Survey of New Zealanders 2013
Find out about New Zealanders' attitudes toward conservation and the Department of Conservation, and their recreation activities on public conservation land, as surveyed in 2013.

In 2013, 7307 New Zealanders participated in surveys about their attitudes toward conservation, their attitudes toward the Department of Conservation, and their recreation activities on public conservation land. The results are presented in the reports below.

Postal/online survey

5014 New Zealanders participated in a survey where they had the option to complete the questionnaire online or on paper submitted in the post. The survey assessed New Zealanders’ attitudes toward, understanding of, and participation in, conservation activities.

Survey of New Zealanders (PDF, 3,718K)
This report contains the results of the postal/online survey.

Methodology report (PDF, 2,803K)
This report describes the approach taken for the postal/online survey.

Telephone survey

2293 New Zealanders participated in a telephone survey. The following reports present the results of this survey alongside the results from the telephone surveys from previous years.

Attitudes, engagement and favourability (PDF, 1,133K)
This report focuses on New Zealanders’ attitudes toward conservation, engagement in conservation activities, and their views of the Department.

Kauri dieback (PDF, 443K)
This report focuses on New Zealanders’ understanding of kauri dieback disease.

Sources of information (PDF, 439K)
This report focuses on how New Zealanders’ obtain information for their trips to public conservation land.

Recreation and historic sites (PDF, 895K)
This report focuses on New Zealanders' visits to recreation and historic sites maintained by the Department, and their perceptions of the services provided.

Methodology report (PDF, 651K)
This report describes the approach taken for the telephone survey.

Other reports

In 2011 and 2012, an online survey was conducted alongside the telephone survey. The following reports present the results from the telephone survey in 2013, alongside the combined results from the telephone and online surveys from previous years.

Rationale for the survey approach

 In 2013, the Department tested a postal/online method alongside the telephone survey used in previous years. The new method is considered to be more accurate as it provides survey respondents with more time to complete their answers. It is also more cost effective. For these reasons, the Department has decided to conduct the postal/online survey instead of the telephone survey in the future.