Download Introduction to Natural Heritage

Introduction to Natural Heritage
Presenter Notes
Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction and Overview....................................................................................... 1
Notes for Slides – How they Work........................................................................... 2
Notes for Slides – Introduction................................................................................ 3
Module 1: Biodiversity Terms and Concepts ......................................................... 3
Module 2: Unique New Zealand ............................................................................. 18
Module 3: Repairing the Tapestry ......................................................................... 36
1. Introduction and Overview
Welcome to the Introduction to Natural Heritage Programme. As a presenter you have a vital job in ensuring the programme works for
both you and your staff (audience).
In making your presentation, please follow these basic rules.
1)
Prepare. Make sure you have thoroughly familiarised yourself with the programme procedures and all the content. Check
through each slide with the following notes. Add your own notes as you go along. Assess your audience’s level and needs
and identify how you will respond to this.
2)
Deliver with Professionalism. Make sure your audience is well prepared and enthusiastic about participating. Set up a
positive learning atmosphere in a venue free from noise and distraction. Follow the programme as set out and deliver all the
material at a good pace, suitable to the audience. Speak clearly. Explain points and answer questions simply and directly.
Summarise key points as you go. Engage your audience with occasional questions or by requesting their opinion and input.
Adapt to your audience’s knowledge level and special needs. Show loyalty to and pride in the material and the Department.
3)
Add Value. Enhance the material with local examples or from your own experience and knowledge. Supplement with your
own key points.
4)
Some ‘Don’ts’. Don’t waste time or drag it out. Don’t talk down to your audience. Don’t get onto sidetracks or go up blind
alleys. Don’t get into too much detail on any given point.
Thank you for participating and we are sure you will enjoy delivering this very interesting topic.
Presenters Notes
Page 1
2. Notes for Slides – How they Work
The following notes are intended to augment and add detail to the slides.
• The slides themselves are simply visual prompts – they are not intended to stand alone. They need a commentary and explanation
by an expert presenter.
• There are suggested notes for each slide in simple bullet point format. These cover the basics only of what needs to be explained
about the content of each slide.
• Each slide is a potential story in its own right. Therefore, in keeping with the exercise as a broad overview, notes and explanations
have been restricted to basic definitions and purpose (what and why). It is recommended you stick to this level of detail. However, if
there is an important point missing that will add value; add it to your notes. Use this principle sparingly.
• Considerable value can be added by the presenter by way of local or actual examples which illustrate a point. Use these liberally.
Page 2
Introduction to Natural Heritage
3. Notes for Slides – Introduction
Slide
Notes
Slide 1.
• Opening slide. Explains how to use the online training
Slide 2.
• Introduction slide.
• Biodiversity is a ‘must do’ for biodiversity staff; a ‘can do’ for other staff and also
available for public also.
• Explain times and module content.
Own Notes
4. Module 1: Biodiversity Terms and Concepts
Slide
Notes
Slide 3-6.
Introduction
• Some quick definitions to get the topic moving.
• Expand or explain these as necessary.
o Genetic diversity: diversity of genes within species.
o Species diversity: diversity among species within ecosystems.
o Ecological diversity: diversity at the higher level – larger areas, complex
systems and multiples of species.
• Other explanations/definitions available in Biodiversity Strategy website:
www.biodiversity.govt.nz.
Note: Numbers of species are guesstimates at best. The real numbers are
unknowable, except for a few orders.
Slide 7-9.
Why is biodiversity important?
• Justifies the concept of biodiversity.
Presenters Notes
Own Notes
Page 3
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
• Expand on and give practical examples of each of the points.
o Sustains life: e.g., soil bacteria, oxygen cycle, climate, etc.
o Economic benefits/ecosystem services: Explain the term ‘ecosystem services’.
Resources supplied by or economic activities underpinned by natural
ecosystems, e.g., water supply, pharmaceuticals, tourism, fishing, forestry,
carbon sequestration, etc. People are becoming more aware of the value that
ecosystems provide in supplying services to humankind.
o Heritage value: Enjoyment by their grandchildren, future generations.
o How our world works: earth sciences, climate change, etc.
o Identity: e.g., ‘kiwis’, ‘silver ferns’ makes us distinct.
• International conventions/NZ obligations, e.g., Rio conference, Kyoto, etc.
Slide 10.
Divisions of ecological biodiversity
• Explain the major groupings of biodiversity – gives a broad overview of the subject.
• Add to these by giving a few local examples.
• Do not spend a lot of time on these slides as they are expanded on in later slides explain this.
• Explain natural features. Natural features are abiotic non-living elements. While we
tend to treat them in the same context as biodiversity, strictly speaking they are not
‘biodiversity’. This can be a bit confusing; however it is important as much of our
terrestrial park system was built around preserving natural features such as
volcanoes, scenery, fjords, etc.
• Locations are:
o Terrestrial: Ruahines, Charleston – West Coast, Dunstan Mountains, Campbell
Islands
o Freshwater: Waimakariri, Lake Manapouri, Waikato
o Marine: Great Barrier, Northland, unknown, unknown
o Natural Features: Milford Sound, Bullock Creek, Rotorua, Mt Aspiring, Mt
Taranaki
Slide 11.
The scale of our natural heritage
• To give an overview of the size and context of biodiversity management.
• Explain this will be expanded on in later slides.
• Emphasise size and complexity of the task.
• Information in this slide obtained from DOC website and 2005 Threatened Species
List (published 2007).
Page 4
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
• Note: It can be hard to nail down these numbers; variation will be a result of
interpretation. Treat them as general indicators only and try not to worry about
having them exactly perfect.
Slide 12.
Biodiversity’s scientific foundation
• Gives participants a picture of the disciplines involved – and complexity.
• Note: There are many contributing sciences. Just a few are included here.
• Give examples of some of the local scientists and their specialities, e.g., botanist,
marine ecologist, etc.
Slide 13.
Introduction
• This section introduces the participant to many of the terms and ideas that underpin
biodiversity management.
• They will need to go through this section and gain a thorough grasp in order to
understand the following sections, all of which use these terms and concepts.
Explain this to them.
• Emphasise that biodiversity is a very large and complex subject. We only cover very
superficially the ‘bare bones’ of it.
• Encourage them to study and learn further.
• Note: There are a few relatively new concepts that you may need to specifically
research, e.g., ecological integrity.
Slide 14.
Biogeographic realms
• There are numerous constricts to describe natural systems at an intercontinental
scale. The WWF version is depicted here.
• Ecozones are the largest unit of measurement; ecoregions are the next.
• Ecozone (also known as biogeographic realm) is the largest scale division of the
earth’s surface based on historic and evolutionary distribution of plants and animals.
