing for the public's help after a dog attack on a fur seal at Back Beach last weekend.
Date: 04 December 2017 One of New Zealand’s rarest birds, the New Zealand fairy tern/tara-iti, has been boosted by a chick successfully hatching at Mangawhai, North of Auckland in late November.
Date: 01 December 2017 Campers and outdoor enthusiasts are urged to be fire wise this summer as warm, dry weather persists in the south.
Date: 01 December 2017 Leopard seals are a protected species, normally found along the edge of the Antarctic pack ice. An increasing number are visiting New Zealand and there are two leopard seals being seen in Auckland waters.
Date: 01 December 2017 The traditional method of preparing albatross bones for tattooing chisels is bringing together two iwi and Department of Conservation staff in a wānanga on Matiu/Somes Island today.
Date: 30 November 2017 A rare shorebird has been spotted at Waikanae estuary and may be breeding for the first time.
Date: 29 November 2017 From 1 December three DOC free camping areas in the Taupō District will change from restricted to ‘no camping’ sites. The sites are the Omori Stream car park near Kuratau, the Oruatua picnic site near Tauranga-Taupō and the Landing Reserve in the Taupō boat harbour.
Date: 27 November 2017 DOC wants Manawatu residents to report local lizard sightings to help build an accurate picture of distribution in the region.
Date: 24 November 2017 A pest detection blitz by 12 conservation dogs and their handlers in the Marlborough Sounds last week found no predators on island sanctuaries, giving assurance the islands are safe for the endangered native species living there.
Date: 24 November 2017 Recent yellow-eyed penguin/hoiho nest counts on mainland New Zealand indicate a continued decline in numbers in some areas for this rare taonga species says DOC Threatened Species Ambassador Nicola Toki.
Date: 23 November 2017 Anglers will be affected by a plan to reduce vehicle access to Lake Otamangakau near Turangi from December.
Date: 22 November 2017 DOC is implementing a seasonal booking system for beds at the popular Rangiwahia and Sunrise huts.
Date: 22 November 2017 An aerial pest control operation to protect at-risk native species in the Northern Ruahine Ranges has been completed.
Date: 21 November 2017 One of New Zealand’s rarest animals the tūturuatu or shore plover is now even closer to extinction after one was found dead in Westshore this week.
Date: 20 November 2017 Two whio have become this season's first customers at the Hardening Facility at the Tongariro National Trout Centre.
Date: 20 November 2017 DOC's Battle for our Birds aerial 1080 pest control in western Kahurangi National Park has been completed, making the area’s at-risk native wildlife safer from predators.
Date: 17 November 2017 A significant project to upgrade the Roys Peak Track vehicle facilities is almost complete, with the track open to the public again on Saturday 18 November.
Date: 15 November 2017 Initial findings from a social research project show that most New Zealanders support the need for pest control.
Date: 15 November 2017 DOC is responding to a possible mouse sighting on pest-free Tiritiri Matangi island in the Hauraki Gulf.
Date: 14 November 2017 Three people have been trespassed from the Kaweka Forest Park for illegally lighting fires which threatened not only the campsites, but people and native wildlife.
Date: 13 November 2017 An orca stranded on Marfells Beach in Marlborough since yesterday has been successfully refloated this afternoon and was swimming out to sea.
Date: 13 November 2017 DOC staff have had a busy year managing the impacts of the November 2016 earthquake on native species and conservation areas and that work continues.
Date: 09 November 2017 A formal complaint has been made against a group of jet boaters at Lake Alabaster Hut on the Hollyford Track.
Date: 08 November 2017 A DOC conservation dog has sniffed out a mouse on a truck that was being barged to pest free Motuihe island in the Hauraki Gulf.
Date: 08 November 2017 A section of the Routeburn Track is closed 8 and 9 November due to heavy spring snow.
Date: 03 November 2017 A new partnership between the DOC and Peregrine Wines, supported by the New Zealand National Parks and Conservation Foundation, will help protect New Zealand’s rarest species in our remotest locations.
Date: 01 November 2017 The swing bridge on the Round the Mountain Track is closed for repairs from this week until March 2018.
Date: 30 October 2017 Source: Contact DOC today helped a local Lions club celebrate the organisation’s international centenary.
Date: 30 October 2017 Pest control to protect vulnerable native species in northern Paparoa National Park has been completed.
Date: 27 October 2017 We are kicking off the promotion of a Short Walks and Day Hikes network, with an event on pest free Rangitoto Island in the Hauraki Gulf, today.
Date: 26 October 2017 DOC condemns the actions of irresponsible individuals who have illegally released sika deer into North Taranaki conservation forests in alleged retaliation for DOC’s use of 1080 in the region.
Date: 25 October 2017 As the weather finally warms up, beachgoers are being asked to be mindful of shorebirds beginning to nest on our beaches.
Date: 25 October 2017 Reported sightings of one-legged weka in areas of Fiordland National Park have prompted concerns about incorrect, and illegal, possum trapping.
Date: 24 October 2017 One of New Zealand’s protected wood pigeons, the kererū, was killed in Napier over the long weekend.
Date: 20 October 2017 We are reopening Motutapu Island to the public tomorrow (Saturday 21 October), the first day of Labour Weekend.
