RSS feed to media releases from the Department of Conservation website.bf9607b8-c7af-4dee-8fb7-62af9f9cf727New Zealand Department of Conservation2026-08-22T14:26:48+12:0031da0886-a155-4309-b2d6-3f6d5b11a845

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka today announced $9.2 million of DOC Community Fund funding will go to 20 community groups delivering conservation projects across New Zealand.

2026-08-19T09:00:00+12:002026-08-19T09:00:00+12:002b2e2e54-331b-4ada-ac83-9c9401acc048

Te Taumutu Rūnanga will be able to advance its plans to restore the wetland area of Muriwai o Whata (Coopers Lagoon) thanks to recently announced funding of $521,733 from the DOC’s Community Fund.

2026-08-19T00:00:00+12:002026-08-19T00:00:00+12:00f1c56897-eb5d-4fc3-a90e-daf23cd18d26

DOC is calling for information from the public after discovering serious damage from vehicles to Klondyke Corner Campsite, a significant area in Arthur’s Pass National Park.

2026-08-19T00:00:00+12:002026-08-19T00:00:00+12:00a1e85e97-ef7b-40bd-94fe-b07f8957a4f5

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has announced $1.7 million in funding from the 2026 DOC Community Fund for two projects on Rēkohu Wharekauri Chatham Islands.

2026-08-18T00:00:00+12:002026-08-18T00:00:00+12:00c25d036e-6d65-495d-b1cd-377deeebb666

Ngāi Tūāhuriri has placed a rāhui over their customary whitebait season this year, which will continue until further notice.

2026-08-17T15:00:00+12:002026-08-17T15:00:00+12:006b3eb9ad-af58-4cca-b067-9fe578fdbd48

DOC staff have met with Hahei Residents and Ratepayers Association (HRRA) for the first discussions on the opportunity to partner on reinstatement of the Hahei Beach Short Walk.

2026-08-14T12:00:00+12:002026-08-14T12:00:00+12:00d4a05bad-0bce-4686-ab0f-af7219600b64

The Government has approved a revised National Plan of Action to strengthen the conservation and sustainable management of sharks in New Zealand, says Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka.

2026-08-14T00:00:00+12:002026-08-14T00:00:00+12:000e4657b2-e588-4b9e-aaa7-97afb6652bef

Monitoring of long-tailed bats/pekapeka near the Heaphy Track in Kahurangi National Park has shown a tripling of bat activity due to effective ground-based and aerial predator control.

2026-08-13T00:00:00+12:002026-08-13T00:00:00+12:005eb5cfaf-d312-4d26-adb8-771351b82809

DOC is reminding the public to take precautions on difficult “off track” adventures following the release of a coroner's report into the death of a woman in the Arthurs Pass National Park in October 2021.

2026-08-12T00:00:00+12:002026-08-12T00:00:00+12:0020abc617-83fe-4783-aee5-6cff889a1581

More than $1 million in Government funding will help restore some of Taranaki’s rarest coastal habitat and protect kōkako in the region’s north-east, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says.

2026-08-11T00:00:00+12:002026-08-11T00:00:00+12:00544303e7-a1ad-4266-9b48-75a783c36b0c

Spotting a shy duck in river rapids has become much easier, thanks to a trial project using thermal drones to find threatened whio in the Tongariro area.

2026-08-11T00:00:00+12:002026-08-11T00:00:00+12:00da8b5dec-fcbd-44f2-89f4-435d12840aed

Sponges and black corals are among the spectacular species filmed by researchers surveying the underwater depths of rocky reefs in the Hauraki Gulf / Tīpaka Moana.

2026-08-10T17:00:00+12:002026-08-10T17:00:00+12:008a18ce72-5922-4eea-b78e-2455bf820cf6

Herpetologists are excited at sightings of the rare Canterbury spotted skink in a place the lizards haven’t been seen in more than 50 years.

