35-678: The Conservation Act 1987 is New Zealand's principal act concerning the conservation of indigenous biodiversity. The Act established the Department of Conservation (who administer the Act) and Fish and Game , and complements the National Parks Act 1980 and the Reserves Act 1977 . The Conservation Act and the management strategies (CMS) and plans (CMPs) that are created under it have the overriding principle of "protection". This
70-459: A biodegradable poison also known as 1080. From 1979 to 1984, possum control was stopped due to lack of funding. In spite of regular and frequent TB testing of cattle herds, the number of infected herds snowballed and continued to increase until 1994. The area of New Zealand where there were TB wild animals expanded from about 10 to 40%. That possums are such effective transmitters of TB appears to be facilitated by their behaviour once they catch
105-587: A consequence of Conservation Act all Crown land in New Zealand designated for conservation and protection became managed by the Department of Conservation. This is about 30% of New Zealand's land area or about 8 million hectares of native forests, tussocklands, alpine areas, wetlands, dunelands, estuaries, lakes and islands, national forests, maritime parks, marine reserves, nearly 4000 reserves, river margins, some coastline, and many offshore islands. All of
140-636: A nationwide programme of cattle testing and possum control with the goal of eradicating Mycobacterium bovis from wild vector species across 2.5 million hectares – or one quarter – of New Zealand's at-risk areas by 2026 and, eventually, eradicating the disease entirely. The TB-free New Zealand programme is regarded as "world-leading". It has successfully reduced cattle and deer herd infection rates from more than 1700 in 1994 to fewer than 100 herds in July 2011. Much of this success can be attributed to sustained possum control reducing cross-infection and breaking
175-518: A new headquarters, Conservation House, on Manners Street, Wellington in 2006. It is the first green building in New Zealand to be given a 5-star rating, having won numerous environmental awards, including a top 10 placing by Grist Magazine . The site was originally a cinema complex operated by the Hoyts Group from the mid-1980s until the early 2000s, when it closed down in the face of stiff competition. New Zealand has 13 national parks , and
210-565: A number of Specially protected areas: Department of Conservation (New Zealand) The Department of Conservation ( DOC ; Māori : Te Papa Atawhai ) is the public service department of New Zealand charged with the conservation of New Zealand's natural and historical heritage. An advisory body, the New Zealand Conservation Authority (NZCA) is provided to advise DOC and its ministers. In addition there are 15 conservation boards for different areas around
245-618: A significant drop in possum populations during the last decades. The DOC was floated as the agency to supervise the construction of the proposed New Zealand Cycleway , though this is now being managed primarily by the Ministry of Tourism, in coordination with the DOC where appropriate. After a number of years of falling budgets, in 2013 the department announced it would be slashing 140 jobs and narrowing its 11-region structure into six. As part of New Zealand's programme of economic recovery post
280-651: A wide number of other conservation lands with varying levels of environmental protection, called the "conservation estate" in total. About one third of this estate, generally the land considered most valuable, has been protected from mining since 1997 via being listed in Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act 1991 (though recent (2010) moves by the Fifth National Government have proposed exemption some areas from Schedule 4). While much of
315-442: Is a major threat to the dairy, beef, and deer farming industries. The disease is endemic in possums across about 38% of New Zealand (known as 'vector risk areas'). In these areas, nearly 70% of new herd infections can be traced back to possums or ferrets. The Biosecurity Act 1993 , which established a national pest management strategy, is the legislation behind control of the disease in New Zealand. The Animal Health Board operates
350-699: Is contrasted with the overriding principle of New Zealand's most important planning statute, the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA), which is "sustainable management" (s5, Resource Management Act 1991). Whilst there is often overlap between the RMA and the Conservation Act, the principle of protection has primacy over that of sustainable management. The Conservation Act also sets up a hierarchy of consideration of activities occurring on public conservation land under s6(e): This hierarchy places
385-478: Is opposition to the use of 1080 from some quarters, as New Zealand is the world's largest user of 1080. To prevent damage to young trees, it seems to be necessary to keep numbers very low, perhaps 5% of the levels that would be reached without interference. DoC is the largest single agency involved in possum control and much possum control is also carried by the AHB, councils and regional authorities, especially to combat
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#1732773149470420-478: Is rising and has almost equalled the numbers killed in poisoning. A number of New Zealand companies are exporting possum carcasses to Taiwan , Hong Kong and Malaysia for human consumption, where possum is regarded as a delicacy and known as "Kiwi bear". There is also a small industry processing possum meat as 'Possyum' dog food, also for export. In 2010 the Royal New Zealand Society for
