2020 media releases
View DOC media releases from 2020.

Date: 23 December 2020
COVID-19 has impacted visitor patterns across conservation areas but all indications point to more New Zealanders getting into their great outdoors this summer than ever before, DOC data shows.

Date: 26 December 2020
Canterbury boaties found fishing in Akaroa’s two marine reserves will have no excuses and can expect to be fined if caught by DOC.

Date: 23 December 2020
Protection efforts for Auckland’s marine reserves are increasing this summer as DOC introduces additional marine reserve rangers and a new infringement system.

Date: 22 December 2020
New interpretation panels give visitors an insight into how Tauwhare Pā at Ōhope may have been in the times of pre-settlers and re-visits the significant story of Mere Aira.

Date: 21 December 2020
DOC is urging tourists and locals of Fletcher Bay to keep water usage low during a tough drought season.

Date: 22 December 2020
DOC and kiwi protection groups are urging dog owners to have their pets trained to avoid kiwi, after a spate of recent deaths of the national icon on the Coromandel.

Date: 21 December 2020
The Volcanic Alert Level (VAL) for Mount Ruapehu has been raised from level 1 to 2 by GNS Science.

Date: 21 December 2020
With a record number of Kiwis purchasing boats and getting out on the water this summer, DOC is asking people to report any sightings of Hector’s and Māui dolphins.

Date: 21 December 2020
DOC has released a video highlighting concerns about the long-term future of the bottlenose dolphins in Te Pēwhairangi/Bay of Islands.

Date: 21 December 2020
As chicks from a critically threatened tōrea oystercatcher begin to hatch, DOC is conscious of survival challenges highlighted by monitoring cameras.

Date: 18 December 2020
The popular Hollyford Track, Fiordland National Park’s only major low-altitude track has officially reopened, the DOC announced today.

Date: 17 December 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Work to stop invasive weeds spreading into one of Aotearoa’s most loved national parks is the goal of a new Jobs for Nature project announced by Conservation Minister Kiri Allan today.

Date: 17 December 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Punakaiki is set to benefit from two projects designed to enhance its status as one of New Zealand’s most unique environments, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.

Date: 17 December 2020
Visitors to Taranaki Mounga and Egmont National Park are being urged to prepare properly as a busy summer season looms for the popular North Island destination.

Date: 16 December 2020
A North Island brown kiwi rescued from a Taranaki road culvert has made an incredible recovery and is set for a festive season release back into the forest.

Date: 16 December 2020
New Zealand’s native bats/pekapeka are thriving at sites in Fiordland and the central North Island due to DOC predator control.

Date: 15 December 2020
A campaign to help visitors stay safe and nurture the special values of Tongariro National Park launches today.

Date: 15 December 2020
Historic West Coast goldtown “Waiuta” will join Tohu Whenua today, recognising it as one of New Zealand’s most treasured heritage places.

Date: 14 December 2020
DOC is seeing an influx of reports of kororā/little blue penguins found dead on beaches across Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland.

Date: 11 December 2020
Te Anau residents and visitors will have another holiday activity this summer with the return of the Te Pūnanga Manu o Te Anau/Te Anau Bird Sanctuary daily feeding tours – with a few changes.

Date: 10 December 2020
Hoiho/yellow-eyed penguin numbers on mainland New Zealand are marginally up on last year’s but ongoing threats and emerging diseases continue to plague the struggling population.

Date: 10 December 2020
Waiheke Island resident, Tim Moon, has reopened the Fort Stony Batter tunnels on Waiheke Island, following a six-year closure.

Date: 10 December 2020
With shorebirds now nesting on beaches across the East Coast, DOC and Gisborne District Council is urging campers and other beachgoers to be wary of our little winged friends.

Date: 10 December 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
DOC and Predator Free 2050 Ltd are backing the development of a biodegradable rat trap that can be distributed by air to contribute to a predator free Aotearoa, Minister of Conservation Kiri Allan has announced.

Date: 10 December 2020
Rare chicks from a remote island are hatching in Christchurch after a successful multi-day mission to increase the mainland gene pool of tūturuatu/tchūriwat’/shore plover.

Date: 09 December 2020
Two popular campgrounds near to Rotorua now require online booking prior to arrival. A change to help manage the effects of increased domestic tourism this summer.

Date: 09 December 2020
The Department of Conservation is seeking your knowledge on Queenstown’s most iconic vista – Kawarau/The Remarkables.

Date: 07 December 2020
All southern Great Walks are now back up and running with the Routeburn Track officially reopened, the Department of Conservation announced today.

Date: 07 December 2020
DOC has decided an application by Fullers Group Limited to operate guided tours on Rangitoto and Motutapu islands in the Hauraki Gulf should have been declined.

Date: 07 December 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
It’s anticipated more New Zealanders than ever will enjoy time in the great outdoors this year as border restrictions remain in place, says Minister of Conservation Kiritapu Allan.

Date: 04 December 2020
Te Taiapa/Goldie Bush tracks in the Auckland region, will be temporarily closed from Friday 4 December to plan track maintenance and protect kauri from the threat of kauri dieback disease.

Date: 03 December 2020
DOC has appointed NIWA as its new weather forecaster and will launch a new service in March next year.

Date: 01 December 2020
Recreational fishers in the Marlborough Sounds are being encouraged to use a new app to report accidental capture of marine protected species.

Date: 30 November 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
One of New Zealand’s premier hikes and a cornerstone of the Te Anau community, the Milford Track has officially reopened,

Date: 30 November 2020
Familiar faces are returning for the new season of Royal Cam, with a big breeding year underway for the toroa/northern royal albatross colony on Otago’s windswept Pukekura/Taiaroa Head.

Date: 27 November 2020
A declaration on the urgency of the global biodiversity crisis and the need for immediate, transformative action in the Pacific was agreed at a pan-Pacific conference today.

Date: 26 November 2020
DOC has completed its planned Himalayan tahr control operations within the tahr feral range for 2020.

Date: 26 November 2020
DOC is appealing for information after four-wheel drivers put a rare West Coast skink at risk by driving over their habitat.

Date: 25 November 2020
28 pilot whales and 3 dolphins had to be euthanised by DOC staff confronted with a mass stranding on a remote Rēkohu/Wharekauri/Chatham Islands beach during the weekend.

Date: 23 November 2020
The arrival of a leopard seal on a Taranaki beach is a timely reminder of the care people need to take around marine mammals coming ashore in warmer weather, says DOC.

