Category: New Zealand Government Public Service

Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  06 May 2025

“The most-loved experiences during peak times such as the holidays tend to book up quickly, but there’s plenty to choose from across the network,” DOC Heritage and Visitor Director Catherine Wilson says.

DOC has upgraded its booking system ready for Great Walks 2025/26 bookings, which open from 15 May 2025.

Catherine Wilson says people booking Great Walks will notice some changes this year.

“We’ve introduced a new industry-leading lobby system, similar to those used by concert-booking companies, so customers have a smoother experience, and we can better manage the very high demand when bookings first open.”

Catherine Wilson says opening dates are staggered – ten Great Walks 15 to 28 May, huts campsites and lodges 13 May to 4 June – to give people making multiple bookings a better chance of securing their preferred slot.

“We’ve re-shuffled the booking schedule* to balance demand across the weeks so the Kepler, Heaphy and Rakiura Great Walks open first on Wednesday 15 May, and the exceptionally popular Milford Track will open last on Wednesday 28 May.

“While the most popular Great Walks such as Milford and Routeburn book out very fast on the day, there are often cancellations so it’s worth keeping an eye on the booking website. Other experiences, such as Abel Tasman and Heaphy have more capacity and don’t generally book out on opening day.” 

On opening morning, users logging into their DOC account will be redirected to the lobby and assigned a number. At 9.30 am the queue will start to move steadily into the booking system. 

“We continue to ask users to be patient when booking. New Zealand’s Great Walks face massive demand with close to 100,000 people booking a Great Walk annually, 35% of whom are international visitors,” says Catherine Wilson.

“We’re lucky to have stunning mountains, forests, beaches, parks, lakes and rivers on our doorstep, and incredible tracks, huts and campsites for people to enjoy them.” 

The Great Walks vary in their length, challenge, and the necessary skills and fitness required. Walkers are encouraged to read about the options on DOC’s website and pick the Great Walk best suited to their skills and experience.

As part of regular price reviews, customers may notice price increases at some facilities next season.

Price increases range between 5-15% for the Milford, Routeburn, Kepler, Abel Tasman Coast Track, and Paparoa Great Walks and several high-demand huts and cottages. Some of DOC’s standard and serviced campsites have increased by $3-$5 per person per night.

User charges contribute to the running costs of DOC’s recreation network, Catherine Wilson says.

“User fees are an increasingly important tool for improving the financial sustainability of the visitor network.

“New Zealand has a huge variety of DOC facilities with price points for all budgets. Just make sure you book huts, campsites, and cottages early to secure popular dates and times,” says Catherine Wilson.

For information on DOC’s pricing changes and to book, visit DOC huts, campsites and cottages.

Bookings for Tongariro Northern Circuit are on hold while DOC assesses plans for replacing Oturere Hut.

To book the Hump Ridge Track visit . Bookings can be made anytime. The Hump Ridge Track’s walking season is 25 October 2024 to 21 April 2025.

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Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  05 May 2025

DOC says the incident is a reminder for people to check their gear for wildlife before setting off, to prevent spreading them into new places where they could impact the local ecosystem.

Kim Ranger and her partner Ian were parked at Berlins campsite in the Buller Gorge on the West Coast over Easter weekend. As they packed up their camping gear and put it in their two vehicles, the weka took advantage of an open door and climbed into their Ford Ranger ute hiding in dog blankets.

Kim says Ian drove their ute the whole way home, including making a couple of stops, without realising the weka was a passenger in his vehicle.

“He didn’t hear it, didn’t see it, nothing. He got home to Christchurch and hopped out and didn’t notice the weka,” Kim says.

“When I got home, I opened the back door of the Ranger to get something there it was in the rear passenger footwell.

“I couldn’t stop laughing and then I came the realisation, what on earth do you do with a weka in Christchurch?”

Kim says they called the afterhours vets, the SPCA and DOC who all said to wait until the next morning. The couple gave the weka food and water and left it in the ute.

“The weka didn’t show any signs of being distressed, when you opened the door he just stood on the centre console and pooped – though he did set off the car alarm at 7 in the morning. The inside of the ute was literally covered in weka poop.”

Kim says they called the weka ‘Ranger’ given its temporary home and her last name.

DOC staff picked up the weka took it to the South Island Wildlife Hospital for a thorough check over. It was in good health apart from being a little bit dehydrated, so it was given some fluids.

DOC Biodiversity supervisor Craig Alexander says it’s a reminder to people to check their vehicles for any wildlife when camping or in the outdoors.

“We were able to get it back over to the West Coast in a small carrier cage on a bus and it was released near the area it had hitched a ride from.

“There are no wild weka in Christchurch so we wouldn’t want to see them accidentally introduced here. It’s a good reminder for people to be mindful about unintentionally transporting animals in their equipment.

“In the last few months, we also had someone accidentally bring two wētā over from the West Coast in their wetsuits. They did the right thing by calling DOC and we were able to take them back over to the Coast for release.

“Our native species are unique but, in many places, they’re doing it tough because of things like introduced predators and habitat loss. We don’t want to accidentally introduce new species – even native ones – into places they don’t belong as they could have unexpected impacts on our ecosystems. Every person, business and community has a role in protecting and restoring nature.

“If you do find a native animal has snuck into some of your gear and hitched a ride somewhere it shouldn’t have, please contact DOC on 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) for advice on what to do next.”

Kim Ranger also echoes that message and is keen for people to know who to call if they have a surprise hitchhiker like she and Ian did.