455-434: Is the added benefit of killing other invasive species . There have been isolated reports of pets, in particular dogs, succumbing to poisoning from 1080, probably through eating possum carcasses. The Animal Health Board and the Department of Conservation jointly operate poison drops. The effects of these drops on the environment have been considered by ERMA in allowing the use of 1080. and in consultation with Māori . There
490-457: The Department of Conservation , Animal Health Board (AHB) and regional councils use 1080, which can have damaging effects on the surrounding ecosystem to target larger areas. Studies by DoC have found that the risk of the few losses of native birds; (34 individuals in 70 aerial drop operations) and native invertebrates and mammals are outweighed by the recovery of the native species once the competition for food and predation has been eased. There
525-402: The Department of Tourist and Health Resorts was still introducing possums at Rotorua in the 1910s. Introductions peaked in the 1920s. By the 1980s the peak population had reached an estimated 60–70 million. Through control measures, by 2009 the New Zealand population had been reduced to an estimated 30 million. Possums are vectors of bovine tuberculosis ( Mycobacterium bovis ), which
560-854: The Nature Heritage Fund , and is responsible for supporting rural fire control by acting under the direction of Fire and Emergency New Zealand when a fire occurs on land it manages. Up until June 2017, DOC was the designated fire authority for all land under its control. In addition to its work managing land and providing for recreation in New Zealand, DOC works to preserve its natural heritage . This includes preservation of historic sites on public conservation land, saving native threatened species , managing threats like pests and weeds , environmental restoration , caring for marine life, and assisting landowners to effectively preserve natural heritage. The methods of achieving these goals have resulted in controversy, where some people claim that
595-590: The 1850s. Even as late as 1936 the government refused Taranaki Acclimatisation Society permission to introduce a new strain of possums and in 1937 the Waitaki Acclimatisation Society proposed a closed season to allow numbers to recover. The earliest introduction may have been at Riverton/Aparima in 1840. An article in Nature in 1870 warned of the dangers, as did farmers and fruit growers, but some academics supported introduction and
630-436: The Department of Conservation is overly biased towards environmentalists at the expense of New Zealand's economy. This is particularly a concern amongst some farmers and other industries that are major users of neighbouring land, many of whom have been affected by decisions of the department. However, these criticised DOC efforts have also been lauded for achieving some success, for both conservationists and farmers, having led to
665-548: The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals criticised a number of New Zealand schools which had carried out "possum-tossing contests", which involved throwing dead possums. The society said that "while it's technically not illegal, it's morally wrong to throw a dead animal around". The principal of one of the schools said that the contest helped pupils to engage with the outdoors and had also included education about humane methods of possum control. A local newspaper editorial argued that
700-510: The conservation land not protected as national parks or Schedule 4 land is much more damaged or human-modified than the core conservation areas, these areas serve as boundary and species buffer zones. In 1995, 14 people died when a viewing platform maintained by the Department of Conservation collapsed. Immediately following the tragedy, all of the department's 106 viewing platforms throughout New Zealand were checked. Fifteen platforms were closed for repairs. A Commission of Inquiry that followed
735-611: The country that provide for interaction between DOC and the public. The department was formed on 1 April 1987, as one of several reforms of the public service, when the Conservation Act 1987 was passed to integrate some functions of the Department of Lands and Survey , the Forest Service and the Wildlife Service . This act also set out the majority of the department's responsibilities and roles. As
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#1732773149470770-465: The department. In March 2006, a volcanic eruption at the Green Lake of Raoul Island , administered by the Department of Conservation, was believed to have killed DOC worker Mark Kearney. At the exact time of the eruption, Kearney is thought to have been taking temperature measurements of the lake as part of a programme for monitoring volcanic activity. Five other DOC workers, who were also living on
805-506: The disease cycle. For example, at Hohotaka , in New Zealand's central North Island , control work from 1988 to 1994 achieved a sustained mean reduction of 87.5% in the density of TB‐infected possums. As expected, annual TB incidence in local cattle herds consequently declined by a similar amount (83.4%). Possums are controlled through a combination of trapping , ground-baiting (laying poisoned baits by hand) and, where other methods are impractical, aerial treatment with sodium fluoroacetate ,