Date: 20 November 2020
This Friday, the Kāpiti Coast is getting a high-tech addition with the installation of a new buoy on the edge of the Kāpiti Marine Reserve.

Date: 20 November 2020
Aongatete Forest Project (AFP), a conservation care group near Katikati, recently carried out an innovative restoration project to transplant indigenous shrubs that perch on trees.

Date: 19 November 2020
Ninety-two jobs will be created to help environmental restoration in the Waikanae River catchment through $8.5 million of Jobs for Nature funding, Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan announced today.

Date: 17 November 2020
A new round of monitoring in a 20-year programme has shown an impressive four-fold increase in the population of kākā in the North Island's Pureora Forest.

Date: 17 November 2020
The 90 native geckos released on Motutapu Island mark the start of an ambitious 10-year monitoring programme.

Date: 17 November 2020
This week is Get Outdoors Week and the DOC is joining Recreation Aotearoa and others to call for people to get out into nature but do so well-prepared.

Date: 17 November 2020
DOC has been working with Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa to provide employment to people who lost work due to Covid-19.

Date: 17 November 2020
A collaboration between the DOC and Ara Poutama Aotearoa/Department of Corrections has resulted in a new boardwalk for an important island in Fiordland.

Date: 13 November 2020
Queenstowners keen to do their bit for neighbourhood native species will have the opportunity to learn some hands-on skills at a trapping workshop this month.

Date: 13 November 2020
New Zealand’s rarest endemic bird, the tara iti/New Zealand fairy tern’s first eggs of the season have been impacted by wild weather in Northland over the last week.

Date: 13 November 2020
Seventy-three tuatara have this week winged their way from Invercargill to their natural home in the Marlborough Sounds.

Date: 13 November 2020
Giraffe bones, canned whale meat and a monkey skull were among items seized by DOC during an international crackdown on wildlife crime.

Date: 12 November 2020
With shorebirds now nesting on beaches across the Tamaki region, those spending time on our beautiful shores are urged to be wary of our little winged friends.

Date: 11 November 2020
Punanga Manu o Te Anau/Te Anau Bird Sanctuary is now home to three extra-special residents.

Date: 11 November 2020
Threatened Chesterfield skinks have a new 1.3 hectare coastal habitat on the West Coast north of Hokitika. They've also been given the te reo name, ’Kapitia skink‘, by local iwi.

Date: 10 November 2020
Two conservation-themed wearable art pieces designed by high school students are gracing the windows of Kapiti/Wellington's DOC Visitor Centre.

Date: 09 November 2020
People are encouraged to drive carefully on the foreshore after a critically injured kekeno/seal pup had to be euthanised on a Christchurch beach.

Date: 09 November 2020
DOC will close public access to Tāne Mahuta from 16 November to approximately 19 November 2020 for repairs to the viewing platform.

Date: 05 November 2020
Mana whenua and the Waihake community are collaborating to help Tangaroa and restore Waiheke Island’s marine environment.

Date: 05 November 2020
Thirty-five flax plants have been replanted at Waikato’s Lake Ruatuna as part of a project to establish a nursery for the sought-after weaving material.

Date: 03 November 2020
After narrowly avoiding total loss in the February 2019 Pigeon Valley fire, Eves Valley Scenic Reserve, a precious lowland beech-podocarp forest remnant, is growing again.

Date: 02 November 2020
Bow hunters from across the North Island have hauled close to four tons of pest fish out of Waikato streams and lakes during the 2020 Koi Carp World Classic.

Date: 29 October 2020
Himalayan tahr on Crown pastoral land are being surveyed for the first time as part of efforts to learn more about their population in the iconic South Island high country.

Date: 29 October 2020
The twice-a-year search for the secretive black mudfish has been completed by staff from DOC's Waikato field base, with results indicating the presence of historical populations at Waikato wetland sites.

Date: 29 October 2020
DOC is reminding visitors to stick to the rules as an influx of visitors were found bringing dogs to the islands that are home to endangered species.

Date: 23 October 2020
DOC is calling on citizen scientists to celebrate World Fish Migration Day, which is 24 October, by downloading an app and checking out a new video to help assess fish passage barriers.

Date: 23 October 2020
DOC has opened additional campsites and huts for online bookings in time for the summer holidays.

Date: 23 October 2020
A male kūaka/godwit is the talk of the global ornithological community after setting what appears to be a new world record for a non-stop migration marathon from Alaska to the Firth of Thames.

Date: 23 October 2020
DOC is seeking your views on new areas identified for cycle tracks and trails on public conservation lands and waters across Otago.

Date: 23 October 2020
Kiwis are being advised to prepare before they arrive, be aware of the risks and please respect and enjoy the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

Date: 20 October 2020
DOC is introducing a new scholarship programme to support high-quality research to achieve New Zealand’s conservation goals.

Date: 20 October 2020
The discovery of new wild specimens of the incredibly rare kākābeak/ngutukākā has sparked new hope for the species.

Date: 20 October 2020
A historic track in South Westland is receiving an upgrade courtesy of skydiving staff who are splitting their time between track building and hosting domestic skydiving customers.

Date: 15 October 2020
Two years of work to return the “flower of the underworld” to Wellington culminated this week, with Pua o te Rēinga/Dactylanthus taylorii seed making its way from Pureora Forest Park to Wellington’s Otari-Wilton’s Bush.

Date: 15 October 2020
The Department of Conservation (DOC) is stepping up protection of marine life in Tasman Bay’s two marine reserves with a new marine reserve ranger to increase patrols and a surveillance camera monitoring Horoirangi Marine Reserve.

Date: 15 October 2020
Kiwi chicks living in a remote part of Fiordland now have a real chance at surviving to adulthood this year, thanks to an effective aerial 1080 predator control operation this past winter.

Date: 13 October 2020
A minke whale has died at Auckland’s Hobsonville Point after being stuck under a jetty at the boat landing area yesterday.

Date: 13 October 2020
Visitors to the Waikato’s wind-swept west coast beaches are being urged to tread carefully as the endangered tūturiwhatu /New Zealand dotterel begin their breeding season.

Date: 13 October 2020
The predator free dream for Rakiura/Stewart Island is another step closer to reality after a million-dollar funding boost, the Predator Free Rakiura group announced today.