• There are eight terrestrial zones – as per the map.
• Ecoregion (also known as bioregion) is the next largest and describe district
assemblages of plants and animals.
• There are 825 ecoregions in the WWF system determined primarily by climate (e.g.,
grasslands, rainforests, deserts, etc.)
• A similar system – not so well developed – applies to marine and freshwater.
• Emphasise that New Zealand is part of the Australasian ecozone.
• Wallace Line - a clearly defined breakpoint between Eurasian and ‘Gondwanaland’
Presenters Notes
Page 5
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
fauna (because of a deep ocean barrier). Named after the biologist, Alfred Wallace.
The reason for the uniqueness of much of Australasia’s fauna.
Slide 15.
Biogeographic realms
• Defines some of the major influences on biotic distribution.
• Continental drift: the movement of earth’s continents in relation to each other by
the process of plate tectonics. Over large periods of time continents can
dramatically chance location and alter the distribution of species, e.g., Australia and
South America were once joined as Gondwanaland. Both are the only places on
earth with marsupials.
• Climate change: the variation in the global climate over time – usually in cycles of
cooling and warming. Climate change can alter the range and habitat of species and
create opportunities or barriers to immigration (land bridges, ice barriers, etc.)
• Evolution/speciation: the emergence of new species from the change in inherited
genetic traits over time. ‘Natural selection’ has been identified as the major process
driving evolution.
• Extinction: the cessation of existence of a species. Species become extinct for
many reasons, including competition, predation, catastrophic events, climate
change, habitat loss or change, and disease.
• Migration routes and barriers: routes facilitate movement of species and can be
flyways, land bridges, ocean currents, etc. barriers can be oceans, rivers (for small
species) mountain ranges and hostile habitats.
Slide 16.
Biogeography
• Endemism is a feature of Australasia and particularly New Zealand and Oceania.
o Endemic: kiwi, kokako, - primarily relates to terrestrial animals and plants.
o Native: shining cuckoo, snapper, fur seal, Australasian harrier, short-finned eel,
and albacore tuna. Particularly relates to more recent bird arrivals and marine
animals and plants.
o Exotic: introduced species – many are ecological pests, but not always. Many
exotic species are benign and inhabit urban or agricultural landscapes within
which native species find it difficult to survive, e.g., sparrows, and some perform
important economic services, e.g., bees.
o Indigenous: both endemics and natives can be regarded as indigenous.
Page 6
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Slide 17.
Biogeography – Isolated biota
• Important link to understanding the section on ‘Unique New Zealand’.
o Vulnerability: tendency towards flightlessness (takahe), slow breeding (kakapo)
and with few defensive strategies (saddleback).
o Gigantism: (general rule – smaller animals grow large; larger grow small) e.g.,
moa, fuchsia (world’s only tree fuchsia), olearia (world’s largest daisy), giant weta
(one of the largest insects), Chatham Island parea (larger than mainland pigeon).
o Dwarfism: not apparent in New Zealand. Examples are the Maltese elephant –
the size of a Shetland pony, and the recently identified Homo floresiensis– the
‘hobbit’ of Flores.
o Depauperate: New Zealand has few terrestrial mammals, long-tongues bees and
moths, amphibians, freshwater fish, invertebrates and reptiles.
o Niche replacement: e.g., large birds –replace ungulates as mega herbivores;
kiwi – replace badgers and moles; smaller birds – replace many insects as
pollinators.
• Note: Isolated biota is a terrestrial/freshwater phenomenon – doesn’t apply to
marine systems, these are globally connected.
Slide 18.
Environmental Componenets
• Environments tend to be the ‘abiotic’ – non-living elements – different to ecosystems
which are primarily (but not entirely) living elements.
• 3 major environment types: land, marine and freshwater.
• Environment classifications built around 3 physical ‘drivers’: climate, geology/land
form and soil/water chemical properties.
• Land environmental drivers are:
o Climate: temperature, sunlight, rain/moisture, wind.
o Soil/water chemical properties: drainage, calcium, PH, rock age and hardness,
particle size, chemical deficiencies (e.g., salinity).
o Geology/land form: slope, soil drainage and stability, aspect, cold air drainage.
• Slightly different for freshwater/marine: e.g., suspended sediments, light penetration,
etc.
• Emphasise the ‘connectedness’ of environments – ocean to mountaintop.
Slide 19.
Environmental Classification
• From this concept trace our use of environmental classification systems.
Presenters Notes
Own Notes
Page 7
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
• Expand LENZ and how it is used locally – to identify under-represented
environments, locate unusual habitats or species.
• Explain MEC and FWENZ are under development – similar principles to LENZ.
• MEC covers offshore. Coastal inshore not currently covered by MEC.
• FWENZ has 4 components: rivers, lakes, wetlands and estuaries.
• Give examples of local environments.
• For further information refer to ‘Land Environments of New Zealand’, Manaaki
Whenua/Landcare or look up the LENZ website
www.landcareresearch.co.nz/databases/lenz
Slide 20-21.
Environmental Classification
• Explain how environments are developed using objective data where available.
• Acknowledge and explain limitations, e.g., lack of data in some areas, difficulty in
predicting all biotic ‘drivers’.
• Explain evolutionary improvement over previous rule-based systems such as
‘ecological districts and regions’.
• Explain use in identifying places that are most threatened and most in need of
further protection.
Slide 22.
Ecosystems
• Explain the link with environments, i.e., abiotic (non-living) characteristics of
environments ‘drive’ biotic (living) distribution of species on land and water. Give
some examples:
o Dry conditions = deserts = reptiles and plants that like dryness
o Wet, warm conditions = rain forest = abundant water/warmth-loving creatures
• Ecosystems and their subordinate communities make up the variety (diversity) of life
within environments.
• Explain we will look at the distinctive NZ ecosystems later – under ‘Unique New
Zealand’.
Slide 23-25.
Ecosystems – structure and components
• This slide helps to illustrate how ecosystems are made up.
o Structure: the layering and tiering that goes on in ecosystems.
o Composition: the living species and non-living elements that make up all the
‘bits’ of an ecosystem.
Page 8
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
• Ideally, composition means indigenous but can also include exotic species.
• Explain we will look at forests first.
• Give some examples of a few components, e.g:
o Fauna: pigeon, weta, frogs
o Flora: rimu, ferns, fivefinger, etc.
• Note: The 3rd element ‘Process’ will be looked at separately in slide 14.
• Definitions of everything are not supplied as most are well-known. You may need to
revise definitions if you not totally familiar with them.
Slide 26.
Processes
• Uses forests to demonstrate process – the 3rd element of ecosystems.
• This slide emphasises the dynamism and interaction going on in ecosystems.