Date: 20 October 2017 The official yearly takahē population count is in, with 347 birds recorded throughout the country – a 13 percent increase in the last year.
Date: 20 October 2017 We are seeking information about four protected kererū found shot dead at the Lake Mangamahoe Wildlife Sanctuary, near New Plymouth.
Date: 20 October 2017 A brand new trap network aims to enhance the bush and birdlife at Opepe Historic Reserve.
Date: 18 October 2017 A new partnership between DOC and Christchurch Helicopters to help save our rarest forest bird, the orange-fronted parakeet/kākāriki karaka, was announced at an event in Christchurch today.
Date: 18 October 2017 DOC has praised Canterbury businesses for getting involved in conservation and helping to make a difference for our native wildlife and habitats.
Date: 18 October 2017 A spate of kiwi chick deaths has highlighted the need to expand pest control efforts beyond the core Whakatāne Kiwi Project management area.
Date: 17 October 2017 DOC will start its Battle for our Birds aerial pest control operation in the Matukituki Valley this week to protect vulnerable wildlife from a predator plague fueled by forest seeding.
Date: 17 October 2017 There have been two unusual and rare visitors to East Coast beaches in the past week. A leopard seal at Tokomaru Bay and a female elephant seal at Wainui beach.
Date: 17 October 2017 The Acheron Road through Molesworth Station will open to the public from the Awatere Valley end in Marlborough at Labour Weekend.
Date: 16 October 2017 A seal pup/kekeno has been mauled to death at Te Awanga by a dog - the second such attack in as many months.
Date: 16 October 2017 People are invited to an Our Place: Our Nature family event with fun activities in Nelson on Saturday 28 October, being held to celebrate Conservation Week.
Date: 13 October 2017 DOC is continuing to upgrade tracks throughout kauri forests in the Hauaraki, Coromandel and Tauranga districts to help prevent the spread of kauri dieback.
Date: 13 October 2017 Southlanders of all ages are encouraged to take a look in their backyard this Conservation Week to see how they can help protect and nurture our unique wildlife.
Date: 13 October 2017 Four puppies are joining the Conservation Dogs Programme to help New Zealand become predator free by 2050.
Date: 12 October 2017 People of all ages are encouraged to take a look in their backyard this Conservation Week to see how they can help protect and nurture our amazing and unique wildlife.
Date: 12 October 2017 People of all ages are encouraged to look in their backyard this Conservation Week to see how they can help protect and nurture our amazing and unique wildlife.
Date: 12 October 2017 People of all ages are encouraged to take a look in their back yard this Conservation Week to see how they can help protect and nurture our amazing and unique wildlife.
Date: 11 October 2017 DOC is seeking information from the public about a vicious attack by a dog on a seal on South New Brighton beach in Christchurch today.
Date: 11 October 2017 People of all ages are encouraged to look in their backyard this Conservation Week to see how they can help protect and nurture our amazing and unique wildlife.
Date: 10 October 2017 DOC and Genesis are spreading the word about 'Whio Boot Camp Challenge', a computer game developed to build awareness of whio and the challenges they face in the wild.
Date: 10 October 2017 The DOC Community Fund helped save Bushy Park Sanctuary near Whanganui.
Date: 10 October 2017 100 mohua have been translocated from Anchor Island in Dusky Sound to the Eglinton Valley.
Date: 09 October 2017 People planning to hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing this summer are urged to use a range of shuttle services.
Date: 09 October 2017 DOC is cracking down on dog owners who bring their dogs into Egmont National Park.
Date: 09 October 2017 Kiwis are being encouraged to step out into the world’s best backyard and reap the health and wellbeing benefits this Mental Health Awareness Week (9-15 October).
Date: 09 October 2017 People of all ages are encouraged to look in their backyard this Conservation Week to see how they can help protect and nurture our amazing and unique wildlife.
Date: 05 October 2017 People of all ages are encouraged to take a look in their backyard this Conservation Week to see how they can help protect and nurture our amazing and unique wildlife.
Date: 05 October 2017 Overnight visitors to Siberia and Brewster huts will be able to secure beds in advance this summer.
Date: 05 October 2017 People of all ages are encouraged to look in their backyard this Conservation Week to see how they can help protect and nurture our amazing and unique wildlife.
Date: 05 October 2017 DOC and Tauranga Moana iwi are working together to dispose of a dead 14 m whale which was carried into Tauranga Harbour on the front of a container vessel.
Date: 05 October 2017 There's a high level of interest in our call to find out from iwi, communities and others where they think New Zealand’s next Great Walks should be.
Date: 04 October 2017 We are reminding the public to leave seals/kekeno alone to rest at this time of year and not be alarmed if they seem vulnerable or unwell.
Date: 03 October 2017 DOC is continuing to upgrade tracks throughout our kauri forests to help prevent the spread of kauri dieback disease.
Date: 03 October 2017 Pine trees in Opoutere Reserve on the Coromandel Peninsula are being drilled and poisoned.
Date: 03 October 2017 Source: Ngāti Rangi – Uenuku A rāhui (prohibition) has been placed around Te Wai ā-moe (crater lake) on Mount Ruapehu until midnight on 4 October following the tragic discovery of a 39-year-old on 30 September.