840-512: The disease. This behaviour has been captured on video. The introduction of possums has been ecologically damaging because the native vegetation has evolved in the absence of mammalian omnivores . Possums selectively browse native vegetation causing particular damage to broadleaved trees, notably Metrosideros species including rātā . This leads to competition for food with native forest birds, changes in forest composition, and eventually canopy collapse. Possums are opportunists and will eat
875-586: The eggs of native birds. They do not have so much impact on southern beech ( Nothofagus ), but their presence tends to reduce the species diversity of Nothofagus forest, since they eat many of the other species that would naturally be present. The predation of bird eggs and chicks has led them to be referred to as "reluctant folivores" in that they eat foliage to survive but prefer other foods. Attempts to reduce numbers by trapping and poisoning have had some success. Trapping and cyanide are generally used by individual hunters as pest control or fur harvesting, while
910-798: The environment. As of June 2023 the project, entitled " Jobs For Nature ", has employed 4,694 individuals over 193 projects. The programme's investment is estimated to be worth approximately NZ$ 1.19Billion, with the projects undertaken focused on providing temporary employment as well benefit the environment, people, and regional New Zealand. In April 2024, the department proposed slashing 130 roles as part of efforts to meet Government budget spending cut targets of 6.5%. In addition, DOC must also find NZ$ 7.2 million to meet cost operating pressures. The proposed job cuts include 24 "Biodiversity, Heritage & Visitors" roles, 22 Policy & Regulatory services roles, 18 public affairs roles and 54 Regional Operations support roles. The Department of Conservation moved into
945-442: The government for the department's situation, and Denis Marshall , the presiding Minister of Conservation at the time, eventually resigned over the incident. Since the inquiry, radical changes have been made to the department's procedures to prioritise safety, including the implementation of a comprehensive asset management system to catalogue, track and trigger regular inspections of all significant structures and facilities managed by
980-399: The greatest weight on intrinsic value, followed by non-commercial recreation, and then by tourism. An important role in conservation advocacy in New Zealand is ensuring that these three separate considerations are maintained, rather than blurred. National Parks retain a separate Act of Parliament, which sets up a similar, but more stringent planning regime. The Conservation Act also sets out
1015-414: The island, were forced to evacuate back to New Zealand shortly after the eruption. Searches for Kearney, which have been inhibited by the island's remote location and the risks of further volcanic activity, have since failed to find any signs of him. Directors-General of DOC (Chief Executive) are: Common Brushtail Possum (New Zealand)#Control The common brushtail possum ( Trichosurus vulpecula )
1050-437: The land under its control is protected for either conservation, ecological, scenic, scientific , historic or cultural reasons, and for recreation. Providing for recreation is a major part of its core work, and this covers the management of family picnic sites, as well as maintaining rugged backcountry tracks and over 1000 accompanying backcountry huts that are used by hunters and recreational trampers. DOC also administers
1085-515: The peak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the following economic downturn DOC is working alongside the Ministry for the Environment, Department of Conservation, Ministry for Primary Industries, Land Information New Zealand and Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment to fund a number of temporary projects with the objective of creating jobs and assisting New Zealand's efforts to further protect
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1120-409: The spread of bovine tuberculosis . An industry using fur pelts and wool mixed with possum fur fibre has developed, with trappers and hunters providing raw material. The fur is often sold as 'eco-fur' by a number of manufacturing and retailing businesses. Possum hairs are hollow, like polar bear hairs, and the wool produced is both soft, and an excellent insulator. The numbers of animals taken for fur
1155-473: The threat of bovine tuberculosis. In 2009, conservation measures had achieved some significant success, especially in certain regions, and had reduced possum numbers to around 30 million animals from a carrying capacity of 48 million. (Estimates produced in the 1980s of 70 million possums were flawed.) Almost half (13.3 million hectares) of New Zealand's vegetated land is under some form of possum control, either for conservation reasons, or to reduce
1190-405: The tragedy revealed that the department had acted illegally and negligently in constructing the viewing platform. The commission also stated that the department was seriously underfunded for the tasks with which it was delegated, resulting in a culture of sub-standard safety procedures having been used for the building and maintenance of some of its facilities. Many people in New Zealand criticised
1225-417: Was introduced from Australia to New Zealand , where it has become invasive and a major agricultural and conservation pest. (In Māori it is called paihamu , a transliteration of "possum".) European settlers aiming to establish a wild source for food and fibre and fur pelts for clothing introduced the common brushtail possum from Australia (from Victorian and Tasmanian populations) to New Zealand in
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