2026-08-10T00:00:00+12:002026-08-10T00:00:00+12:000ba127bc-f21e-4d3a-abad-96cccf67807b

People heading to launch boats at Sulphur Point this week found the centre lane occupied – by a sleepy leopard seal with no intention of budging.

2026-08-06T14:00:00+12:002026-08-06T14:00:00+12:000681e934-643f-4d07-8a0a-3e8db92cc54a

Two of New Zealand’s most threatened bird species have been recognised in a global effort to bring 100 of the world’s endangered species back from the brink of extinction.

2026-08-06T13:00:00+12:002026-08-06T13:00:00+12:00a9720926-1bba-4b8f-8aa0-66765e319643

A sighting of a young kiwi at Ngā Roto-o-Rangataua is being recognised as an exciting breakthrough – the first kiwi heard of at Rangatauanui.

2026-08-06T00:00:00+12:002026-08-06T00:00:00+12:000c595bd1-4f77-40d5-b7b9-9e399484f26e

Two native species found nowhere else on Earth are getting help to survive, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says.

2026-08-04T12:00:00+12:002026-08-04T12:00:00+12:0063d8ffcf-5904-478c-ac66-408013c6ae03

‘Love zones’ are helping threatened īnanga recover from Cyclone Gabrielle, with delighted DOC rangers finding clutches of īnanga eggs in these artificial spawning grounds.

2026-08-03T16:00:00+12:002026-08-03T16:00:00+12:00014aa0a3-f8fe-43d3-9ade-9ef66171a020

The car park at popular marine reserve at Te Hāwere-a-Maki / Goat Island in Leigh will be the next DOC site to introduce paid parking, following the successful pilot at three South Island locations.

2026-08-03T15:00:00+12:002026-08-03T15:00:00+12:004dda8b30-4473-4c5d-ad22-3c0b80b6a90f

Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager has issued a call to action to Kiwis, encouraging people to get behind the mission to control wild goat numbers and help protect New Zealand’s landscapes.

2026-08-01T00:00:00+12:002026-08-01T00:00:00+12:005d0097ac-ec58-4585-b9cc-b48400a1e45e

Ngāi Tahu Farming has been chosen as the preferred farming operator for iconic Molesworth Recreation Reserve.

2026-07-31T00:00:00+12:002026-07-31T00:00:00+12:00fab6e8f4-9d70-403d-bcc2-7a8934f2f4d5

A smoother Mountains to Sea – Ngā Ara Tūhono Great Ride experience is coming for visitors, with 15 new structures – bridges and boardwalks – on the way for the Mangapurua and Kaiwhakauka sections.

2026-07-30T00:00:00+12:002026-07-30T00:00:00+12:009ea9dd73-99f5-49cc-8261-e9258b99e1d3

Dianne and Selwyn June are testament to the adage that in retirement "you end one job but find yourself doing several more".

2026-07-30T00:00:00+12:002026-07-30T00:00:00+12:005ba86c34-817a-407e-b3c8-e69e3361a718

Tama Blackburn sees himself as a weaver, bringing together the many strands of passion and care for the Pureora Forest Park and surrounding areas, to produce something everyone is proud of.

2026-07-29T00:00:00+12:002026-07-29T00:00:00+12:00fd8a0a65-5126-4f9e-abc5-fe64ba7217f1

Otago is the latest region to benefit from the Government’s next phase of Predator Free 2050, with a $3.9 million investment to expand successful predator elimination around Dunedin, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says.

2026-07-29T00:00:00+12:002026-07-29T00:00:00+12:0009111908-3d37-43b4-8945-b0121572dab9

Warm and welcoming – that’s the new feel at Whakapapa Holiday Park lodge following a major refresh signalling a new era of investment in Whakapapa Village and Tongariro National Park.

2026-07-27T14:00:00+12:002026-07-27T14:00:00+12:00b33b6c4b-c72d-4ad1-9528-18b4b40529c3

DOC will explore alternatives to the removal of the Hahei Short Walk as part of ongoing discussions with a local community group.