Date: 03 October 2017 Get your tamariki into nature with a brand-new Toyota Kiwi Guardian adventure site launching at Smugglers Bay, Whangarei Heads, on Saturday 14 October.
Date: 02 October 2017 Join a free predator control workshop and other events this Conservation Week to help protect and nurture the amazing and unique wildlife on the East Coast.
Date: 29 September 2017 It’s now even easier to get Wellington kids into nature with four new Toyota Kiwi Guardian adventure sites launching on the first day of the school holidays, 30 September.
Date: 29 September 2017 We have laid complaints with police after several incidents of alleged vehicle tampering in the past few weeks.
Date: 28 September 2017 Outdoor adventures at New Plymouth’s Brookland Zoo are now even more rewarding for Taranaki kids, as they can now earn a medal and a certificate.
Date: 28 September 2017 Tūmanako, the northern royal albatross/toroa and star of 'Royal Cam', has left Pukekura/Taiaroa Head near Dunedin, to start a new life at sea.
Date: 28 September 2017 Rangers are planning a strong presence around Rotorua lakes during this weekend’s fishing season opening, to promote responsible and considerate behaviour throughout the season.
Date: 27 September 2017 A leopard seal pup born on Dunedin’s St Kilda beach yesterday morning has been euthanised after its mother failed to bond and left for the ocean this morning.
Date: 26 September 2017 Our predator control operation over part of southern Paparoa National Park and adjoining conservation land to protect kiwi, whio and other native wildlife has been completed.
Date: 22 September 2017 DOC has appointed Aaron Fleming to the role of Operations Director for Southern South Island.
Date: 21 September 2017 Four Hawke’s Bay puppies are leaving the kennel to aid DOC in its goal of being predator free.
Date: 21 September 2017 Source: New Zealand Defence Force and Department of Conservation Scientific work in the Kermadecs, including studies on whales and the impact of the myrtle rust disease, will get a boost this week.
Date: 21 September 2017 Whakatane woman Jade King-Hazel’s adventures in conservation have reached new heights with her becoming DOC's operations manager in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
Date: 20 September 2017 DOC welcomes the conviction of a Nelson man for shooting at kea, killing one.
Date: 19 September 2017 DOC is urging the public to come forward with information after a critically endangered sea lion/rāpoka was shot on a Catlins beach.
Date: 18 September 2017 Multiple offenders appeared in Rotorua District Court following prosecution for stealing wood from public reserves.
Date: 14 September 2017 Manawatu residents were encouraged to join the Predator Free 2050 movement by Conservation Minister Maggie Barry.
Date: 14 September 2017 The past, present, future and journey of people on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island has been immortalised in the form of three tōtara pou.
Date: 14 September 2017 Whitby will launch their the mission to become predator-free with discounted traps for sale on Saturday 16 September.
Date: 12 September 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Two community groups have been acknowledged for their outstanding leadership and dedication to eradicating predators.
Date: 12 September 2017 DOC's Toyota Kiwi Guardians education programme is getting a new te reo activity in honour of Māori Language Week.
Date: 12 September 2017 Source: Predator Free 20150 Ltd Conservation groups committed to broad scale predator eradication are encouraged to lodge an expression of interest for funding and support from Predator Free 2050 Ltd.
Date: 07 September 2017 Killing pests was the hot topic at the Predator Free 2050 event held by DOC in Napier today.
Date: 07 September 2017 Some of New Zealand’s finest tracks are set to become part of two new track networks (short walks and day walks).
Date: 06 September 2017 Frogs are the big winners after the 1080 operation in Whareorino.
Date: 06 September 2017 Conservation has taken a hit in Pureora Forest Park with the loss of the field base located on Barryville Road.
Date: 05 September 2017 We are appealing for information after a 5-metre Gray's beaked whale that washed up dead on a Greymouth beach had its beak illegally chain sawed off.
Date: 05 September 2017 DOC has been working with staff and students from Russell Street School and Milson School in Palmerston North, as part of the movement to make NZ Predator Free by the year 2050.
Date: 04 September 2017 A crew from Mana Cruising Club have spent a muddy, wet weekend on a little-known island in the Marlborough Sounds, after reporting for conservation duties.
Date: 01 September 2017 The upcoming takahē breeding season is more secure than ever thanks to two new purpose-built enclosures.
Date: 01 September 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has today started the process of finding out from New Zealanders where they want DOCs next Great Walks to be.
Date: 01 September 2017 We are asking all boat owners and operators in Fiordland to be predator-aware after a rat was discovered on Resolution Island, Dusky Sound.
Date: 30 August 2017 Ngā Rauru Kiitahi, Castlecliff School, and DOC have planted over 900 trees as part of the Te Kāhui o Rauru Waterways Restoration project.
Date: 25 August 2017 DOC is reminding drivers to keep a close watch out for kea at Arthur’s Pass after two birds were killed.
Date: 25 August 2017 Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has announced appointments to the Guardians of lakes Manapouri, Monowai and Te Anau.
Date: 25 August 2017 DOC Tongariro District advises hikers to use a guide for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing this winter.
Date: 25 August 2017 There is still time for primary schools, community groups and early childhood centres to make a difference to their local environment through the Habitat Heroes competition.