• Examples of ‘products’: carbohydrates in leaves (from photosynthesis) available to
animals for food; animal population (from fauna processes); enriched soil (from soil
process) available to plants for food.
• Emphasise how process connects all the components in a dynamic, constantly
changing, living system.
• Explain the fauna and flora processes will be expanded on in slide 21 under
‘communities’.
• Emphasise the complexity of these processes and the fact we know very little about
many of them.
• Note: Many of these processes are only named and may need short definitions,
e.g., photosynthesis – creation of carbohydrates from sunlight; decomposition –
breakdown of organic material.
Slide 27.
Ecosystem processes - disruptive
• Emphasise the instability and dynamic change in many ecosystems.
• Stochastic + random or unexpected.
• Give a local example, e.g., a place recovering from fire or landslide.
o Pioneer: a natural colonisation of, often, bare ground – fast establishing species,
e.g., manuka, herbs and grasses.
o Seral: intermediate stage, e.g., mixed broadleaf, manuka/kanuka shrub land.
Presenters Notes
Page 9
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
o Climax: end stage - full forest components in place, e.g., rimu/rata/hinau forest.
• Note: This is a forest example but similar principles apply to freshwater and marine.
Slide 28.
Freshwater ecosystems
• A second illustration relating to freshwater.
• Very similar, but a little more complex due to the hydrology element.
• Give a few simple examples:
o Fish: galaxids, eels
o Plants: potomagetan, sedges, etc.
o Littoral: margin between water and land
o Benthic: bottom.
• Hydrological processes involve such things as seasonal flow rates (flooding and
drying), movement of solid material and nutrient levels (eutrophication = high
levels).
Slide 29.
Marine ecosystems
• A third illustration for marine – keeps balance between the different types.
• Very similar to freshwater.
• Give local examples.
• Structural terms ‘epipelagic’ through to ‘abyssal’ relate to ‘from shallow to deep’.
Slide 30.
Key marine geological features
• Marine – special features and major processes.
• Special features are self-explanatory – marine tends to be terrestrial in reverse, e.g.,
trench to mountain top.
• Emphasise the major oceanic processes around water movement – currents, eddies
and upwellings – which drive biodiversity and climate.
• Give local examples.
Slide 31.
Ecosystems
• Explain multi-scale concept. Ecosystems can operate at an enormous scale, e.g.,
northern boreal forests, or tiny, e.g., a puddle. However, generally when we talk
about ecosystems we are looking at larger spatial areas.
• Explain how we cannot manage ecosystems unless we understand something of
how they operate as healthy, functioning systems. Basis of ecology as a science.
Page 10
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
• Give an example of knowledge of ecosystems helping management, e.g., removal
of exotic pests; return of a species.
Communities
• Define what a community is, i.e., we generally refer to ecosystems at the larger
scale and communities at a smaller scale.
• Explain some of the species that make up a typical swamp forest community (shown
on the slide) – kahikatea, pukatea; lowland forest birds such as pigeon and kaka;
wetland birds (brown teal, bittern, marsh crake); fish (eels and galaxids); and
invertebrates (caddis fly, mayfly).
• Give some local examples of special ecological communities.
Slide 32.
Presenters Notes
Community composition and process
• Draw comparison with ecosystems – communities have their own components and
processes.
o Functional Guilds: group of species with similar functions, e.g.,
honeyeater/pollinator (tui, bellbird, stitchbird).
o Associations: species that prefer similar conditions, e.g., fuchsia, wineberry
associations.
o Species and populations: see definition, slides 23 and on.
o Trophic levels and food chains: covered in next slide.
o Mutualism: where two species associate and both benefit, e.g., plant/pollinator.
o Parasitism: where two species associate and only one benefits, e.g., grey
warbler/shining cuckoo.
o Consumption: where one organism feeds off another, usually without killing it,
e.g., herbivorous browsing.
o Predation: where one organism feeds off another, usually by killing it.
o Functions: the role or ‘jobs’ of species in any given community.
o Primary producers: mostly plants. Produce their food from raw materials:
sunlight, water, minerals, decomposed matter.
o Consumers: mostly animals but some plants. Get their food by consuming other
organisms. Subsets of consumers are herbivores, omnivores and carnivores.
o Decomposers: extract nutrients from dead organisms or discarded parts (leaves,
branches). The process breaks the remaining matter down so it can be recycled
through the food chain. Mainly fungi, invertebrates and microbes.
• Give examples of each.
Page 11
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
• Emphasise that understanding these processes also helps us manage the
communities.
Slide 33.
Trophic levels
• Food chains are vital to energy transfer through an ecosystem – emphasises
interdependence.
• Explain how the ‘connectedness’ can break down if one element of the food chain is
taken out.
• Illustrates why the mass removal of vegetation is so destructive to biodiversity.
Slide 34-37.
Species
• Sorts organisms so we can understand and manage them. Species is the unit we
primarily use for management of organisms (as opposed to ecosystems).
• Can go below that to subspecies, e.g., North Island and South Island kaka, and
varieties. Usually separated more by geography than genes at subspecies/variety
level.
• Species management is a key element of biodiversity management.
• Evolution operates at the species level, i.e., the gradual changes through adaptation
which result in new species over time.
• DOC staff rarely work above the ‘family’ level – most work at ‘species’ level.
Slide 38.
Species - range
• Range is an important concept with species.
• Give local examples of former range/current range, e.g., little spotted kiwi formerly
widespread on South Island west coast and sounds and southern North Island. Now
restricted to Kapiti Island, Long Island, Motoroa Island, Tiritiri Matangi Island and
Karori Sanctuary.
Note: New Zealand fur seal also has an Australian population.
Slide 39.
Species - population
• Populations normally defined by a geographic boundary.
• Populations regarded as separate if the individuals cannot, or find it difficult to,
interact and breed.
Page 12
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
• Can have meta-populations, i.e., groups of populations, and sub-populations, i.e.,
smaller groups with high degree of interaction between members but less interaction
with wider population.
• Give examples of local populations: e.g., Puketi kokako, Chatham Island parea
(pigeon), Hurunui pittosporum patulum, etc.
• Note: Some populations can be the only population, e.g., Chatham Island parea, or
remnants of survivors from a number of extinct populations, e.g., Codfish Island
kakapo.
Slide 40.
Presenters Notes
Species - population dynamics
• Introduce the notions of ‘healthy’, ‘self-sustaining’ and ‘viable’ populations.
• This slide illustrates what needs to be in place for a population to be considered
‘healthy’.