Date: 12 October 2020
DOC is disturbed by reports of people in Napier handling kororā/little blue penguins and posting images of themselves with the birds on social media.

Date: 09 October 2020
Aucklanders heading out on the water in their first weekend back at level one should follow marine reserve guidelines and check for pests to keep Hauraki Gulf pest free.

Date: 08 October 2020
A partnership between DOC and community group Te Hau Kainga o Pureora has reached a significant milestone this month, with the planting of 200 eco-sourced native trees within Pureora Forest.

Date: 06 October 2020
Spring is here and shorebirds like our northern NZ dotterels, banded dotterels and variable oystercatchers are starting to nest on our beaches.

Date: 06 October 2020
Trampers hiking to Taranaki’s popular Pouakai Hut will soon have the security of knowing they have a bunk for the night.

Date: 05 October 2020
People planning on a forest camping experience in Hauraki’s picturesque Kauaeranga Valley are being urged to book early ahead of what is expected to be a particularly busy summer season.

Date: 02 October 2020
A long-term conservation project led by the Whaingaroa Harbour Care group in the western Waikato reaches a significant milestone this week, with the planting of the two millionth tree by the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage.

Date: 02 October 2020
DOC and Hastings District Council say crucial visitor risk management work at Cape Kidnappers/Te Kauae-a-Māui should be completed by Labour Weekend, which would allow people to access the DOC track.

Date: 01 October 2020
A Brydes whale was found washed up on Pakiri beach and reported to Department of Conservation (DOC) on 18 September 2020. Samples have been taken for analysis to confirm the cause of death.

Date: 01 October 2020
One of Waitomo’s most picturesque locations is a finalist in the 2020 Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards.

Date: 29 September 2020
Lake Dive Hut, one of Mt Taranaki's most popular huts, has been destroyed by fire.

Date: 29 September 2020
DOC is ready for this summer's breeding season for New Zealand's most endangered bird, the New Zealand fairy tern/tara iti.

Date: 28 September 2020
One of Hawke’s Bay’s volunteer-run kiwi conservation projects is getting a boost from the Department of Conservation (DOC) Community Fund.

Date: 25 September 2020
Ecological restoration of Nelson city’s Mahitahi (Maitai) river catchment will step up a gear with a $2 million Jobs for Nature funding boost that will create jobs equivalent to 30 fulltime roles spread over two years.

Date: 25 September 2020
The Minister of Conservation Minister, Eugenie Sage, today presented Aotearoa New Zealand’s most prestigious conservation award, the Loder Cup, to the 2020 winner Graeme Atkins while in Gisborne/Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa.

Date: 25 September 2020
Director-General of Conservation Lou Sanson today announced the appointment of 12 people who will provide advice and recommendations on the partial reviews of the Conservation General Policy and the General Policy for National Parks.

Date: 24 September 2020
At dawn on Thursday October 1 an armada of watercraft is expected to descend on lakes Tarawera, Rotoiti and Okataina, marking the start of the trout fishing season.

Date: 25 September 2020
The important role nature plays for people’s mental health has been highlighted by conservation leaders internationally – just in time for Mental Health Awareness Week.

Date: 24 September 2020
DOC is investing $1.4 million to develop new predator lures that would be game-changers for trapping and surveillance towards a predator-free Aotearoa, the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage, announced in Christchurch today.

Date: 22 September 2020
Illegally dropping off and collecting hunters from a designated wilderness area in the Kaimanawa Ranges has cost a helicopter company and pilot a combined $32,000.

Date: 21 September 2020
Mental and physical health and a desire to connect with history and nature are among the motivations for time in the outdoors, according to New Zealanders who responded to a DOC survey.

Date: 17 September 2020
New Zealand’s goal of 100,000 kiwi by 2030 is being helped by an extra $19.7 million in funding to accelerate iwi and community efforts to protect kiwi, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced.

Date: 17 September 2020
As DOC’s new enforcement system rolls out, the Mahaanui district office is reminding Cantabrians and visitors to follow the conservation laws protecting Aotearoa’s native species.

Date: 16 September 2020
Some of the challenges facing tūturuatu/shore plover conservation have been highlighted after setbacks in establishing a new population.

Date: 15 September 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
$19 million will be invested over four years in the Kaimai-Mamaku Ranges Forest Restoration Project with approximately 60 jobs expected to be created.

Date: 14 September 2020
A popular overnight opportunity in Arthurs Pass National Park is available once again thanks to two generous donors, says DOC.

Date: 14 September 2020
DOC has met with the Game Animal Council to discuss where Himalayan tahr control operations will be undertaken this year.

Date: 11 September 2020
Community groups in the Rotorua District have been awarded nearly $160,000 from DOC’s Community Fund, to help deliver conservation work such as tree planting and pest trapping.

Date: 11 September 2020
This year’s whitebait season has started with small amounts of whitebait caught in the eastern Bay of Plenty in the first few weeks.

Date: 11 September 2020
The Kāpiti Coast Biodiversity Project (KCBP) and Groundtruth, with support from DOC and Air New Zealand, are bringing a 24/7 livestream of kororā (little blue penguin) to your homes.

Date: 10 September 2020
Wildlife institutions impacted by New Zealand’s COVID-19 response will soon receive support from DOC, with the announcement of 28 successful applications for the Wildlife Institutions Relief Fund.

Date: 09 September 2020
Those breaking the conservation laws that protect natural places and native species may face fines as DOC's new enforcement system rolls out.

Date: 09 September 2020
A vision of a “bush to beach” corridor free of weeds and pests is driving the efforts of eastern Coromandel’s Otama Reserves Group (ORG).

Date: 09 September 2020
A grant from the Department of Conservation’s Community Fund is a vital building block for a Taranaki iwi organisation on its conservation journey.

Date: 08 September 2020
The Government has agreed to change the law to help protect more than 35,000 internationally endangered species where unsustainable trade threatens their survival in the wild, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today.

Date: 08 September 2020
Restoration work at one of our most important peat lakes complexes has gained a financial boost.

Date: 08 September 2020
The Horopito Trapping Programme has received a $32,780 boost from the DOC Community Fund.

Date: 07 September 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Predator Free Wellington is expected to be achieved much more quickly, thanks to a major funding boost announced today by Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage.

Date: 05 September 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
The legal protection of 11,800 hectares of land as new conservation land is a step towards protecting the fragile drylands of Te Manahuna/the Mackenzie Basin, the Minister of Conservation and Land Information Eugenie Sage announced today.

