Communities will have two new tools to help combat rats, stoats and possums that are killing our native birds, plants and other wildlife, Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said in Nelson today. Eugenie Sage announced a new course on predator training methods and a toolkit to support community groups wanting to help save native birds and wildlife by trapping rats, stoats and possums. “New Zealanders love our unique native forests and plants and species like kiwi, kaka, kakariki and whio/blue duck...

The great white shark and basking shark have been classed as ‘threatened’ for the first time and the future of these species is not positive, a new scientific report released today by Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage says. The New Zealand Threat Classification System report updates the conservation status of 113 species or types of sharks, rays and chimaeras (also known as ghost sharks) found in New Zealand waters. “Great whites are long-lived and reach sexual maturity in over 28 years...

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage has announced funding for the first step in New Zealand’s most ambitious island pest eradication. Speaking at Forest and Bird’s 2018 Conference, the Minister committed $2 million over the next three years to complete planning, including field trials, towards making sub-Antarctic Auckland Island predator free. “This is an ambitious project on the 46,000 ha Auckland Island and a major step towards the goal of New Zealand being predator free by 2050,” Eugenie Sage said. “The funding...

An application to mine coal on public conservation land near Te Kuha in the Buller District has been declined, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and Minister of Energy Resources Megan Woods announced today. Rangitira Developments Ltd had applied for an access arrangement under the Crown Minerals Act to mine 12 hectares of public conservation land in the Mt Rochfort Conservation Area, near Te Kuha, as part of a large opencast coal mine. The 12 ha area is part of the...

Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage and Associate Finance Minister David Clark have granted an application under the Overseas Investment Act 2005 for Cresswell NZ Ltd to purchase land to expand the existing Otakiri Springs water bottling plant near Whakatane. The decision is conditional on the company providing an additional 60 fulltime jobs and getting the resource consents it needs under the Resource Management Act (RMA). The Ministers have gone beyond the standard template to ensure the promised jobs eventuate by...

At an event in Auckland today 12 local and international businesses signed a declaration to tackle plastic waste, Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage announced. The businesses chose World Environment Day today, with its theme of “Beat Plastic Pollution”, to commit to using 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging in their New Zealand operations by 2025 or earlier. New Zealand-based businesses that signed the NZ Plastic Packaging Declaration are Foodstuffs, Countdown, New Zealand Post and Frucor Suntory. Other businesses include...

International visitors will pay more than locals for DOC huts and campsites on New Zealand’s four most popular Great Walks as part of a trial for the 2018/19 season, Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. “New Zealand’s nine Great Walks are premier tracks that pass through unique and spectacular scenery and are a magnet for international visitors,” Eugenie Sage said. “The seven month trial from October 2018 to April 2019 will provide information on the effectiveness of pricing as a...

Children will learn about waste and recycling with a Sustainability Trust-run programme getting a $157,000 grant from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund, Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. The Minister also announced $100,000 for Environment Hubs Aotearoa from the Community Environment Fund. “The Sustainability Trust’s new “Your Sustainable School” programme will improve waste and recycling infrastructure at primary schools in the Wellington region, and help the whole school community develop a zero-waste culture,” Eugenie Sage said. “Across New Zealand...

A taskforce is being set up to deal with the impact of the Chinese Government’s ban on the import of many recycling materials, Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. Introduced last year, the Chinese regulations banned the import of some types of waste materials including mixed recyclables. New Zealand is one of many countries impacted, and faces similar issues to Australia. New Zealand had been sending 15 million kg to China annually – mainly mixed paper and mixed plastics...

An ambitious plan to eradicate pests from Taranaki will get an $11.7 million funding injection from Predator Free 2050 Ltd, Conservation Minister, Eugenie Sage announced today. Taranaki Taku Tūranga – a region-wide collaboration between Taranaki Regional Council and rural landowners, aims to eradicate introduced predators from native habitats. The project starts near New Plymouth and will be progressively rolled out across 4,500 hectares of farmland surrounding the Taranaki/Egmont National Park. The area will be defended from re-infestation by a 'virtual...