What You Need to Know About New Zealand Conservation
New Zealand conservation has a history connected with both Europeans and Maori. These people caused a loss of species and changed their behaviour after realising their impact on indigenous fauna and flora.
Protected areas
There are 31 marine reserves, 14 national parks and a lot of the other regions protected for conservation of biodiversity in New Zealand. The foreword of numerous invasive species is intimidating the indigenous biodiversity because the geographical separation of New Zealand directed to the evolution of animals and plants that lacks traits of protecting themselves against different predation. Due to New Zealand’s high percentage of endemic species, they consider pest control as one of their major priorities.
New Zealand Department of Conservation manages about 30% of New Zealand’s land, together with the country’s marine environment of less than 1%, for recreation and conservation. The department issued lists, of fauna and flora that are declining and at risk that are part of national and regional plans.
Legislation
The country’s principal legislation about conservation of indigenous and original biodiversity is stipulated in Conservation Act 1987. This established, Fish and Game, The Department of Conservation, and complements the Reserves Act 1977 and National Parks Act 1980.
The New Zealand Conservation Success
New Zealand Wildlife Service, led by Don Merton, saved the blank robin from the edge of extinction through their conservation effort. Although black robins that are present today are descended only from one female, hence this species has minimal genetic diversity.
The Anas Chlorosis (Brown teal) recovery or revival program has improved the number of population successfully from being endangered to close threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Issues
Just like any programs, there are issues in New Zealand Conservation, and these are:
● Deforestation
Most of the existing agricultural land sizing 11.9 million hectares, had been emptied representing about 44% of New Zealand’s total land area. There were attempts to minimise the level or range of further deforestation, like the Act of 1983, which known as Forestry Rights Registration that created the “forestry rights” were argued to only provide moderate success.
Though, they made world class structure of property and data collection rights that gave way first for a revision of 1949 Forests Act of the year 1993 and sooner to Climate Change Response Act of the year 2002. The country’s outline of greenhouse gas discharges is same as the Scandinavian countries, considering forestry and land use change are the most prominent contributors.
● Endangered species
The occupation of humans in New Zealand, made extinction of a number of species, predation, loss of habitats, and hunting are the most known causes. Many existing species are still under extinction threat due to the ongoing and past human activities.
An example of which is Prodontria lewisi or more popularly known as Cromwell chafer beetle, which is part of the list of IUCN Red critically endangered species.
Organisations
There are organisations formed to strengthen the country’s advocacy for conservation, few of them are;
● Maruia Society
● Trees for Survival
● Dancing Star Foundation
● Native Forest Action
● Beech Forest Action Committee
● Native Forest Action Council
There are more organisations than the above list. The growing number of organisations only attests of how New Zealand gave importance to their environment, land, plants and animals, and natural habitats.