Date: 03 September 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage announced a $2 million expansion of the Backcountry Trust’s programme to repair and maintain huts, tracks and bridges in some of New Zealand’s more remote places as part of the Government’s $1.3 billion Jobs for Nature programme.

Date: 03 September 2020
A North Island brown kiwi faces a long road to recovery after being rescued from a Taranaki road culvert.

Date: 03 September 2020
Locals in Kakanui, Otago may need to share their favourite fishing and surfing spots with a large and curious visitor.

Date: 03 September 2020
The three takahē found dead after aerial predator control in Kahurangi National Park are likely to have died from 1080 toxin, post-mortem and toxicology tests show.

Date: 02 September 2020
The population of a rare South Island kiwi species has been dealt a double blow, with the sudden death of a breeding adult male who had been incubating an egg

Date: 02 September 2020
Encounters with seals are becoming more common for visitors to Eastern Bay of Plenty beaches as we move into spring.

Date: 02 September 2020
Debra Jager is setting up a trap library in Whakamarama with help of DOC's Community Fund. It will loan devices to remove pests and help birds, trees and wildlife in the area thrive.

Date: 01 September 2020
This year's Royal Cam toroa/albatross star has been named Atawhai, meaning 'kindness' or 'care', following record voters in the Name the chick competition.

Date: 01 September 2020
DOC has released its reconsidered Tahr Control Operational Plan for 2020/2021, which describes how DOC will control Himalayan tahr on public conservation land to protect native alpine ecosystems.

Date: 31 August 2020
The annual check of Kapiti Island’s trap network by DOC staff and volunteers shows the island is still predator free – which is vital to protect precious native species that live there, such as little spotted kiwi/kiwi pukupuku, kōkako and takahē.

Date: 29 August 2020
Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today announced that 116 community conservation projects have been granted $5.44 million from DOC’s Community Fund/ Pūtea Tautiaki Hapori.

Date: 28 August 2020
Anecdotal reports of more birdlife on the Heaphy Track have been backed up by a five-year study showing increased numbers of some forest birds.

Date: 26 August 2020
Two groups of enthusiastic Auckland trampers have become integral to the growth of the kōkako population in the North Island’s Pureora Forest.

Date: 26 August 2020
DOC says three takahē have died after aerial 1080 predator control in Kahurangi National Park, one likely due to 1080 poisoning with the cause of death of the other two birds still being investigated.

Date: 20 August 2020
The Mental Health Foundation has added its support to the Conservation Week 2020 call encouraging New Zealanders to spend time in nature to help with their wellbeing.

Date: 20 August 2020
Waikato's boating community is being reminded to give marine mammals a wide berth after footage emerged of a vessel appearing to collide with a whale off the coast near Raglan.

Date: 19 August 2020
DOC is reminding snowmobile enthusiasts to keep to designated areas in the Old Man Range/Kopuwai conservation area for their motorised powdery pursuits.

Date: 18 August 2020
Two doctors with a passion for the outdoors are urging people to get a healthy dose of nature to help with their well-being.

Date: 16 August 2020
Hokitika residents will have a great opportunity to 'look at nature through new eyes' with a new loop track being opened today.

Date: 14 August 2020
New Zealanders are being encouraged to look at nature through new eyes during Conservation Week 2020, which this year is from 15 to 23 August.

Date: 14 August 2020
DOC says hunters seeking a trophy Himalayan tahr can now access new maps showing where mature bulls were seen during recent control operations.

Date: 13 August 2020
DOC is reminding people that following the fishing rules will help protect whitebait species.

Date: 12 August 2020
Land near Pongakawa in the Bay of Plenty has been transformed to give native plants a new home on Wharere Canal.

Date: 12 August 2020
A successful conservation training programme for job seekers in Canterbury has been extended for three years.

Date: 11 August 2020
Source: Officer of the Minister of Conservation
An iwi-Crown approach programme to restore the Raukūmara forest on the East Coast will receive $34 million funding.

Date: 10 August 2020
It’s the time of year to watch out for seals resting around our Hawke’s Bay coastlines, say Hawke’s Bay DOC office.

Date: 10 August 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
The Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today launched Te Mana o te Taiao, the Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy.

Date: 09 August 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
A pest free Banks Peninsula/Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū is one step closer with a $5.11 million boost to accelerate this project and create jobs, announced Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage in Canterbury today.

Date: 07 August 2020
New Zealand’s most endangered birds, tara iti/New Zealand fairy terns, received a boost to their upcoming breeding season with the creation of new man-made shell nesting sites in Mangawhai in Northland and Papakanui, north of Auckland.

Date: 06 August 2020
DOC is releasing 104 juvenile kakī/black stilts into the South Island's Mackenzie Basin as part of the Kakī Recovery Programme.

Date: 06 August 2020
DOC staff have carried out a special controlled burn-off to help protect a rare native plant.

Date: 06 August 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
A new DOC action plan tackles the impacts of climate change on New Zealand's biodiversity and DOC managed infrastructure including tracks, huts and cultural heritage.

Date: 03 August 2020
Department of Corrections’ Community Work Teams have returned to their adopted site at Waikato’s Lake Ruatuna.

Date: 03 August 2020
Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today declared Rakitū Island, off the coast of Aotea/Great Barrier Island, predator free.

Date: 31 July 2020
Get your tramping boots ready – bookings for Fiordland’s Milford and Routeburn Great Walks will open on 18 and 19 August respectively.

Date: 29 July 2020
Spending time in nature is referred to as good for the soul, so this Conservation Week breathe in the air of the sea, take in the views of natural landscapes in Eastern Bay of Plenty.

Date: 29 July 2020
Coromandel’s “loo with a view” got its quarterly emptying this week.

Date: 27 July 2020
Our most watched Royal Cam albatross star needs a name before she takes flight on her first overseas journey this spring.

Date: 23 July 2020
More seals/kekeno are currently turning up on Whanganui beaches and DOC is asking people to give them space and leave them be.

Date: 22 July 2020
As we come into the season where kekeno/fur seals spend more time on shore, DOC East Coast is asking people to respect these animals and give them space.

Date: 21 July 2020
DOC will undertake a full review of the West Coast Conservation Management Strategy 2010–2020 (CMS). Initial planning for the review will start later this year.