Date: 24 August 2017 DOC is calling for public help to prevent pests reaching Abel Tasman National Park islands.
Date: 23 August 2017 A historic translocation of takahē to the first new wild site outside of Fiordland has been thwarted by bad weather and early breeding.
Date: 23 August 2017 DOC and HealthPost will collaborate to establish an eco-sanctuary at Farewell Spit and adjoining public conservation land in Golden Bay.
Date: 22 August 2017 Source: Cape to City New Zealand robin/toutouwai and North Island tomtit/miromiro have been translocated within Hawke's Bay.
Date: 22 August 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation 51 black stilt/kakī are being released at Mount Gerald station in the Mackenzie Basin today.
Date: 22 August 2017 A rare rowi kiwi has been found dead on a road in North Ōkārito Forest near Franz Josef. A post mortem confirmed that her death was caused by trauma consistent with being hit by a vehicle.
Date: 22 August 2017 South Island tīeke/saddleback have been introduced to a new intensively-managed island site in Dusky Sound, Fiordland, in a bid to allow the overall tīeke population to expand.
Date: 19 August 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says there’s been a more than thousand percent increase in the number of kōkako in Kauri Coast forests since 1990 due to the continued use of 1080 and trapping.
Date: 18 August 2017 DOC has closed the Okura Bush Walkway while a contractor repairs damage to the track caused by heavy and persistent rain.
Date: 15 August 2017 DOC is urging the public to come forward with information after 58 lizards were found stuffed in a discarded lunchbox at the Christchurch Botanical Gardens.
Date: 14 August 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation North Head/Maungauika is to become predator free, a first step towards a predator free Auckland.
Date: 10 August 2017 An aerial pest control operation will protect at-risk native species in the Northern Ruahine Ranges from a surge of hungry predators this spring.
Date: 09 August 2017 DOC is reminding whitebaiters to be aware of regulations as the 2017 season begins next week.
Date: 09 August 2017 Two protected kererū (native pigeon) have been found shot next to a camping ground at Lake Brunner near Greymouth on the West Coast.
Date: 03 August 2017 Bookings for Angelus Hut for will now be required for Labour weekend and Queen's Birthday weekend.
Date: 03 August 2017 DOC's new National Compliance Strategy places greater emphasis on enforcing laws which are designed to protect our unique wildlife and special places.
Date: 03 August 2017 DOC has won the Supreme New Zealand Biosecurity Award for the world-leading eradication of the pest great white butterfly.
Date: 02 August 2017 DOC is reminding the public to leave seals alone to rest at this time of year.
Date: 01 August 2017 An Auckland man has been charged for the shooting of a protected native poaka (pied stilt).
Date: 29 July 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has congratulated the sixth Porirua suburb to join the predator free movement, boosting the number of city residents actively trapping rats to more than 500.
Date: 01 August 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation This year’s Battle for our Birds pest control operations are underway to protect our most vulnerable native wildlife.
Date: 01 August 2017 Upgrades to the popular Cascade Creek campsite will be completed in time for the summer season.
Date: 31 July 2017 Today is World Ranger Day and DOC is recognising the critical work of its hard-working rangers. In the East Coast, we want to give a shout out to our rangers.
Date: 31 July 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has paid tribute to the work of Department of Conservation rangers as part of events to mark World Ranger Day today.
Date: 27 July 2017 Source: Office of the Associate Minister of Conservation and the Minister for the Environment A new strategy and action plan will better equip New Zealanders, especially children and young people, with the knowledge, skills and motivation to tackle environmental issues.
Date: 27 July 2017 People visiting a Rotorua geothermal attraction have been observed disturbing populations of one of New Zealand’s most threatened bird species, a few months ahead of the critical breeding time for the species.
Date: 26 July 2017 DOC's Hauraki District staff are making good progress with the massive clean up job resulting from the ‘Tasman Tempest’ storms that swept the Coromandel Peninsula and other parts of the North Island in March.
Date: 25 July 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says the Predator Free 2050 project is making good progress on the first anniversary of its announcement at Zealandia in Wellington.
Date: 25 July 2017 The latest Porirua suburb to join the predator-free movement will launch this Saturday 29 July, with free rat traps to give away.
Date: 21 July 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation DOC is progressing plans to eradicate introduced predators on the Auckland Islands in the subantarctic, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.
Date: 17 July 2017 DOC has posted new signs highlighting freshwater threats to the Taupō catchment.
Date: 20 July 2017 Help is on the way for the endangered Archey's frogs.
Date: 20 July 2017 A crabeater seal has travelled all the way from Antarctica to spend its final days on Waikawa Beach.
Date: 20 July 2017 An endangered Marlborough green gecko, a long-term resident at the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre, has been stolen.
Date: 19 July 2017 DOC is reminding the public to leave seals alone to rest at this time of year.
Date: 19 July 2017 Source: Office of the Minister for the Environment and the Minister of Conservation The top two most contaminated sites in New Zealand have been successfully remediated, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry said today.
Date: 19 July 2017 Source: Office of the Minister for the Environment Construction is set to start by the end of this month on the new Great Walk in Paparoa National Park in memory of the 29 men who died in the 2010 Pike River Mine disaster, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.