2026-07-24T00:00:00+12:002026-07-24T00:00:00+12:00862587e6-0188-4b18-b32b-b66fe54d4a4a

The eagerly anticipated new suspension bridge up the Hooker Valley at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park will open to the public on the afternoon of Tuesday July 28.

2026-07-22T00:00:00+12:002026-07-22T00:00:00+12:007bce70da-d620-4603-8172-58c71177db3d

Alan Saunders was a 9-year-old boy with the Hamilton Junior Naturalists Club when he first heard the haunting call of the kōkako.

2026-07-21T00:00:00+12:002026-07-21T00:00:00+12:00c154528d-2557-4b96-a62b-c823fde3f4ee

Close to 70 tonnes of concrete has been poured ready to hold a new suspension bridge in place on the lower Tongariro River in Tūrangi.

2026-07-21T00:00:00+12:002026-07-21T00:00:00+12:00e00292a8-472f-45b0-996a-c8268be619af

With the second case of H5 bird flu confirmed in a kāhu / harrier hawk in the Wairarapa yesterday, DOC has moved the region to a higher alert status.

2026-07-18T09:00:00+12:002026-07-18T09:00:00+12:001e2ef9c4-3138-4c54-8359-5d9ed47b95b7

Work on the ground will step up after confirmation today a single Kāhu, swamp harrier hawk, which was found in the Wairarapa, is the second bird in New Zealand confirmed to have H5 bird flu, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.

2026-07-17T16:00:00+12:002026-07-17T16:00:00+12:00a19a6fdd-afbb-4266-9a77-232fed21828f

DOC has plans in place and is closely monitoring the situation following the detection of H5 bird flu in a single migratory brown skua yesterday.

2026-07-16T00:00:00+12:002026-07-16T00:00:00+12:008eb7ba6c-3264-44e6-9111-f884a0dc46b0

DOC Manawatū rangers are thinking outside the box when it comes to removing invasive plants from the wetlands of Horowhenua.

2026-07-15T11:00:00+12:002026-07-15T11:00:00+12:00b0d1732a-c536-42a4-98a1-3a79467f80ae

New Zealand’s valued sika deer in the Kaimanawa and Kaweka Forest Parks have been designated as the North Island’s first ever Herd of Special Interest (HOSI).

2026-07-15T00:00:00+12:002026-07-15T00:00:00+12:00b0053630-9085-4d52-91d2-998fea680269

A key road leading into Kahurangi National Park has reopened earlier than expected, after significant repairs were completed ahead of schedule.

2026-07-15T00:00:00+12:002026-07-15T00:00:00+12:00fda98622-b033-4112-a099-64c31ae0779d

Conservation dogs Pip and Ash have secured their re-certification by helping Whanganui rangers locate endangered whio/blue duck in the Retaruke River.

2026-07-14T00:00:00+12:002026-07-14T00:00:00+12:00e1896177-1e8c-4de2-ac50-c1b4672918e7

Hunters took to the bush last weekend on Aotea/Great Barrier Island to compete in a two-day pig hunting competition.

2026-07-13T00:00:00+12:002026-07-13T00:00:00+12:00ced9baa7-fc84-4569-aff8-4e370c26dab2

DOC has completed the sale of Waikaremoana Holiday Park to Tūhoe iwi authority Te Uru Taumatua, ensuring the facility continues to thrive as a much-loved part of Te Urewera.

2026-07-13T00:00:00+12:002026-07-13T00:00:00+12:0045a3d33f-1295-497d-b9e4-966c8d687c6e

Before you clear every fallen leaf, trim every branch, and tidy every corner of your garden this winter, DOC has a message; leave a little mess behind, and nature will thank you.

2026-07-13T00:00:00+12:002026-07-13T00:00:00+12:00af331b57-5444-4793-9032-44390c24998f

Hunter-led conservation has reached a new milestone, with Fiordland wapiti deer formally designated as New Zealand’s first Herd of Special Interest (HOSI).