Date: 20 July 2020
An exhausted wandering albatross found on the beach in the Eastern Bay of Plenty has been returned to the wild after a week with Bird Rescue Whakatāne.

Date: 20 July 2020
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage has announced a $2.5 million boost for South Westland to help a regional alliance of local businesses and government agencies provide nature based jobs.

Date: 17 July 2020
Himalayan tahr control is underway in the Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o te Moana, as the Department of Conservation moves to protect native plants and wildlife habitats vulnerable to tahr impacts.

Date: 16 July 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Whenua/land, roto/lakes and awa/rivers in the central North Island will benefit from increased habitat protection with new biosecurity investment across iwi and Crown-managed lands and lakes, announced Conservation and Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage.

Date: 15 July 2020
A recent analysis has shown the number of whio/blue duck pairs across security sites where the birds’ population restoration work is underway have increased by 151% since 2011.

Date: 15 July 2020
After receiving a risk analysis of the cliffs at Cape Kidnappers/Te Kauae-a-Māui, DOC and Hastings District Council say people will be able to access the DOC track at the end of the beach later in the year – but warn that the risks are high.

Date: 15 July 2020
Visitors to the North Island’s Pureora Forest are being urged to report damage and suspicious behavior after a DOC shelter was targeted by vandals for a second time.

Date: 15 July 2020
A new generation of Fiordland tokoeka kiwi now have a chance at survival following a recent aerial 1080 operation.

Date: 14 July 2020
Architectural images for the Dolomite Point Experience Centre in Punakaiki have been tabled with the local community and stakeholders as work to upgrade dated visitor infrastructure at Punakaiki progresses.

Date: 13 July 2020
Visitors using the popular Fairbrother Loop in Ōhope Scenic Reserve will have no “loop” option for the next few weeks.

Date: 11 July 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Wildlife institutions affected by a loss of visitor revenue during the COVID-19 lockdown are set to receive government support with nearly $15 million of funding available announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage.

Date: 10 July 2020
DOC is welcoming the findings of a judicial review into the lawfulness of its Operational Plan to control Himalayan tahr in the central South Island.

Date: 09 July 2020
Annemieke Kregting has been described as a fantastic resource and supporter of birds in the Coromandel, saving and rehabilitating over 2000 birds at Kuaotunu Bird Rescue Trust.

Date: 09 July 2020
New tools to boost Aotearoa’s Predator Free 2050 effort were unveiled by Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau.

Date: 07 July 2020
The removal of unsafe exotic trees in Egmont National Park will have flow-on benefits to the Taranaki community, says the Department of Conservation.

Date: 06 July 2020
Two kiwi have gone from the bright lights of Queenstown into the wild of Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park south of Rotorua.

Date: 03 July 2020
DOC Director-General Lou Sanson today paid tribute to Fiordland helicopter ace Bill Black MBE who passed away this week.

Date: 02 July 2020
Conservation groups on the central east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula are marking a major success, with confirmation of a population kiwi in a scenic reserve in the settlements of Matarangi and Kuaotunu.

Date: 03 July 2020
A hut at Lake Daniell in the Maruia Valley, near Springs Junction in the West Coast area which has been a popular “first tramp” for many generations of kiwi families has been rebuilt and is now open for use.

Date: 02 July 2020
Moa bones and other sub-fossil remains of extinct species are set to have improved protection with proposals to prevent the trade in extinct species announced the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today.

Date: 30 June 2020
The iconic Phoenix Palms on the reserve in front of Mansion House on Kawau Island in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, have been deliberately poisoned.

Date: 29 June 2020
Source: Offices of the Minister of Conservation and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development
Brown kiwi habitat around Whakatāne will receive added protection through an iwi-led predator free project.

Date: 29 June 2020
Two key Eastern Bay of Plenty campsites will be re-opened in time for July school holidays.

Date: 26 June 2020
Central and local government agencies are working together with Queenstown tourism businesses to help test different ways to redeploy workers into nature-based jobs.

Date: 26 June 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation and Office of the Minister of Tourism
Extra support is being provided to tourism businesses operating on public conservation land announced Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage today.

Date: 25 June 2020
Source: Tairāwhiti Environment Centre
A new employment pilot to restore river catchments in Tairāwhiti will be celebrated with a post-COVID lockdown Matariki whānau planting day on Saturday 27 June 2020.

Date: 24 June 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation and the Minister of Fisheries
Extensive new protections are being put in place as part of an updated plan to look after New Zealand’s native Hector’s and Māui dolphins, announced Minister of Fisheries Stuart Nash and Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today.

Date: 24 June 2020
A critically endangered species of skink whose natural habitat has been destroyed by beach erosion is breeding well at Auckland Zoo.

Date: 24 June 2020
Waikawa’s tūturuatu /shore plover population has grown to 24 breeding pairs this year, passing the halfway mark to reaching its former population peak.

Date: 23 June 2020
Investigations are underway after a member of the public reported seeing koi carp pest fish in Lake Whakamaru.

Date: 23 June 2020
DOC is encouraging Kiwis to create an account online today in preparation for conservation hut and campsite bookings opening on a new booking system on Thursday 25 June 2020.

Date: 23 June 2020
One of the elder statesmen of New Zealand conservation reached the end of an enviable life last week with the passing of Neo the Whio dog.

Date: 19 June 2020
DOC is asking the public for information after a threatened and protected kārearea/New Zealand falcon was found dying from a bullet wound in central Gisborne.

Date: 19 June 2020
The country’s number one pest plant is being cleared from a popular Wellington forest park with the help of COVID-19 recovery funding.

Date: 19 June 2020
The diversity of New Zealand’s albatross and petrel species is being celebrated today, on the inaugural World Albatross Day.

Date: 17 June 2020
DOC is reporting record opening week results on the eight Great Walks that opened for 2020/21 bookings last week.

Date: 17 June 2020
Source: Department of Conservation and Ruapehu Alpine Lifts
Altered parking and shuttle arrangements will help address traditional issues with vehicle congestion and safety near the popular Whakapapa ski field this coming season.

Date: 15 June 2020
The Fiordland Wapiti Foundation, Game Animal Council, and DOC are partnering to provide 18,000kg of free-range wild Fiordland venison to New Zealand foodbanks and families in need.

Date: 11 June 2020
Source: Minister of Conservation's Office
Hundreds of people are already employed working for nature as part of the Government’s COVID recovery plan, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today while visiting workers on the ground on Canterbury’s Craigieburn Range today.