Date: 18 July 2017 Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry have announced the Government will control the spread of wilding conifers over an additional five priority areas this year in Canterbury, Otago and Southland.
Date: 18 July 2017 Today His Excellency Scott Brown, Ambassador of the United States of America to New Zealand visited an iconic island sanctuary to witness the work his Embassy has done supporting seabird recovery.
Date: 17 July 2017 DOC is reminding people living near the Manukau Harbour that winter is a period when New Zealand fur seals, or kekeno, appear in urban areas around the edge of the harbour.
Date: 17 July 2017 Three kiwi have been killed in recent dog attacks on Kawau Island. DOC is investigating the attacks as kiwi are a protected native species.
Date: 14 July 2017 DOC has put in place a 12-month moratorium on issuing new permits to view or swim with marine mammals in the Marlborough Sounds, and Cloudy and Clifford bays.
Date: 14 July 2017 DOC is advising hikers and climbers venturing above the snowline on Mounts Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe to be aware of hazards they may not be used to.
Date: 13 July 2017 Tomorrow seven whio (blue duck) will be released onto the upper Styx and upper Arahura Rivers near Hokitika after nearly a year of whio wooing.
Date: 13 July 2017 Native species are on the rise thanks to intensive trapping and aerial 1080 operations across Fiordland National Park, latest monitoring results show.
Date: 12 July 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Predator Free 2050’s arsenal is set to expand with funding for three projects to control stoats and rats.
Date: 11 July 2017 Four critically endangered kākāpō have been moved to predator-free Hauturu/Little Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf.
Date: 10 July 2017 Source: Department of Conservation and Project Janszoon DOC has launched a captive breeding programme for kākā in the northern South Island.
Date: 11 July 2017 Just in time for the school holidays, DOC is launching the Central North Island’s first two Toyota Kiwi Guardian adventure sites.
Date: 07 July 2017 Get your tamariki into nature with Toyota Kiwi Guardians at Flat Top Hill in Central Otago.
Date: 06 July 2017 DOC Deputy Director General, Strategy and People, Mervyn English has today paid tribute to Tūhoe in bringing Te Urewera, a legal personhood, truly to life.
Date: 06 July 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation The Government will consider the implications of today’s Supreme Court decision on conservation land swaps, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.
Date: 05 July 2017 DOC is taking a hard line on people who mistreat public conservation land after several weeks of vandalism at sites across Hawke’s Bay.
Date: 11 July 2017 If you're going to Tongariro National Park this winter, help the environment by using a transport shuttle.
Date: 04 July 2017 The votes are in and the albatross star of the DOC ‘royal cam’ has been named Tūmanako meaning hope, wish, desire.
Date: 03 July 2017 A group of eager Lions fans will not be charged for an incomplete booking at Te Kopi Homestead.
Date: 03 July 2017 Source: Office of the Minister for Conservation and the Minister for Primary Industries A new Threat Management Plan released today will help protect endangered New Zealand sea lions.
Date: 29 June 2017 To remove the risk of injury or incident in the near future, Moncktons bridge in Central Hawke’s Bay will be removed.
Date: 29 June 2017 1 News has misrepresented the work being done to preserve and maintain the spiritual, cultural and physical wellbeing of the Tongariro National Park.
Date: 29 June 2017 Source: Office of the Minister for Conservation Two historic Wellington buildings are being transferred from DOC into the care of Heritage New Zealand.
Date: 28 June 2017 Source: Office of the Minister for Conservation Another $500,000 will be spent on regional projects that target the country’s worst weeds.
Date: 28 June 2017 Black-fronted tern/tarapirohe breeding in Molesworth Station has taken a turn for the better.
Date: 27 June 2017 The patience of the many avid users of the infamous Hakarimata Summit track is soon to be rewarded.
Date: 23 June 2017 Nineteen submitters on the plan spoke about their views at hearings this month.
Date: 23 June 2017 A kiwi hit and run incident in Raurimu last night has resulted in a plea from DOC.
Date: 23 June 2017 Runner Jean Beaumont will tackle an invasive weed on Colonial Knob during National Vounteer Week.
Date: 23 June 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation A new breeding aviary will be built for the world’s rarest wading bird, the black stilt/kakī.
Date: 22 June 2017 15 new interpreation panels on the track tell stories about the landscape.
Date: 22 June 2017 This Volunteer Week our Hawke’s Bay staff would like to thank their many dedicated and hard-working volunteers.
Date: 20 June 2017 DOC’s costs in helping fight the Port Hills fires in Christchurch earlier this year have added up to more than $4.5 million.
Date: 20 June 2017 Funds from the DOC Community Fund are helping eliminate wilding pines from the outer Marlborough Sounds.
Date: 19 June 2017 Dog owners are reminded to keep their dogs under control on conservation land.
Date: 19 June 2017 The new fishing season will see some changes to the existing Taupō Fishery regulations.
Date: 19 June 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has thanked conservation volunteers for their work.
Date: 16 June 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation Minister Maggie Barry welcomes appointments.
Date: 16 June 2017 Ed Chignell has been appointed to the new position of Chief Executive of Predator Free 2050 Ltd.
Date: 15 June 2017 Kids Greening Taupō events provide fun and easy activities teaching children about conservation which can also be done at home.