• Populations also require a certain number of individuals and breeding pairs to be
viable.
o Dispersal: also know as emigration. Individuals, usually young, who leave the
population and attempt to become immigrants into another population.
o Breeding: pairing, mating, nesting, fledging – production of young. The number
of breeding pairs is a critical measure to the health of a population.
o Survival and establishment: the leaving of the family by young to establish their
own territories and become independent. Juveniles are often the most vulnerable
members of the population and juvenile survival is a key measure of success.
o Recruitment: refers to how many individuals reach breeding age and become
established members of the breeding population. Recruitment is a function of
‘existing individuals + immigrants + juveniles – deaths and emigrants’ and
determines whether or not a population increases, is stable or declines.
o Immigration: individuals joining the population from another population or
source. We use translocation to substitute or supplement this process if it doesn’t
occur naturally.
o Age, Class and Sex ratios: the ratio of male/female and juveniles/adults in a
population. Balanced ratios are usually desirable goals in species management.
o ‘k’ selected: means rapid breeders.
o ‘r’ selected: means slow breeders.
Page 13
Slide
Notes
Slide 41.
Species - habitat
• Introduce the idea of ‘sufficient’ and ‘quality’ habitat as being essential for a species.
• Size of populations and the number of populations is limited by the amount of
habitat.
• Size of populations is also limited by the carrying capacity of habitat.
• Carrying capacity – limited by the available resources: food, breeding sites and
shelter, and the extent of competition for those.
• Explain habitat as an animal‘s or plant’s ‘residence’ or place where it earns its living.
• Give local examples of population constrained by habitat carrying capacity.
Slide 42-43.
Species – niche
• Introduce concept of needing to know the species and its needs so we can ensure it
thrives.
o Frugivore = fruit eater
o Insectivore = insect eater
o Omnivore = plant and animal eater
o Carnivore = animal eater
o Herbivore = plant eater
• Species cannot survive if its niche is destroyed or occupied by an exotic pest.
Examples: trout out-competed grayling in the same niche. Grayling became extinct.
Pingao niche (coastal dunes) is being taken over by marram grass.
• Explain ‘niche’ as akin to an animal’s or plant’s ‘role’ or ‘profession’, i.e., what it does
to earn a living.
Slide 44.
Ecological integrity
• Concept of ecological integrity is relatively new – to update on this fully you can
obtain the publication ‘Biodiversity Inventory and Monitoring – a review of national
and international systems and a proposed framework for future biodiversity
monitoring by the Department of Conservation’, William Lee et al. Landcare
Research 2005. This is available as a .pdf file from the Terrestrial Sites Unit RD&I,
based in Southern Regional Office.
• Ecological integrity is explained in section 9.3, page 109.
Page 14
Own Notes
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
• Ecological integrity is similar to biodiversity condition, state or health – looks at
whole systems, but includes species.
• Will be the basis of inventory, monitoring and planning in the future.
Slide 45.
Ecological integrity – environment representation
• Illustrates the equation for defining representation of environments.
How much
was there?
How much
is left?
How much
of that is
protected?
Is that
sufficient?
% of original
% of existing
• Use a local example to illustrate this.
• Can also apply to ecosystem types, communities and habitats.
• Emphasise it helps us set priorities for protection – building the protected area
network.
Slide 46.
Ecological integrity – species occupancy
• This concept can apply nationally, locally or at a particular site.
• Emphasise nationally we are probably towards the low side at the moment.
Slide 47.
Ecological integrity – native dominance
• This concept applies particularly to a place but can be applied at a national scale.
• Illustrates the point of ecosystems – structure, composition and processes.
• Examples:
o Structure: general mapping of vegetation types
o Composition: species lists
o Process: monitoring of events, e.g., fruiting and flowering, fires, mast seasons,
breeding activity, etc.
• Give further examples.
Presenters Notes
Page 15
Slide
Notes
Slide 48.
Threats to biodiversity
o Clearance, development and harvest: e.g., wetland drainage, milling, eel
fishing, etc.
o Pollution and water level change: e.g., wetland drying due to drainage of
surrounding farmland, run off from agricultural fertilizers, discharges into streams.
o Predation: e.g., stoats, cats, rats, magpies, trout, wasps.
o Fire and flood: e.g., natural wildfire not normally an issue unless in an area
greatly reduced in size and vulnerable – will take a long time to recover. Floods
can over sediment streams and wetlands.
o Competition: e.g., weeds displace native plants, South African spiders displace
katipo, and wasps consume honeydew.
o Fragmentation: clearance turns patches into ‘islands’ – reduces carrying
capacity and diversity; increases ‘edge’ and makes more vulnerable to threats.
Strictly speaking, this could be regarded as an outcome of other threats, rather
than a threat in its own right.
• Give local examples.
Slide 49.
Progress Check #1
Own Notes
Progress Check Answers
Question 1: (1) Ecozone; (2) Ecosystem; (3) Community; (4) Niche
Question 2: (a) Endemic – Takahe, kauri; (b) Native – white eye; (c) Exotic – Deer,
trout
Question 3: Gigantism (b); Depauperism (a); Niche replacement (d); vulnerability (c)
Question 4: Environment (a. abiotic); Ecosystem (c. biotic); Habitat (b. species)
Question 5: Structure (a. canopy); Composition (c. fauna); process (b. succession)
Question 6: Trophic level (d. food chain); Niche (a. species ‘role’); Habitat (b.
species ‘home’); Consumers (c. eating other organisms)
Question 7: (1) Kingdom; (2) Order; (3) Family; (4) Genus; (5) Species
Question 8: Recruitment. Emigration/dispersal. Breeding.
Question 9: Representation (c); Species occupancy (a); Indigenous dominance (b)
Question 10: Representation (b); Species occupancy (c); indigenous dominance (a)
Question 11: Logging; Illegal fishing; Pollution
Page 16
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Presenters Notes
Notes
Own Notes
Page 17
5. Module 2: Unique New Zealand
Slide
Notes
Slide 3-4.
Gondwana Inheritance
• This section tells the ‘story’ of New Zealand from start to the present. It introduces
the origins of New Zealand and is the basis for what makes New Zealand
‘different’.
• The Gondwana story is well-known, but will still be interesting to many.
• Emphasise the magnitude of changes over time and how the rise and fall of the
land connected places in the past, e.g., Nelson to Taranaki.
• The movement comes from plate tectonics and continental drift.
Slide 5.
Gondwanian Inheritance
• Explain ‘original’ inhabitants – those that moved with the land. Most distinctive and
unique.
• Later arrivals became less distinctive the later they arrived.
• Natural colonisation still continuing – e.g., spur wing plover – these are regarded
as ‘native’.
• Missing biota makes New Zealand particularly unique – the largest land mass
where terrestrial mammals are virtually absent.