Date: 11 June 2020
Should the tree wētā of Waikato’s Mt Pirongia decide on a change of scene from the forest, the children of Te Pahu School have some brand new accommodation for the indigenous insects ready to go.

Date: 10 June 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
The Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today announced a targeted ministerial review into the governance of Fish and Game New Zealand and regional Fish and Game councils.

Date: 10 June 2020
The spectacular Wairēinga/Bridal Veil Falls will be closed for one day on Thursday 11 June for feral goat control.

Date: 09 June 2020
DOC rangers heading back into the field have been greeted by high ferret catches in their traplines.

Date: 06 June 2020
Source: Minister of Conservation's Office
This summer presents a great opportunity for New Zealanders to get out into nature with bookings on Great Walks for 2020/21 set to open next week, says Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage.

Date: 05 June 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
The Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage is celebrating World Environment Day with an announcement of a major step towards Wairarapa Moana being recognised as an internationally significant wetland.

Date: 03 June 2020
DOC and Fisheries New Zealand are today starting a new two-month round of public consultation on the proposed network of marine protection for the south-east South Island. The previous consultation was withdrawn due to restrictions under New Zealand’s response to COVID-19.

Date: 02 June 2020
A multi-agency research collaboration is putting the focus on forest food sources as part of wider efforts to boost New Zealand’s native bird populations.

Date: 29 May 2020
DOC and Ngāi Tahu in consultation with the Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board have agreed to start a new review of the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park Management Plan.

Date: 28 May 2020
Source: Waikato District Council
With the country at COVID-19 Alert Level 2 for two weeks and a contact tracing app introduced by the Government, DOC and Waikato District Council believe it is now safe reopen the popular track.

Date: 27 May 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation and the Minister of Fisheries
Better protection for seabirds is being put in place with a new National Plan of Action to reduce fishing-related captures, Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage announced today.

Date: 25 May 2020
Source: Department of Conservation and Rayonier Matariki Forests
More than 100 homes will be warmer this winter thanks to a new initiative to provide firewood to Hauraki iwi in need.

Date: 23 May 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
A nearly 40-year programme to protect one of New Zealand’s most critically endangered birds is paying off, with a record number of adult kakī/black stilt recently recorded living in the wild, the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today.

Date: 25 May 2020
DOC rangers on the West Coast have struck gold, with the discovery of two lizard species in the Okarito Sanctuary, near the township of Franz Josef.

Date: 22 May 2020
DOC is extending the closure of two campsites in the eastern area of the Bay of Plenty.

Date: 22 May 2020
A new study on rock wren/tuke in Kahurangi National Park confirms predator control using 1080 strongly benefits these small alpine birds.

Date: 22 May 2020
Source: Department of Conservation and Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki kaitiaki
DOC rangers and Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki kaitiaki are working to catch a stoat on pest-free Motutapu Island in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

Date: 22 May 2020
The pest fish of the Waikato’s peat lakes have been among the first targets as the district’s DOC operational staff returned to field work this week.

Date: 21 May 2020
DOC monitoring shows New Zealand’s forests are having a lull in seeding after last year’s mega mast, which will lead to fewer predators in some areas.

Date: 19 May 2020
DOC rangers searching for "freshwater baddies" found no sign of pest fish and no new aquatic weed infestations, after a search of 31 sites,

Date: 19 May 2020
Native bird song is returning to Taupō, thanks to the efforts of community groups and enthusiastic backyard trappers across the town.

Date: 18 May 2020
Taranaki duck hunters are being urged to double-check their target is not an endangered species before pulling the trigger this season.

Date: 17 May 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Vital conservation and visitor infrastructure destroyed by a severe flood event in Fiordland earlier this year is being rebuilt through a $13.7 million Budget 2020 investment, announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage.

Date: 14 May 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation, the Minister for the Environment and the Minister of Agriculture
Budget 2020 will create almost 11,000 new jobs in regional New Zealand to restore our environment.

Date: 14 May 2020
Trampers keen to get back up on Mount Taranaki in Alert Level 2 will need to practice physical distancing and be prepared for winter conditions.

Date: 14 May 2020
Work to improve safety and provide for the protection of the sensitive environment of the Ōpārara Basin is set to begin at Alert Level 2.

Date: 13 May 2020
Visitors to one of New Zealand’s most popular National Parks are being urged to prepare properly as winter’s onset looms.

Date: 13 May 2020
Source: DOC and Waikato District Council
Moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 2 allows for more freedom. However, Waikato District Council and DOC have made the decision to keep the Hakarimata Summit Track closed at this stage.

Date: 12 May 2020
New Zealanders can enjoy more of the great outdoors when the country moves into Alert Level 2, but they’ll need to take more responsibility for hygiene and cleaning.

Date: 10 May 2020
Source: Offices of the Minister for Biosecurity and the Minister of Conservation
Redeployed workers are set to pick up jobs in biosecurity and conservation projects to get the regional economy moving again.

Date: 08 May 2020
Community-led conservation efforts achieved spectacular results with an 89% decrease in rats detected at one of the Bay of Plenty’s most important ecological locations.

Date: 06 May 2020
Contractors working for DOC will this week undertake vital and urgent work to repair a weir in the Whangamarino Wetland.

Date: 05 May 2020
DOC will introduce improved measures to ensure better protection of natural and heritage features after a rock overhang was removed for public safety reasons on the Truman Track in Paparoa National Park.

Date: 29 April 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Today 18 of Aotearoa’s rarest forest bird, the kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeet, are being flown from Ōtautahi Christchurch for release into the Canterbury high country.

Date: 29 April 2020
The nationwide COVID-19 lockdown has provided an opportunity for innovation and creativity for Kids Greening Taupō, as demand surges for the organisation’s online materials.

Date: 27 April 2020
Twenty-five years on from the tragic Cave Creek platform collapse, DOC is remembering those killed in the accident and reflecting on the positive changes made in their memory.

Date: 23 April 2020
DOC will resume limited field work when New Zealand moves to COVID-19 Alert Level 3, while the public will be able to enjoy low-risk, local outdoor activities.

Date: 23 April 2020
Source: Toyota
New ‘at home’ action medals from Toyota Kiwi Guardians offer nature-based backyard activities for Kiwi kids to take part in during the COVID-19 Alert levels.