Date: 13 June 2017 Keen-eyed bystander leds to marine reserve poaching apprehension.
Date: 13 June 2017 DOC and Tourism New Zealand to promote a range of short and day walks.
Date: 09 June 2017 Source: Offices of the Associate Minister for Conservation and the Minister for the Environment The winners of the 2017 Green Ribbon Awards and Loder Cup have been announced.
Date: 06 June 2017 DOC and Goodnature are working together to install the latest traps to better protect Haast tokoeka kiwi.
Date: 05 June 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation workers and volunteers have been recognised in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
Date: 01 June 2017 Purua School in Northland is building a new nursery to grow native trees and plants, thanks to funding from Living Water.
Date: 01 June 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation The Whio Recovery Programme has made considerable progress towards securing the future of the species.
Date: 31 May 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has welcomed the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s report on native birds.
Date: 31 May 2017 The Predator Free 2050 Ltd’s Board chair has welcomed the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s report on saving New Zealand’s birds.
Date: 31 May 2017 A Flaxmere man has been fined $650 plus costs for attempting to take kina from Te Angiangi Marine Reserve, which is an offence under the Marine Reserve Act.
Date: 31 May 2017 Source: Offices of the Minister of Conservation and the Minister for the Environment The Green Ribbon Awards recognise exceptional environmental and conservation initiatives throughout New Zealand - get a list of the 2017 finalists.
Date: 30 May 2017 Invercargill’s Oreti Beach had an unexpected visitor when a tuckered-out and terminally ill turtle normally found in the tropics washed ashore.
Date: 30 May 2017 Twenty pāteke/brown teal have been released into the Abel Tasman National Park, the second mainland South Island site where the rare native ducks can be found.
Date: 29 May 2017 Source: Waikato Conservation Board The Waikato Conservation Board is concerned about ongoing vandalism to bait stations and trap line markers in Pureora Forest Park.
Date: 29 May 2017 More than a hundred polished sperm whale teeth, known as tabua, that came to New Zealand from Fiji have been returned.
Date: 26 May 2017 Twenty pāteke/brown teal have been released onto Resolution Island/Mauikatau in Dusky Sound after an absence of over a century.
Date: 26 May 2017 The centre had a successful season with 43 whio from its crèche released onto central North Island rivers.
Date: 25 May 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Budget 2017 invests an additional $107.8 million to strengthen conservation programmes and manage tourism growth on public conservation land.
Date: 25 May 2017 DOC was notified of an orca stranding at Whangaparaoa, Cape Runaway in the Eastern Bay of Plenty yesterday and immediately identified what support was needed.
Date: 24 May 2017 A fugitive exotic lizard was captured and removed from Papaitonga Scenic Reserve where it would have preyed on native snails.
Date: 24 May 2017 DOC and Forest & Bird are working together to restore native flora and fauna under threat from predators in Makarora.
Date: 23 May 2017 For the second year running we're inviting people to help name the internet’s most famous albatross chick.
Date: 19 May 2017 Mountains of rubbish, including about 100 vacuum cleaners, have been dumped illegally on conservation land near Tiwai.
Date: 19 May 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation and the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Our unique natural heritage is set to inspire artists through the Wild Creations programme, a collaboration between DOC and Creative New Zealand.
Date: 18 May 2017 Kids Greening Taupō hosted a successful conservation event at the Waipahihi Botanical Gardens for young families.
Date: 17 May 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation The Consortium will be granted $350,000 a year for the next two years from the DOC Community Fund.
Date: 17 May 2017 Conservation Volunteers and DOC want to inspire more volunteers to help our threatened species.
Date: 16 May 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation This multi-million-dollar fund to support community conservation projects is now open for applications.
Date: 16 May 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation The Budget will provide DOC with $21.3 million to fight rats and stoats in this year’s beech forest mast.
Date: 11 May 2017 The once presumed extinct takahē are on the road to recovery, moving down two places along the threat classification system.
Date: 11 May 2017 The Government will invest $76 million on new and upgraded tourism infrastructure for DOC.
Date: 10 May 2017 Source: Offices of the Minister for Primary Industries and Minister of Conservation The Government is to invest $2.8 million over the next four years on a new strategy to manage threats to New Zealand sea lions.
Date: 10 May 2017 DOC and Botanic Gardens are joining forces to protect endangered native plant species from diseases such as myrtle rust.
Date: 10 May 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has issued a call to action for the nation to get behind efforts to protect our threatened species.
Date: 06 May 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Wilding pines control work has nearly reached its first year target of a million hectares.
Date: 05 May 2017 We are delighted to be recognised as the most attractive employer in the public sector by the Randstad Awards.
Date: 05 May 2017 We are seeking information on the ownership of the remaining whitebait structures along the banks of the Waiau River in Southland.
Date: 04 May 2017 Local community members met at Matahiwi Marae in Hawke's Bay to discuss kaitiakitanga or guardianship as part of the Cape to City project.
Date: 04 May 2017 Source: Offices of the Minister of Conservation and the Minister for Primary Industries The fungal disease myrtle rust has been found on mainland New Zealand and a response is underway.
Date: 03 May 2017 If things go quickly fans could be hitting the much-loved Hakarimata Summit Track in a month.