• Quote David Attenborough’s ‘Life of Birds’ – “New Zealand is a window into the
world that might have been if mammals had never evolved.”
Slide 6.
Shaping of New Zealand’s environments
• Illustrate New Zealand’s place in the southern ocean.
• Point out the Kermadec and Tonga trenches and the Chatham Rise.
• Emphasise richness of marine location and uniqueness of terrestrial due to
isolation.
• Items given are a few examples only – add others if appropriate.
• The convergence of warm and cold currents gives New Zealand its unique marine
diversity.
Slide 7.
Shaping of New Zealand’s environments
• Some illustrations of how New Zealand’s marine ecosystems developed –
characterised by diversity and super-abundance.
• New Zealand is a marine ‘superpower’ 80% of our biodiversity is in our marine
Page 18
Own Notes
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
environment – the fourth largest EEZ in the world, e.g., half of the dolphin and
whale species in the world occur in New Zealand waters.
• New Zealand is also the seabird capital of the world; it is a breeding ground for 84
species (one-quarter of the world’s total).
Slide 8.
Shaping of New Zealand’s environments
• Illustrates some of the forces that have created our distinct natural features.
o Volcanism: created the central North Island mountains, lakes and the
volcanic plateau. Bank’s Peninsula is an example in the South Island.
o Faulting and mountain building: Southern Alps and northern axial ranges a
result of subducting of the Pacific plate (east) under the Australian plate (west)
creating uplift and high mountain ridges. Three major features of this are the
Hikurangi Trench (*off the North Island east coast), the Alpine Fault (Southern
Alps) and the Puysegur margin (off west Southland coast).
o Erosion and outwash: from the hills and mountains creates the wide plains,
e.g. Canterbury, Manawatu and Southland plains.
o Islands: the changing sea levels create a long, complex coastline with
numerous islands and a large continental shelf of relatively shallow water.
o Glaciation: a major sculptor of the New Zealand landscape, especially the
South Island. Creates a whole range of features such as fiords, cirques, lakes
and terminal moraines, e.g., Fiordland.
o Kaast limestone: created from formerly submerged seabeds containing shells
of fossil creatures. Good examples in Paparoa National Park and Waitomo
area.
o Drowned valleys: coastline that was once river valleys prior to sea level rise,
which resulted in the valley floors being drowned, e.g., Marlborough Sounds,
Bay of Islands.
• Give local examples where appropriate.
Slide 9-10.
Climate
• Climate is a major factor in determining the nature of our biodiversity.
o Cold Southland current: brings cold water from the southern oceans – a
highly productive system
o Warmer northern current: brings in an element of tropical diversity from the
islands to the north.
o Prevailing westerly winds: create wetter conditions in the west and dryer in
Presenters Notes
Page 19
Slide
Notes
o
o
o
o
the east.
Oceanic location: moderates the climate. Few examples of extreme
conditions such as deserts or tundra.
Long coastline: the long, irregular coastline is a major feature providing a
wide range of coastal habitats and much interaction between land and sea
(e.g., seabird colonies nesting on inland mountains, seabirds using braided
riverbeds). 15,134km of coastline.
Axial ranges: acts with westerly winds to create rain shadows, i.e., dryness
on the eastern sides of the ranges.
Long, thin profile of the land: results in the land spanning a wide range of
longitudinally - 14º of longitude for 3 main islands).
Slide 11-12.
Isolation and its affect on New Zealand biota
• New Zealand is the largest land mass on earth to be completely isolated. Other
large islands, e.g., Madagascar, Borneo, Sumatra, have been close enough to
continents for regular colonisation by the full range of animals to occur at intervals.
• Refer back to slides 35 and 36 ‘Biodiversity terms and concepts’, which explained
endemism, gigantism, depauperism, vulnerability and niche replacement.
• Gigantism – some examples:
o Olearia: world’s largest daisy.
o Giant weta: compete with 2 other beetles in Australia and South America for
title of ‘world’s largest insect’.
o Rewarewa: world’s largest protea.
o Takahe: world’s largest rail.
• Depauperism: mammals – only a few freshwater fish, 3 species of bat; and 2
amphibians.
Slide 13-16.
Niche void and replacement
o Mega herbivores: ungulates (deer, cattle, antelope), marsupials, and other
large-bodied mammals are the prime herbivores on continents. Large birds in
the form of moa and takahe were the only large-bodied herbivores in ancient
New Zealand.
o Pollinators: insects are major pollinators on continents. The lack of longtongued bees and moths means birds and reptiles were the major pollinators
in New Zealand.
Page 20
Own Notes
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
Ground predators: the weka and 3 species of raptor were the main predators
of the larger animals. Continents are full of ground predators such as
mustelids, felines, rodents and canines – all absent in New Zealand.
Endemism
Note: Endemism is a feature of terrestrial biota in new Zealand – less so in marine
biota.
Vulnerability
o Browsing: New Zealand flora has evolved few defences against browsing,
e.g., leaf chemicals. Exception: heteroblasty (unpalatable juvenile forms) was
a possible response to moa browsing, e.g., lancewood, kahikatea.
o Ground predators: many birds, reptiles and mega invertebrates are unable to
exist in presence of invasive species – slower moving and slow breeders and
they lack natural wariness.
o Invasive plants: slow growth of many New Zealand plants means they are
susceptible to being displaced by more aggressive continental species.
o Fire: few examples in New Zealand of fire adaptation. Slow growing flora
means slow recovery from fire. Many plants have fire accelerant properties,
(e.g., kauri – resinous) without the regenerative adaptation eucalypts have.
o
Slide 17.
Presenters Notes
Old New Zealand - marine fauna
Emphasises the scale and richness of what would have been an extremely
productive and diverse marine ecosystem.
• New Zealand has a huge marine zone (3.8 million ha of EEZ) with a lot of variety
in its long coastline (15,000 km) spanning a wide range longitudinally and with
many islands (approximately 700).
o Seabird colonies: huge seabird colonies extended well inland, often onto
mountain sides as far inland as the Waikato volcanic cones. NZ is home to 84
species of seabirds (one-quarter of the world population) including 14 of 21
species of albatross.
o Estuaries and coastline: features drowned harbours (Bay of Islands, Akaroa,
Kaipara) estuaries (Firth of Thames) and spits (Farewell Spit). Give other local
examples. These are extremely productive habitats for waders and seabirds.
o Marine mammal colonies: New Zealand fur seals and sea lions historically
inhabited the whole coastline – many colonies were of immense proportions,
numbering millions of animals.
Page 21
Slide
Notes
o
o
o
Slide 18.
