Department of Conservation Stories

Kiwi Stories

Department of Conservation stories

Wairere Falls track reopens, repairs hit $420k as MP questions delay

Repairs to one of Waikato's best-known walking tracks have finished in time for summer, but the bill has climbed to NZD $420,000.

By Jordan Smith • 3 min read • Yesterday

Conservation

Council urges more detail on Taranaki Maunga plan

Concerns over costs and coordination could slow the next stage of planning for Te Papa-kura-o-Taranaki, with the council seeking clearer detail.

By Craig Ashworth • 3 min read • Last week

Risk & Compliance

Tairāwhiti forestry review: Crown urged to take greater responsibility

The review says local fixes will not be enough, with central government needing to help manage harvest risks and land-use transition in Tairāwhiti.

By Imogen Brophy • 5 min read • Last week

Department of Conservation

Selwyn mayor: Lizard surveys holding up big projects

Three major Selwyn projects could be delayed by six-month lizard surveys costing $14,000 each, the mayor says.

By Jonathan Leask • 3 min read • Last month

Cycling

Mangapurua Track on Great Ride reopens with seven new bridges

Cyclists can again use the remote route after seasonal work and seven wider crossings improved safety before summer.

By Moana Ellis • 3 min read • Last month

Sustainability

Boaties face new biosecurity gate at popular Northland lake

Boaties launching at Lake Taharoa must use a new automated gate and PIN system as Northland steps up action against the invasive freshwater clam.

By Susan Botting • 4 min read • Last month

Construction

Famed Coromandel track eyes Christmas reopening at a third of original cost

Visitors to Cathedral Cove could regain access before Christmas as a new reroute is set to cost $121,000, well below the 2024 estimate.

By Jordan Smith • 3 min read • Last month

Land Information New Zealand

Rotorua's costly weed mystery mapped, but Lakefront problem remains

A new model will help target control of Rotorua's lake weed, but officials say the waterfront remains costly to keep clear after storm wash-ups.

By Mathew Nash • 4 min read • Last month

Agricultural Technology

El Niño could raise wildfire and water-quality risks in Hawke's Bay, council says

The dry spell could hit farms, rivers and firefighting readiness across Hawke's Bay, with below-normal rain and warmer temperatures forecast.

By Linda Hall • 4 min read • Last month

Auckland Council

Christopher Luxon announces National's alternative to introducing bed tax

Councils could receive funding from international visitor levy receipts two years earlier under National's plan, with Auckland due NZD $19.1 million.

By Jo Moir • 4 min read • Wed, 9th Sep 2026

Clean technologies

'We have to push back': Mackenzie residents meet over solar expansion

Residents fear fast-tracked solar farms could reshape the Mackenzie District without local say, prompting calls for pushback and compensation.

By Claire Taylor • 3 min read • Mon, 17th Aug 2026

Sustainability

Kiwi firefighters head to US to help tackle unprecedented wildfires

The deployment will give New Zealand crews urgent experience as unprecedented blazes threaten the US north-west and western Canada.

By Amy Williams • 4 min read • Thu, 13th Aug 2026

Agricultural Technology

Climate resilience is becoming a core technology strategy

Weather-related outages are pushing technology firms to treat resilience as vital as emissions cuts, with connectivity now a business continuity issue.

By Nicky Preston • 5 min read • Thu, 9th Jul 2026

Disaster Recovery

QBE provides support for the growth of a resilience culture

Grant funding will back New Zealand groups tackling climate risk and inclusion, as QBE links recovery support to stronger resilience.

By Staff Writer • 4 min read • Sat, 27th Jun 2026

Internet of Things

DOC launches satellite sensors trial in remote parks

Fewer helicopter checks and faster maintenance could save DOC more than $1 million over six years at hard-to-reach park sites.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 4 min read • Wed, 22nd Apr 2026

Clean technologies

One NZ & DOC partner to boost high-tech conservation efforts

One New Zealand partners with the Department of Conservation to boost connectivity and tech for DOC rangers, enhancing conservation across remote New Zealand areas.

By Kaleah Salmon • 3 min read • Wed, 27th Aug 2025

Surveillance

AI cameras help save Motutapu Island's rare birds

A Norway rat has been eradicated from Motutapu Island in the Hauraki Gulf with the use of DOC's AI camera.

By Sean Mitchell • 3 min read • Tue, 8th Oct 2024

Maps

Herenga ā Nuku launches offline topographic maps for Pocket Maps

Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa unveils a new topographic basemap for its Pocket Maps app, combining offline access and detailed terrain info to aid outdoor enthusiasts.

By Kaleah Salmon • 2 min read • Wed, 29th May 2024

Northland

Water quality goals ‘extremely challenging’

Three-quarters of Aotearoa’s land is adding too much E. coli to waterways, with farms facing the biggest cuts to meet national targets.

By Staff Writer • 6 min read • Thu, 30th Nov 2023

Global Stories

Department of Conservation stories

DevOps

RAD project marks impressive 2023 with donations & accolades

In 2023, the Recycle A Device (RAD) project achieved remarkable milestones, including donating 2,374 laptops and winning notable accolades.

By Tom Raynel • 3 min read • Mon, 4th Dec 2023