Date: 03 May 2017 DOC is introducing seasonal pricing and increasing fees for some Great Walks hut and campsite fees.
Date: 02 May 2017 After three weeks recuperating, an injured falcon has returned to the Central Otago skies.
Date: 28 April 2017 A new population of little spotted kiwi is being created at an Auckland sanctuary.
Date: 28 April 2017 Motutapu Island in the Hauraki Gulf is closed due to slips and washouts caused by heavy rain.
Date: 27 April 2017 Going for a winter stroll or bike ride around the Bay? Keep an eye out for seals – and give them space.
Date: 27 April 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation New traps are protecting the critically endangered orange-fronted parakeet in Canterbury.
Date: 24 April 2017 DOC seeks help on a New Zealand falcon/kārearea found shot dead in Nikau Valley, Paraparaumu.
Date: 24 April 2017 DOC East Coast encourages entries into Green Ribbon Awards for outstanding contributions to the environment.
Date: 21 April 2017 DOC seeks information about a sea lion discovered with gunshot wounds on a beach in the Catlins.
Date: 12 April 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation 11 of New Zealand’s rarest kiwi have been returned to the Haast Kiwi Sanctuary.
Date: 21 April 2017 Kiwi Guardians is part of the Wild Dunedin festival.
Date: 21 April 2017 Mountain biking on the Heaphy Track is now extended by two months and will run from 1 May to 30 November.
Date: 20 April 2017 A rarely-seen bird is returning to Pauatahanui Wildlife Reserve in Porirua.
Date: 20 April 2017 Two recent storm events in the Waikato region have caused significant damage to the Hakarimata Summit Track at Ngaruawahia, resulting in its closure until repairs can be completed.
Date: 13 April 2017 A young kea was released back into the wild in Fiordland after vets treated his severely injured leg.
Date: 12 April 2017 The Mount Allen buttercup was found by DOC botanists on a remote mountain range on Stewart Island/Rakiura.
Date: 11 April 2017 Source: Poutiri Ao ō Tāne Kōrure (mottled petrels) have been translocated from Whenua Hou (Codfish Island) to their new home at Maungaharuru.
Date: 07 April 2017 This very popular track at Ngaruawahia might be closed for several weeks following damage to the track after heavy rainfall.
Date: 05 April 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Successful breeding results for several of our vulnerable native birds is a result of using 1080 to kill predators.
Date: 05 April 2017 Two men have been trespassed from Kaweka Forest Park for hunting illegally. Hunters must adhere to hunting permit conditions.
Date: 04 April 2017 DOC says a recent conviction for breaching the Whitebait Regulations 1994 should deter other people from breaking the rules.
Date: 04 April 2017 The fungal plant disease myrtle rust has been found on Kermadec pohutukawa trees on Raoul Island.
Date: 04 April 2017 Malcolm Smith, a community ranger based in Wairoa, reflects on three decades at DOC.
Date: 03 April 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Tāne Mahuta Walk is temporarily closed so a footwear cleaning station can be installed.
Date: 02 April 2017 Source: Offices of the Minister of Conservation and the Minister for the Environment Nominate your environmental champions for this year's Green Ribbons Awards. Nominations close 10 May 2017.
Date: 01 April 2017 DOC's Kapiti Wellington office will celebrate its shared history and achievements from 30 years of active conservation in the region.
Date: 31 March 2017 Students from schools across the central North Island have been on a conservation leadership journey.
Date: 31 March 2017 30 years ago, on 1 April 1987, DOC was born from the merger of the conservation aspects of the Forest Service, the Department of Lands and Survey and the Wildlife Service.
Date: 30 March 2017 A mother Gray’s beaked whale and her calf have died on Moutohora/Whale Island in the Bay of Plenty.
Date: 25 March 2017 Eight native lizards were transferred to Mana Island near Wellington from Belmont Quarry.
Date: 25 March 2017 Source: Minister for the Office of Conservation The Takahē Recovery Programme celebrates the best ever breeding season for takahē.
Date: 24 March 2017 DOC has started a process to consider off-road options for walkers and bikers.
Date: 24 March 2017 Safety must be deer hunters' first consideration in the upcoming roar.
Date: 24 March 2017 Volunteers around Taupo gather to celebrate predator trapping.
Date: 24 March 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation DOC is eradicating spartina in the Marlborough Sounds and Golden Bay.
Date: 23 March 2017 A fun, free, whio day, full of family activities was enjoyed by visitors to Tongariro National Trout Centre on Sunday March 19.
Date: 22 March 2017 The Living Water partnership is looking at juvenile eels in Northland.
Date: 22 March 2017 DOC and Goodnature have deployed a network of self-resetting stoat traps on Great Island in Fiordland.
Date: 21 March 2017 Three Stewart Island groups will receive $140,000 from DOC’s Community Fund.
Date: 20 March 2017 DOC is working with fundraisers on a plan to safely walk the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
Date: 18 March 2017 Kākāpō superstar, Sirocco, will celebrate his 20th birthday ‘off the grid’ on his island retreat this week.
Date: 16 March 2017 The local whio population received a boost when nine captive bred whio were released this week.
Date: 16 March 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Dunedin has accelerated its commitment to the Government’s Predator Free 2050.