Date: 23 April 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation and Office of the Minister for Sports and Recreation
Hunters will be able to hunt on private land with special restrictions when New Zealand moves to COVID-19 Alert Level 3, but not on public conservation land.

Date: 23 April 2020
Members of the public have donated thousands of dollars of food to the Otorohanga Kiwi House as the facility copes with life under the COVID-19 lockdown.

Date: 22 April 2020
The Hawera couple are close to notching up 40 years of volunteer work supporting the DOC's management of Egmont National Park – including painting, hut construction and even building steps on tracks.

Date: 17 April 2020
Six DOC staff have been directly involved in COVID-19 welfare efforts in the central North Island, assisting community organisation Te Arawa Whanau Ora in the production of thousands of hygiene packs.

Date: 17 April 2020
1400 rare Powelliphanta augusta snails in Hokitika continue to be fed and cared for over the lockdown period by DOC rangers working in isolation.

Date: 16 April 2020
Mount Taranaki’s pests be warned – DOC ranger Tama Blackburn has been busy constructing over 110 traps while working from home during the lockdown.

Date: 14 April 2020
On Saturday 11 April five rare tūturuatu/shore plovers were given permission to undertake essential travel, supporting a critical conservation programme to establish a new population.

Date: 11 April 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Kākā and other threatened native birds and wildlife are thriving due to Tiakina Ngā Manu – the largest ever predator control programme in DOC's history, the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today.

Date: 09 April 2020
Source: Department of Conservation and Fisheries New Zealand
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, DOC and Fisheries New Zealand are postponing public consultation on the proposed network of marine protection for the southeast South Island.

Date: 07 April 2020
Walkers and hikers continue to ignore directives to stay home amid New Zealand's Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown, with people visiting some of the Waikato's most scenic locations

Date: 03 April 2020
DOC has welcomed the Civil Defence decision to close roads into Egmont National Park in a bid to combat COVID-19.

Date: 27 March 2020
The agencies responsible for the management of one of the Waikato’s most popular walking trails are urging the public to stay off the track during the Covid-19 Level 4 lockdown.

Date: 24 March 2020
DOC is moving to close all huts and campsites and asks no one uses these until further notice.

Date: 22 March 2020
For the safety of visitors, volunteers and staff, DOC is temporarily closing its visitor centres to the public from today, and from tomorrow will be cancelling all hut and campsite bookings

Date: 18 March 2020
Murray and Judy Bramald didn't anticipate being conservationists, but after three years of regular visits to work in the Pureora Forest Park, they think they may now fit the criteria.

Date: 17 March 2020
DOC's long-running Pureora Forest Hunting Competition has been cancelled for 2020.

Date: 17 March 2020
A DOC research team has arrived on the remote Antipodes Island to study endangered Antipodean albatrosses for the next six weeks and attach GPS satellite transmitters to them.

Date: 17 March 2020
Shark scientists are concerned about the number of juvenile ururoa/great white sharks that have been captured by recreational fishers recently, particularly in Northland.

Date: 16 March 2020
This is the busiest time of year for deer hunting and hunters must strictly adhere to the firearms safety code.

Date: 12 March 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
DOC is investing $790,000 to test a new predator-control drone and take another step towards a predator-free Aotearoa, the Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today.

Date: 12 March 2020
Six kea recovered from the Matukituki valley in Aspiring National Park last month are likely to have died from 1080 toxin, post-mortem findings from Massey University show.

Date: 12 March 2020
Kauri dieback disease has been found in Puketi Forest, Bay of Islands, in a remote location following sampling of the site and identification by aerial surveillance.

Date: 12 March 2020
Sir Rob Fenwick’s contribution to conservation is impossible to quantify. He is someone who changed the way New Zealanders work together and think about our natural world.

Date: 11 March 2020
When you’re a Kākahi/Freshwater Mussel living on the bottom of a stream and can’t call an Uber, how can you spread your eggs and go sightseeing? You hitch a ride on a fish of course.

Date: 11 March 2020
The family of conservation and sustainability leader, Sir Rob Fenwick, has announced that he has passed away earlier today surrounded by family.

Date: 11 March 2020
Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura and DOC says it's abhorrent that a red-billed gull with an arrow or a crossbow bolt through its chest appears to have been deliberately shot to harm or kill it.

Date: 11 March 2020
Tourism company Active Planet 2015 Ltd has been fined a total of $12,000 for illegally guiding on public conservation land, including two national parks.

Date: 10 March 2020
Taranaki duck hunters and neighbours of Mt Taranaki are encouraged to sign their dogs up for a free whio (blue duck) aversion training session this March

Date: 09 March 2020
A hiker sustained a significant burn injury on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing when he walked off track into a steam vent (fumarole) near ‘Emerald Lakes’.

Date: 09 March 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Launching the Predator Free 2050 Strategy - ‘Towards a Predator Free New Zealand is a major step forward to save thousands of threatened native species and give nature a helping hand, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage said this morning.

Date: 05 March 2020
An endangered green turtle called Calvin was returned to the wild at Rangiputa in Northland today.

Date: 05 March 2020
Work on the first stage of the development Taranaki Crossing in Egmont National Park is underway.

Date: 04 March 2020
Trampers and outdoor enthusiasts will soon have more options to explore in the south with the partial reopening of the Routeburn Track next week.

Date: 04 March 2020
A woman has been fined $7,500 and ordered to pay court costs for illegally importing bear bile into New Zealand from China.

Date: 03 March 2020
A young artist's painting of endangered macaws has won a Department of Conservation youth art competition celebrating World Wildlife Day.

Date: 03 March 2020
DOC has initiated a partial review of the Otago Conservation Management Strategy (CMS) to consider whether new cycle and mountain bike trails could be developed on public conservation land in Otago.

Date: 02 March 2020
DOC is concerned as hundreds of tuna/eels are being found stranded or dead in Hawke’s Bay waterways and is asking the public to report any cases.

Date: 02 March 2020
DOC is awaiting post-mortem results to determine the cause of death of six kea in the Matukituki valley near Wanaka following a recent aerial 1080 predator control operation.

Date: 02 March 2020
Hot summer temperatures are contributing to a large-scale botulism outbreak, a suspected algal bloom and the death of fish trapped in canals in the lower Piako River and Firth of Thames.

Date: 28 February 2020
Families are invited to gather for a free whio-themed fun day at the Tongariro National Trout Centre on Sunday 8 March from 10 am - 2 pm, to celebrate and support the whio or blue duck, one of our native taonga.