Page 22
Own Notes
Abundance of pelagic fish: pelagic = open ocean. Typical large pelagic fish
are marlin and tuna. Fuelled by enormous abundance of smaller pelagic
school fish (e.g., pilchards, jack mackerel).
Abundance of inshore fish: rocky reefs and close to shore resulted in very
large shellfish beds (toheroa, pipi, scallops, toheroa) and highly productive
inshore and reef systems (schnapper, kahawai, etc.)
Whale congregations and immigrations: populations of whale in New
Zealand waters were likely to have been in the vicinity of 50,000 to several
hundred thousands for each species, depending on the size and habitat needs
of the species. This would have meant massive congregations in sheltered
harbours during calving and immense numbers following traditional
immigration routes to Tonga. Dolphin and other marine mammals would have
had similarly huge populations.
Old New Zealand – terrestrial ecosystems
• New Zealand was essentially a forested country pre human, except for limited
areas of recent volcanic activity on the North Island volcanic plateau and in high
country above the tree line.
o Northern kauri forest: extended as far south as Waikato/Bay of Plenty.
Characterised by stands of immense kauri trees up to 80m tall and 20m girth.
Mixed with tall podocarp and broadleaf such as puriri and taraire.
o Central and west coast podocarp forest: vast, wet, dense tall forest
dominated by rata, rimu, totara and matai and mixed with broadleaf such as
kamahi and tawa. Emergent rimu and totara up to 60m in height.
o Eastern dryer podocarp forest: less dense and intersected by wetlands or
shrub areas regenerating from natural fires. Dominated by totara, matai and
kahikatea on the plains in the North Island and western South Island. Higher
South Island areas (now in grassland) dominated by Halls totara, beech and
broadleaf. There is some evidence of the eastern dry forest already beginning
to be reduced by fire as long ago as 2000 years.
o Central and southern beech forest: huge stretches of beech. Red, silver and
hard beech at lower levels and black and mountain beech at higher levels.
Honeydew communities a feature, especially in the South Island, provided a
rich nectar source.
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
o
o
Slide 19.
Presenters Notes
Own Notes
Grasslands, shrub lands and herb fields: primarily in central North Island
and in both islands above the tree line. Expanses of tussock and snowgrasses
with shrub patches in less exposed areas merging into high herb and fell
fields. Probably much less grassland than in modern times – much of our
current tussock grasslands is ‘induced’ by historical fire and has never
recovered.
Alpine zones: over the last 10,000 years these have been similar to what they
are today, though probably with more and larger glaciers.
Old New Zealand – freshwater ecosystems
• Being a wet country, freshwater systems were a special feature of old New
Zealand.
o Braided rivers: slow moving and meandering braided rivers were more typical
of the Hawkes Bay and South Island east coast (e.g., Waimakariri and
Rakaia). These were important sites for seabird nesting (e.g., gulls, stilts and
plover). New Zealand is one of the very few (5) countries in the world with
significant braided river systems (USA, Canada, India, China, New Zealand)
o Wetlands: huge areas of wetlands (swamp, mires, bogs) were typical of old
New Zealand. Most of these wetlands were within forested areas – quite
different to today. Virtually every patch of low lying, poorly drained land was a
wetland (defined as areas of permanent or temporary inundation). These
ranged from vast flax and reed beds (e.g., Foxton area) to peat bogs
(Waikato) and cold mires (Southland). Wetlands probably covered up to a
million hectares (including swamp forest – see below).
o Swamp forest: tracts of permanent tall trees in moist areas with temporary
inundation, usually during winter and flood periods. Swamp forest was
dominated by tall kahikatea and pukatea, maire and cabbage trees. The
Waikato, West Coast and Heretaunga, Manawatu and Southland plains had
fine examples of extensive swamp forest.
o Lakes: New Zealand has approximately 4500 lakes. They vary in character
from large deep lakes (e.g., Taupo, Wakatipu) which tend to be less
productive, to the more shallow and highly productive (e.g., Wairarapa and
Ellesmere) with every possible permutation in between and variable in size
from huge to small and in location from mountain tarns to dune lakes.
o Fast rivers: fast running, high volume rivers such as Waikato, Whanganui,
Page 23
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
Buller and Haast were a feature of the landscape, especially in the western
catchments.
Slide 20.
Page 24
Old New Zealand – terrestrial flora
• Illustrates some of the distinctiveness of New Zealand flora.
• Emphasise floral link to Gondwana, e.g., kowhai found in Chile, southern beech
found in Tasmania and Chile.
• NZ Conifers and Podocarps:
o Kauri: possibly the world’s most massive land organism. A giant kauri,
Kairaru, in Tutumoi Range east of Dargaville was measured at 20m (66ft)
girth, 31m (100ft) to first branch and 86m (280ft) to crown top = 25% more
biomass than largest the Californian sequoia. Lost in forest fires around the
turn of the century. Part of the araucarian pine family – also represented in
Australia and the Pacific Islands.
o Rimu, kahikatea, miro, matai: large podocarps related to Indonesian
Dipterocarps. Unusual as fruiting conifers (most conifers have seeds/cones,
e.g., kauri) these were found throughout the whole country. Highly productive
fruiting, dioecious plants (i.e., sexes on different trees) and have mast seasons
(heavy fruiting every 3 to 5 years). Produce hundreds of kilograms of fruit in
good years. Also include matai and totara and various ‘silver’ pines.
• Nothofagus – southern beech: huge tracts of beech occur in central North
Island and South Island. Also highly productive ecosystem driven by mast seed
fall and honeydew. Related to Australian and Chilean beech.
• Broadleaf forest: kowhai – national icon for nectar-bearing flowers; member of
legume family. Hinau – highly productive flowering (nectar) and seed (hinau seed
made into nutritious bread by Maori). Other typical widespread broadleaf species
include tawa, rewarewa, hinau, kamahi, rata, pukatea (wet areas), maire, fuchsia,
coprosma, pittosporum, etc., and, in the north, puriri and taraire.
Special plants:
• Tell selected stories of some of the unique New Zealand plants.
o Hebe: endemic New Zealand family. 35 species. Noted for flowers and now a
popular garden plant.
o Divaricating shrubs: plants which are twiggy and have leaves turned
inwards. Thought to be a defence against moa browsing, e.g., meulenbeckia
astonii, or an adaptation to cold.
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
• Expand these with other local examples and selected additional items.
Slide 21.
