The Department manages or administers on behalf of New Zealanders:
- national parks and conservation parks (formerly called forest parks)
- reserves and conservation areas
- protected indigenous forests
- protected inland waters and wild and scenic rivers
- indigenous/native wildlife
- non-commercial freshwater fisheries
- historic places on conservation land
- marine reserves and the protection of marine mammals
- offshore islands set aside for conservation.
This section provides maps and statistics on New Zealand's public conservation lands and waters.