Date: 28 February 2020
The Paparoa Track, New Zealand’s newest Great Walk, will fully open on 1 March. This is being marked with tomorrow's unveiling of three hand-carved waharoa, or entranceways at the three entry points to the track.

Date: 28 February 2020
Patrick Crowe isn’t quite on first-name basis with Ohinau Island’s flesh-footed shearwater birds – but he does know which ones will give him a peck.

Date: 28 February 2020
Work on the upgrade of dated visitor infrastructure at Punakaiki is set to begin with Christchurch-based architecture firm Sheppard & Rout being engaged to lead a multi-disciplinary team to develop a final design for the project.

Date: 27 February 2020
Seaweek is a time for all of us to get to know our ocean, its habitats, characteristics and inhabitants better.

Date: 27 February 2020
Funding to give nature a helping hand and support community conservation projects opens this week, with $5.6m available for community-led projects.

Date: 26 February 2020
Thousands of Cantabrians and visitors have the chance to learn about Christchurch’s World War II history with the reopening of the historic Awaroa/Godley Head gun emplacements.

Date: 25 February 2020
Some of New Zealand’s unique alpine plant communities have a chance to recover and regenerate, following DOC and hunters’ ongoing efforts to control Himalayan tahr in the South Island.

Date: 23 February 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
The endangered toroa/Antipodean albatross has new international protection for its 100,000 km annual migration, thanks to collaborative efforts led by New Zealand, Australia and Chile.

Date: 23 February 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage has extended the date for people to have their say on proposed changes to improve management of whitebait across New Zealand.

Date: 25 February 2020
A drone has been seized after it was flown above the Tongariro Alpine Crossing illegally.

Date: 24 February 2020
After being considered functionally extinct from the South Island since the 1990s, the rarest waterfowl on mainland New Zealand, the pāteke/brown teal, is doing well in the Arthur Valley of Fiordland.

Date: 24 February 2020
DOC Hawke’s Bay is concerned after local biodiversity champions discovered several mangrove seedlings planted in the Ahuriri Estuary without permission.

Date: 21 February 2020
Heroic rescues of frightened dogs from the sub-Antarctic islands will become an even rarer event with the introduction of tracking collars under a new Conservation Dogs Programme (CDP) policy

Date: 19 February 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
The Minister of Conservation has announced that the Milford Track will be partially reopened from 26 February.

Date: 19 February 2020
Two artists have been selected for this year’s Wild Creations, a joint DOC and Creative New Zealand initiative supporting artists to engage with nature and conservation.

Date: 17 February 2020
Fisheries New Zealand and DOC are seeking public feedback on a proposed network of marine protected areas off the southeast coast of the South Island.

Date: 17 February 2020
A swingbridge in Pureora Forest has reopened in time for a cycling event which travels the length of New Zealand this month.

Date: 14 February 2020
A toxic blue green algal bloom is now thought to be the cause of sickness and even death of birds in the Firth of Thames.

Date: 14 February 2020
DOC has begun legal proceedings against a Coromandel dog owner after the discovery of a dead kiwi on private property adjacent to public conservation land.

Date: 14 February 2020
A rāhui has been placed on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing for three days from today Friday 14 February 2020 and will be lifted at sunrise on Monday 17 February 2020.

Date: 14 February 2020
The Paparoa Track, New Zealand’s newest Great Walk is on target to be fully open for walkers and bikers from March 1.

Date: 14 February 2020
DOC is appealing for information following the tragic death of a rāpoka/New Zealand sea lion mum and pup on a Coastal Otago road on Wednesday night.

Date: 13 February 2020
One of New Zealand’s rarest bird, the tara-iti/New Zealand fairy tern has had a successful summer breeding season, with seven chicks expected to fledge.

Date: 12 February 2020
A new track and carpark are opening tomorrow at the Blue Pools, a popular site on State Highway 6, near Makarora inland from Haast.

Date: 11 February 2020
Visitors to three DOC campgrounds in the northern Coromandel can enjoy fresh new shower and toilet facilities over coming weeks.

Date: 10 February 2020
DOC has approved an application to continue grazing an area of the Haast River, provided strict conditions are met.

Date: 07 February 2020
The deaths of three Gray’s beaked whales have saddened Aotea/Great Barrier Island DOC staff.

Date: 07 February 2020
On Wednesday, 18 critically threatened tūturuatu/shore plover were introduced to pest-free Mana Island to help secure the species’ survival.

Date: 31 January 2020
DOC is encouraging visitors to the Abel Tasman National Park this summer to ‘poo in a loo’ in a campaign aimed to reduce toileting in the bush to protect the environment and avoid unsightly human waste and toilet paper by tracks.

Date: 27 January 2020
A pair of kea, a native parrot most often associated with alpine environments, have been spotted at Ross Beach, south of Hokitika on the West Coast.

Date: 23 January 2020
The 1.5 km DOC-managed track, which forms part of the 9 km Cape Kidnappers walking track, will remain closed while a Quantitative Risk Assessment report goes through the final stages of review.

Date: 23 January 2020
Work to create a longer walk at Hokitika Gorge is almost complete.

Date: 20 January 2020
NZSki is activating its right to charge a fee to drive up the Remarkables Road during summer, applicable from 3 February 2020.

Date: 21 January 2020
DOC has approved a small scale hydro power scheme on public conservation land near Whataroa in South Westland.

Date: 20 January 2020
A budding conservationist and her mother recently had a unique experience to learn about our local threatened species and directly help with conservation efforts.

Date: 17 January 2020
Locals will have a chance to get hands-on, in a scientific race against the clock at Waipātiki’s BioBlitz at the start of February.

Date: 16 January 2020
A stomach full of plastic is a likely cause of death to a juvenile toroa/southern royal albatross, an autopsy has found.

Date: 16 January 2020
Ten walks on Aotea/Great Barrier Island have reopened following essential track upgrades to prevent the spread of kauri dieback disease.

Date: 14 January 2020
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
With several native whitebait species in decline the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage has today released proposals to standardise and improve management of whitebait across New Zealand.

Date: 13 January 2020
As the summer weather turns up the dial, DOC is urging people to stick by the rules and not light fires in prohibited areas.

Date: 10 January 2020
A rāhui has been placed on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing for three days from today Friday 10 January 2020 and will be lifted at sunrise on Monday 13 January 2020.