2026-07-13T00:00:00+12:002026-07-13T00:00:00+12:00fcfb98e7-8945-4dfa-99ca-e45350ce22a8

When Hamish Reid told DOC rangers he’d seen five mohua/yellowheads up the Poulter valley in Arthur’s Pass, they were very surprised and very excited.

2026-07-08T00:00:00+12:002026-07-08T00:00:00+12:008d0fa4d9-023d-4ec5-8f7b-2f8281b78474

Four days of hard work by a team of DOC staff has resulted in an important track surface upgrade, protecting kauri on the western side of Mt Karioi near Raglan.

2026-07-08T00:00:00+12:002026-07-08T00:00:00+12:00dfc2350e-d9eb-4a2a-904e-f429fc040d60

Glowing feedback from visitors is ensuring DOC’s Timber Trail Project Lead Jessie Sinnamon knows she’s on the right track in her busy role.

2026-07-06T13:00:00+12:002026-07-06T13:00:00+12:006b3c1254-7a75-478d-81c9-24b5b18d1bed

At a loss trying to find entertaining, but wholesome and outdoorsy activities for the kids this school holiday? Amateur birding could be the way to go.

2026-07-03T12:00:00+12:002026-07-03T12:00:00+12:003fe2f33d-7688-4819-a420-a8bc162ec061

Looking for some ideas for the school holidays and Matariki? Or do you feel like you need a little mental reset or ‘me time’?

2026-07-03T11:00:00+12:002026-07-03T11:00:00+12:007ca5b7d2-95ac-425e-afa1-ccc145930547

A change has been made to the rules which regulate our interactions with marine mammals in Te Pēwhairangi (Bay of Islands) Marine Mammal Sanctuary.

2026-07-03T09:00:00+12:002026-07-03T09:00:00+12:00e9c9a686-01a0-4e89-9e69-45674de0d369

DOC will continue with paid parking at three sites in the South Island raising much needed revenue to better protect nature.

2026-07-02T12:00:00+12:002026-07-02T12:00:00+12:009f3f741a-779f-4389-ac29-0c32512d2893

DOC is set to begin vaccinating some of New Zealand’s most threatened bird species to protect them against the highly virulent strain of H5N1 bird flu, in case it arrives here.

2026-07-02T11:00:00+12:002026-07-02T11:00:00+12:006234a5a2-429e-4c62-b6ef-23702699d2e1

As Kiwis head off on their mid-winter getaways, DOC has revealed more than four tonnes of protected corals and shells have been seized in the last few years.

2026-07-01T12:00:00+12:002026-07-01T12:00:00+12:003e8edcaa-94c3-465a-844a-8ce3ee405048

With winter upon us, DOC is launching a new campaign encouraging people to get outside and boost their mental well-being.

2026-07-01T00:00:00+12:002026-07-01T00:00:00+12:00419f0853-9d44-412d-901f-53042e372a18

A businessman ordered to pay $7200 in reparation for cutting down protected native trees near Kaiteriteri without permission can now be named.

2026-06-30T00:00:00+12:002026-06-30T00:00:00+12:00a9836ec3-9102-4804-a51a-1589fab71821

We’re lobster potting for data - not dinner. That’s the message from DOC and its partners as they embark on lobster surveys in marine protection areas around the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana.

2026-06-29T00:00:00+12:002026-06-29T00:00:00+12:00632d3d30-fd0f-4dca-8c96-d10c94315692

The Government has listened to public concerns and will remove provisions from the Conservation Amendment Bill around the disposal or exchange of conservation land, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says.

2026-06-25T16:00:00+12:002026-06-25T16:00:00+12:00b5c09b2e-62bf-4312-8ea2-3107c321b336

Public speech by DOC Director-General Penny Nelson at Lincoln University on Thursday 25 June 2026.

2026-06-25T00:00:00+12:002026-06-25T00:00:00+12:00e9717885-1402-4f2f-b3f4-3fe2a84806f2

DOC is asking people to keep a lookout for a whale reported to be entangled off the Otago Coast.

2026-06-25T00:00:00+12:002026-06-25T00:00:00+12:00