Date: 16 March 2017 The Taranaki community is pitching in to bring North Island robin/toutouwai back to Mt Taranaki.
Date: 15 March 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation A new predator-free initiative includes trapping in and around hundreds of holiday parks.
Date: 15 March 2017 Keeping whio cool while undergoing health checks is now easier thanks to a generous donation by Taupō business Stevens Electrical Ltd.
Date: 10 March 2017 Source: Office of the Minister for the Environment A new Great Walk through the Paparoa National Park to be built as a memorial to the 29 men who died in the 2010 Pike Mine tragedy can now proceed.
Date: 08 March 2017 DOC is working with campground managers and volunteers to target wasp populations in 10 high-use areas of public conservation land, including around Lakes Tikitapu, Okataina and Tarawera.
Date: 08 March 2017 Dog owners in Hawke's Bay can sign up for workshops to train their dogs to avoid kiwi.
Date: 07 March 2017 There is one month left to provide feedback on a new draft Conservation Management Strategy (CMS) for the Wellington, Kāpiti, Manawatū-Rangitīkei and Wairarapa Regions.
Date: 06 March 2017 The inaugural Massive Marlborough Clean Up has been deemed a success in terms of support from the Marlborough community, but not with the large amount of rubbish collected.
Date: 06 March 2017 Almost 300 km of Tasman Bay beaches are cleaner after 4.77 tonnes of rubbish were removed on Saturday.
Date: 06 March 2017 South Island kākā have made an extraordinary comeback in a Fiordland forest since pest control started just over a decade ago, recent study results show.
Date: 03 March 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation Minister Maggie Barry today praised a new eradication campaign, ‘Wasp Wipeout’, which is removing pest wasps from the Nelson-Tasman region this summer.
Date: 01 March 2017 Enter a whio 'duckface' selfie competition for Whio Awareness Month.
Date: 28 February 2017 The full Rees-Dart circuit will open on 1 March after a three-year closure caused by a major landslide.
Date: 27 February 2017 Kids Greening Taupō aims to teach children about conservation through fun easy activities.
Date: 28 February 2017 DOC has been working closely with Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro and all interested parties to improve the visitor experience on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
Date: 28 February 2017 Two of Wellington’s predator-free islands have been combed by conservation dogs and given a clean bill of health by DOC after biosecurity scares over the summer.
Date: 22 February 2017 DOC is condemning a series of thefts from the honesty box at the popular Anaura Bay campsite, north of Gisborne.
Date: 20 February 2017 Three juvenile whio were returned home recently to the Pureora Forest after having been rescued as eggs and raised in captivity.
Date: 14 February 2017 Due to extreme fire conditions in the Hawke's Bay district, DOC is closing some high-risk sites on public conservation land to mitigate risk to the public, staff and neighbours.
Date: 13 February 2017 DOC is increasing fees for commercial aircraft landings on conservation land.
Date: 11 February 2017 The whale rescue to refloat stranded whales at Farewell Spit continued on Saturday 11 February.
Date: 10 February 2017 Around 416 pilot stranded near the base of Farewell Spit overnight, with around 250 to 300 already dead.
Date: 07 February 2017 Along with the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust and others, we have completed the annual yellow-eyed penguins/hoiho monitoring along the Otago and Southland coastline. It's estimated that there are 260 breeding pairs.
Date: 01 February 2017 At least five absolutely protected fluttering shearwaters may have been shot dead near Little Barrier Island over Auckland Anniversary Weekend.
Date: 30 January 2017 The first board meeting of Predator Free 2050 Ltd has marked an important milestone in the ambitious programme to rid New Zealand of rats, stoats and possums.
Date: 30 January 2017 The wait is over for fans of the DOC ‘Royal cam’ as the albatross nest at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head on Otago Peninsula is home to a new chick hatched over the weekend.
Date: 25 January 2017 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Volunteer work to protect the Wellington region’s special places from weeds, pests and predators has received a valuable boost through the DOC Community Fund.
Date: 25 January 2017 1,200 new stoat traps have been installed in Rimutaka Forest Park.
Date: 24 January 2017 A major slip blocking the Awatere Valley Road has been cleared.
Date: 24 January 2017 Source: Royal Albatross Centre The first chick of the breeding season was welcomed on Sunday, with a 'Happy Birthday' flag flying from the Dunedin City Council's Mayoral Flagpole to celebrate.
Date: 23 January 2017 A colony of critically endangered gulls has been making life difficult for its neighbours on the shores of Lake Taupo.
Date: 17 January 2017 Source: Department of Conservation and Nelson Marlborough Health DOC and Nelson Marlborough Health have confirmed that the norovirus outbreak on the track appears to be over.
Date: 09 January 2017 We are delighted by a first sign of mohua breeding on Blumine Island/Oruawairua indicating the endangered native birds are establishing a foothold on the Marlborough Sounds' island sanctuary.
Date: 06 January 2017 DOC is urging people who have been on the Travers-Sabine Circuit to avoid other national parks if they're feeling unwell.
Date: 04 January 2017 DOC is warning trampers to avoid the Travers-Sabine Circuit in the Nelson Lakes National Park because of a suspected norovirus outbreak.