Old New Zealand - terrestrial fauna
• Illustrates some of the distinctiveness of New Zealand fauna.
o Flightless birds: these are well-known.
o Large unusual invertebrates: giant weta - one of three largest known
insects. Giant land snails – carnivorous and large, e.g., kauri snail. Peripetus –
left over from Gondwana – ‘missing link’ between worms and arthropods
(spiders, etc.) also known as ‘velvet worm’. Live on forest floor in rotting logs.
o Unusual reptiles and amphibians: tuatara – ancient living fossil. Pre-dates
the dinosaurs and has its own order: ‘sphenodon’. Geckos – New Zealand
geckos bear live young. Many are plant pollinators. Frogs – New Zealand
leiopelma frogs highly distinctive. One of only two types of frog who bear live
young. Live in streams and bush rather than ponds and lakes and make no
sound.
o Migratory fish: New Zealand was noted for the immense abundance of these.
New Zealand eels: migrate to breeding areas in the pacific – near Tonga.
Breed only once in their lives. Galaxids: include all the whitebait species –
inanga, kokapu, etc. also include the extinct grayling, which was the largest of
the galaxids (up to 450mm in length). Extinct possibly because of competition
from trout. Galaxids breed in estuaries and the fry migrate upriver in spring as
‘whitebait’.
Slide 22.
Old New Zealand – terrestrial fauna
o Forest birds: New Zealand forest birds were noted for their great abundance.
Included honey eaters (tui, bellbird, hihi) and wattlebirds (huia, kokako,
saddleback). Pigeon and kaka also contributed with size and noise and huge
spectacular flocks.
o Mainland seabird colonies: evidence exists of the presence of very large
seabird colonies well inland, e.g., Waikato volcanoes, Rimutaka/Tararua
ranges and Kaikouras (plus many others). Remnants of these still exist in the
Kaikouras. These would have enhanced plant growth and mainland fertility
through guano. The harbours and estuaries supported vast flocks of migrating
shorebirds, e.g., Paerengarenga, Firth of Thames, Farewell Spit, Akaroa and
Presenters Notes
Page 25
Slide
Notes
o
others. Tuatara often associated with these colonies, feeding off carrion and
the insects the seabirds encouraged and living in their burrows. Kea also
preyed on these colonies. Large penguin rookeries were widespread around
most of the coasts, especially in the colder south. These would have rivalled
those colonies still existing in the subantarctic islands.
Productive wetlands: highly productive wetlands would have supported
many waterbirds – grey duck, shoveler, teal, pukeko, dabchick, etc., and birds
favouring damp areas – banded rail, marsh crake, fernbird, etc. also home to
many fish and invertebrates.
Slide 23-25.
Old New Zealand special events
• Periodically, great and spectacular natural displays would have occurred around
New Zealand.
o Flowerings: periodic, spectacular flowering (December/January) of rata trees
and mistletoe (forest) and pohutukawa (coast) turned the forests bright red.
Kowhai (spring) and mistletoe also provided yellow splashes.
o The dawn and dusk chorus: still possible to hear in places like Little Barrier
Island. Deafening chorus of chimes and other calls. Daily event.
o Whale migrations: thousands of right, humpback and blue whales would
migrate up each coast each autumn to breeding grounds near Tonga. Many
harbours would be full of them as they fed and rested.
o Other special events already alluded to include mistletoe flowering, seabird
and fish migration and beech and podocarp masting.
Slide 26-27.
Fraying of the tapestry
• This can be a somewhat depressing section after ‘Old New Zealand’. Don’t dwell
on it too much, especially as the story is well-known. Try to explain some of the
less well-known facts and match the audience mood.
o New Zealand: the last large habitable land mass to be colonised by humans.
o Maori arrival: thought to be approximately 700 years ago, although quite
possible that there were earlier arrival events, some of which may not have
endured.
o Introduction of first mammal pests. Some evidence exists (Holdaway and
Worthy) of the arrival of kiore here as long ago as 2000 years. Possibly arrived
with early Polynesian visitors who failed to establish. Their arrival would have
triggered a nationwide plague that cleared the land of many smaller bird,
Page 26
Own Notes
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
reptile and invertebrate species.
Polynesians hunted vulnerable species: flightless birds were hunted out
and seals eliminated from the North Island.
o Extensive burning occurred: particularly in the east coast/Hawkes
Bay/Wairarapa and Canterbury plains/high country and around the coasts
generally. Approximately 25% of forests removed during this time. The
process probably exacerbated by climate change – drying out of eastern
forests making them highly susceptible to natural, intentional and accidental
fires.
• Maori were not any more damaging than other human populations. The effects
were no different to other places around the world where humans colonised,
including North America, Europe and Australia – just more recent!
• These changes were major and catastrophic, although probably relatively gradual
– occurring over 400 to 500 years, a very long time in New Zealand terms. They
resulted in features such as mass erosion, induced native grass and fern lands
and denser wet forests following removal of mega herbivores.
• Over time Maori introduced ‘wise use’ practices such as tapu and rahui to reduce
their impact and preserve resources and developed a strong affinity with the land
and nature.
o
Slide 28.
Presenters Notes
Opening the door to everywhere
Human impacts – European settlement
o European arrivals: Tasman (never landed) and Cook. It is likely Norway or
ship rats came ashore from Cook’s vessels and started the second great
rodent plague. He also released pigs and goats on various islands for
marooned seamen. Cook was the first to take logs from Great Barrier and
Coromandel.
o Sealers and whalers: virtually exterminated the remaining fur seal colonies in
New Zealand waters. Continued the release of goats and rats. Whalers active
in New Zealand from early in the 19th century.
o Settlers: settlement began in earnest in early 19th century with massive land
clearance and, later, wetland drainage. Logging was the major industry during
the 19th century – New Zealand forests would have appeared to be an
‘endless, dark, dank wilderness wasteland’ to early settlers.
o Mammal pests: introduced progressively, both accidentally (rats) and
Page 27
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
intentionally (goats – food; deer – hunting; possum – fur; rabbits – hunting;
stoats, ferrets and weasels – to control the rabbits!) largely during the 19th
century (see later slide).
• Overall, this change was even more catastrophic and far more rapid than Maori
occupation.
Slide 29-30.
Extinctions
• New Zealand biota is characterised by the high level of extinction (figures in the
slide as post 1840). It is difficult to get figures on pre-1840 extinctions because of
data deficiencies; however it is likely there were about twice as many.
• First wave: exterminated during Polynesian settlement period.
o Haast eagle: moa hunting eagle – one of the largest raptors known.
o Moa: numerous species from smaller upland and forest moa to larger birds
who inhabited more open forests on the east coasts.
o Adzebill: heavy ground-dwelling bird distinctive to New Zealand.
• Second wave: exterminated since European settlement.
o Huia: last recorded sighting in Gollan’s valley, Wellington, circa 1907.
o Snipe, thrush, bush wren, laughing owl: all lost from the mainland in the
19th century. Snipe and bush wren became extinct after invasion of Big South
Cape Island by rats in 1962.
o Grayling: only known fish to become extinct. Last seen in 1950s.
o A few examples: others include greater short-tailed bat, Stephens Island
wren.