In the meantime, she says it’s been a big job getting the ute clean.

“It was such a funny end to our camping trip. I’m just glad Ranger is back where he belongs.”

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Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  05 May 2025 Source:  Office of the Minister of Conservation

“Today, the Department of Conservation – Te Papa Atawhai is releasing two discussion documents for public consultation, and I encourage all New Zealanders to read them and share their views.

“Our beloved biodiversity provides a world-class wealth of environmental and economic benefits for Aotearoa New Zealand. However, more than 4,000 of our precious species are threatened or at risk of extinction so we must work harder and smarter to protect biodiversity.”

Proposed actions to progress the Te Mana o te Taiao – Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy 2020 cover four themes:

• Prioritising species and habitats for action;
• Increasing revenue and non-government funding for biodiversity;
• Improving evidence and knowledge for effective decision making; and
• Growing capability by developing the right skills.

“Feedback will help central, regional and local government create and deliver an implementation plan to 2030 that reflects New Zealanders’ aspirations for conservation action,” Mr Potaka says.

“We’re also consulting on next steps toward our ambitious goal of a predator free New Zealand by 2050, which was first launched by National nine years ago.

“Predator Free 2050 is one of the Department of Conservation’s key biodiversity programmes addressing the threat of introduced predators to our unique nature.”

Key areas for public feedback on the Predator Free 2050 strategy are:

• New goals to achieve by 2030; and
• The list of target predators.

“The rapid development of new eradication tools and methods and impressive community trapping efforts across the motu are delivering significant results.

“It’s time to take stock and ensure we are focussed on achieving the right things together for the next five years,” Mr Potaka says.

The discussion documents are available on the Department of Conservation website. Consultation closes on 30 June 2025.

Give your feedback on two important plans for nature

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Kua tukuna ngā kaupapa kōrero mō te whakapakari i te rerenga rauropi

Toitū te taiao

E whiriwhiri ana te Kāwanatanga i ngā marohitanga e whai nei ki te whakapakari i te whakahaumarutanga o te rerenga rauropi me ōna painga mō ngā uri whakaheke te take, hei tā te Minita Whāomoomo, hei tā Tama Potaka.

“Nō te rangi nei, ka tukuna atu e Te Papa Atawhai ētahi puka kōrero e rua hei whiriwhiri mā te marea, ā, e akiaki ana ahau i ngā tāngata katoa o Aotearoa ki te pānui i ēnei puka, ki te tuku mai hoki i ō rātou whakaaro.

“Ko tā te rerenga rauropi he whāngai i te nui taioreore o ngā painga ā-taiao, ā-ohaoha hoki ki Aotearoa nei. Engari, ka nui ake i te 4,000 o ā tātou momo kararehe me ngā momo tipu e noho whakaraerae ana, ko ētahi kua tata korehāhā, nā reira me whakapakari tātou i ā tātou mahi me ā tātou rautaki kia pai ake ai te whakahaumaru i te rerenga rauropi.”

E whā ngā kaupapa matua e kitea ana i ngā mahi e whakaarotia ana hei whakatinana i Te Mana o te Taiao – Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy 2020, arā:

• Ko te whakaarotau i ngā momo me ngā nōhanga hei whakamahinga;
• Ko te whakanui ake i te moniwhiwhi me te pūtea kāore e whakahaerehia ana e te kāwanatanga mō te rerenga rauropi;
• Ko te whakapakari i te taunaki me te mōhiotanga kia pai ake ai te mahi whakatau; ka mutu
• Ko te whakatupu i te āheitanga mā te whakawhanake i ngā pūkenga e tika ana.

“Mā te whakahoki kōrero ka āwhinatia te kāwanatanga ā-motu, ā-rohe, ā-hapori ki te waihanga, ki te whakatū hoki i tētahi mahere whakatinana mō te tau 2030 e whakaatu atu ana i ngā wawata o ngā tāngata o Aotearoa mō te mahi whāomoomo,” hei tā Potaka.

“Kei te whiriwhiri hoki mātou i ngā mahi e whai ake nei kia tata atu rā tātou ki tō tātou whāinga matua ki tētahi Aotearoa e noho kaikonihi-kore ana i mua i te tau 2050, nā Nāhinara i whakarewa i te tuatahi i te iwa tau ki muri.

“Ko Kaikonihi-Kore 2050 tētahi o ngā kaupapa matua mō te rerenga rauropi a Te Papa Atawhai e aro atu ana ki te whakamōreareatanga a ngā kaikonihi kua kawea mai rā ki tō tātou taiao motuhake nei.”

Ko ngā aronga matua hei whakahoki kōrero mā te marea i roto i te rautaki o Kaikonihi-Kore 2050 ko:

• Ngā whāinga hou hei whakatutuki i mua i te 2030; ka mutu
• Ko tētahi rārangi o ngā kaikonihi matua.

“Nā runga i te tere o te whakarite i ngā taputapu me ngā tukanga whakamōtī e hou ana me te whakamīharo o ngā mahi whakarite rore ā-hapori huri noa i te motu, e kitea ana te nui o ngā putanga pai.

“Kua tae ki te wā e aro atu ai tātou ki te mahi, ki te whakatutuki ngātahi i ngā mahi e tika ana kia kawea i ngā tau e rima e tū mai nei,” hei tā Potaka.

Kei runga ngā puka kōrero i te pae tukutuku a Te Papa Atawhai. Ka kati te whiriwhiri hei te Mane, te 30 o Hune, 2025.

Give your feedback on two important plans for nature

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