The Big Picture

The Big Picture - you are here

You are here

Have you ever written your address as. . . Earth, the Solar System, the Milky Way, the Universe?

There are between 30 and 50 trillion stars out there in somewhere between 80 to 140 billion galaxies but Earth is the only place we call home. It's all we have (that is, until we catch up with Star Trek).

For life to survive and thrive here we need to get that we are all part of one natural world and what we do either helps or harms this planet. Everything is connected - from deepest ocean to outer space- and what we do does make a difference.

What is The Big Picture?

The Big Picture is part of the Department of Conservation's education strategy. It encapsulates essential Big Ideas and Values about how we are part of the natural world around us and how we can make a difference.

What does this mean? Simply that we are all part of one great ecosystem. Without our fresh air, water, seas, fertile soils, forests, animals and plants we humans couldn't survive. Every thing, even the tiniest of bugs, has a role to play, including us.

Watch videos about The Big Picture

Download The Big Picture factsheet (PDF, 826K)

Big Picture Award

DOC is sponsoring the Big Picture Award in The Outlook for Someday sustainability film challenge.

The Big Ideas

People are part of the natural diversity of our planet. What we do does make a difference.

The Big Picture logo

Everything is connected

Ko au ko te taiao, ko te taiao ko au
I am the environment, the environment is me

• The planet is made up of a number of interconnected systems.
• Everything in an ecosystem has a role to play.
• Changing anything in an ecosystem impacts on everything else. It is often difficult to predict what the consequences of any change might be.

The planet's diversity is critical to our survival

Toitū te marae a Tāne, Toitū te marae a Tangaroa, Toitū te Tangata
If we care for the resources of the land and the sea, we, the people, will survive

The health, well-being, and survival of humans depends on the health, well-being and survival of our planet's ecosystems.

People are part of the natural world

He nohonga ngātahitanga ahau me te taiāo
We live as one with our natural world

• People's actions can impact both negatively and positively on the environment.
• Individuals, especially young people, can make a positive difference to ecosystems.

Aotearoa/New Zealand is a special place because of its many unique species and ecosystems

Kāore he wāhi i kō atu i a Aotearoa me ōna koiora, me ona waahi ahurei
There is no place in the world like Aotearoa with its special biodiversity and unique ecosystems

• Many of the species and ecosystems unique to New Zealand are threatened.
• If New Zealand's unique species die out, they disappear from the planet.
• Because of New Zealand's long isolation from other land masses, many native species are vulnerable to the activities of people and introduced mammals.
• New Zealand's natural world is part of who we are as New Zealanders.

Values

These are drawn from the Māori perspective of the natural world and are described here by wonderful storyteller and DOC staff member Joe Harawira. Use these as a starting point to explore your own values about the natural world.

Aroha means 'love' but it actually refers to a lot more than that. It is about compassion for the environment and understanding the environment. We are all connected to the natural world.

I am the tree-the tree is me. The tree provides for us. We must show aroha for everything within our ngahere (forest). We must have compassion for it, so that we build and grow into the future.

Manaaki means 'to look after and to care for'. It is our responsibility to be good kaitiaki/guardians for our ngahere and for the natural world. If we don't look after and care for the resources, then we will not have them in the future. It is part of our responsibility to manaaki everything within the natural world.

Wairua means 'spirit'. Everything within the Māori world has a spirit. Wairua is mainly associated with living things, with people, and humans. Wairua is about feeling and hearing the essence that is around us in the ngahere.

Tapu means 'sacred' and can refer to sacred sites of special significance to the people who once roamed this ngahere, this forest of Tāne Mahuta, guardian of the forest. Everything in the ngahere and of the natural world has tapu. Likewise, you have tapu.

Mauri means 'life essence' or 'life force' and was strong before the arrival of people, who brought pests. The mauri of the natural world has been weakened by us not taking care of it as we should, but we have the power to restore the mauri for the benefit of all living things.

Mana means respect, power, authority, and relates to dignity. From the Māori world view, everything has mana within the natural world.

To get started, watch videos we've made for The Big Picture

Ruud 'The Bugman' Kleinpaste talks about The Big Picture

The Bugman discovers that without nature you wouldn't have your breakfast

Watch and listen as renowned storyteller Joe Harawira tells you about Aroha and Manaaki

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