• Concern for the future of New Zealand wildlife was being expressed as early as
1850/60 by such people as Ernst Dieffenbach, an early scientist/explorer.
Slide 31.
Range retraction3 and low densities
• The other consequence, often understated because of the number of extinctions,
has been catastrophic range retraction, resulting in numerous threatened and
vulnerable species, many critically so.
• Some of these were rapid and major (e.g., fur seal) – others slower and more
creeping (e.g., kokako).
• Range retraction continues with many mainland-based species (e.g., kaka, kiwi).
Page 28
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Slide 32.
Exploitation
• Industrial-scale exploitation of indigenous natural resources continued until quite
recent times and remains in some cases (e.g., fishing).
• Resource Management Act a major landmark in controlling the exploitation of
indigenous natural resources.
Slide 33.
Invasive animal pests
• Emphasise ubiquitousness of exotic animals, i.e., everywhere in contrast to native
spp.
• Last point should be emphasised otherwise slide is self-explanatory and needs
little additional explanation. Take care not to labour this (and next slide) too much.
Slide 34.
Spread of invasive weeds
• As for previous slide. Emphasise last point.
• Slide is largely self-explanatory. Be careful not to labour this one too much as
well.
Slide 35-36.
Today’s land and landscapes
• Be sensitive to your audience being totally depressed by this time so don’t dwell
on or labour this slide. It largely stands alone and tells its own story.
Slide 37.
Island refugees
• This can be put forward as the ‘good news’ part of the story. Not all has been lost
and our islands have proven to be ‘genetic banks’ or ‘lifeboats’ from which many
desperately threatened species have been steadily improving their status.
• They have been the springboard for a now world-famous conservation effort and
the inspiration to ‘halt the decline’ on the mainland.
Presenters Notes
Own Notes
Page 29
Slide
Notes
Slide 38.
Biodiversity hotspots
• Purpose of this slide is to emphasise why we need to manage biodiversity, given
that some may question why we should bother if the stock is so degraded and the
job is so big and difficult.
• Reiterate reasons in slide 5 ‘Why is biodiversity important?”. This slide also
indicates we have an international responsibility to maintain our biodiversity as
signatories to the Convention on Biodiversity.
Slide 39.
Biodiversity management
• This section is a quick recap tour of a selection of notable events in New Zealand
biodiversity and conservation history.
• Important for people to recognise, and appreciate and honour, the work that has
gone before and the achievements to date, which are considerable and have, over
time, built an international reputation for New Zealand.
• This section is well told in more detail in the book ‘Our Islands, Our Selves – A
History of Conservation in New Zealand’, David Young. University of Otago Press
2004.
o 1860s: first warnings regarding trouble for indigenous species came from
people like Ernst Dieffenbach and JFW Wohlers. Others could also see the
disappearance of New Zealand fauna while continuing to ‘collect’ them, e.g.,
Buller, Reischek. Most of this opinion was overwhelmed by a settlement and
exploitation frenzy and an attitude that New Zealand species were ‘inferior’
and doomed to be supplanted by more vigorous ‘northern’ species.
o Tongariro: one of the world’s earliest national parks after Yellowstone (1874)
and Canadian parks (1880s). Gifted by Tuwharetoa.
o Island reserves: the formation of island sanctuaries in the 1890s was a world
first and showed great vision. Resolution Island was designated the first
‘sanctuary’ in 1891, with Richard Henry later appointed its curator. Resolution
proved unsuitable due to its proximity to the mainland. Little Barrier,
compulsorily acquired from Ngati Wai, was designated a nature reserve in
1897 following lobbying by Henry Wright. Still had cats and kiore on it. Kapiti
Island designated a reserve in 1897 after lobbying by Buller and protests by
Page 30
Own Notes
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
Ngati Toa who still have a presence on the island.
1890-1900: first practical conservation. Richard Henry. Appointed curator of
Resolution Island, Henry attempted translocations of kiwi, kakapo and other
birds to the island. In the end predators arrived to thwart his efforts but he
attempted the first serious predator control with stoat trapping. Later he
became ranger on Kapiti Island and is thought to have introduced little spotted
kiwi to the island – thereby proving to be the saviour of the species. Little
management of reserves was actually done in the early days and Kapiti was
infested with goats and, later, possums, cats and rats, which meant its value
was diminished.
o 1894: Lands Act. This Act set up the first forest reserves under the Lands
Department. Earlier, Mount Taranaki (1880) had been protected for catchment
purposes. The concept of reserved lands was quite novel at the time.
o 1900: further parks and reserves. Egmont National Park (1900) and Arthur’s
Pass (1929) were designated national parks and more forest reserves, which
would later become National Parks, were set aside. Much of this activity was
to preserve ‘scenery’ and ‘enjoyment’ rather than specifically biodiversity and
was in areas less suitable for agriculture. This is why we have an abundance
of mountains and high country forest in our Protected Area Network to this
day. National Parks Division of Lands and Survey later became part of DoC.
Repairing the Tapestry – the past
o 1914: formation of Forest and Bird Protection Society. First incorporated lobby
group advocating for nature. Formed by Captain Sanderson and proved to be
a major force in years to come, although initially quite small.
o 1921: Forest Act. Formed the New Zealand Forest Service. While primarily a
harvest and economic group, there was now a government agency with
jurisdiction over large areas of native forest and from which the ‘environmental
forestry’ groups later grew. Later to become a part of DoC.
o 1931 and on: major concern over the huge impact of deer and goat browsing
resulted in the first deer culling, which later grew into a major activity.
Conducted by the Internal Affairs Department and the New Zealand Forest
Service, the deer cullers became a New Zealand icon. Eventually resulted in
the Wild Animal Control (WAC) Act.
o 1945: Wildlife division of Internal Affairs formed. Initially small and with a
variety of responsibilities (e.g., acclimatisation and protection of exotic species
o
Presenters Notes
Page 31
Slide
Notes
o
o
o
o
o
o
Page 32
Own Notes
such as trout) it had responsibility for some wild animal control, island
sanctuaries and protection of indigenous species. Later became part of DoC.
1942-60: expansion of national parks. A period when nine further national
parks were formed. This was a period where tramping clubs became highly
influential in advocating for additional parks and protected areas and when the
‘outdoor recreation’ ethic expanded in New Zealand.
1945: rediscovery of takahe. An event that created world-wide interest.
Rediscovered in the Murchison Mountains, Fiordland, by Dr Geoffrey Orbell
after being presumed extinct for almost 100 years.
1964: Invasion of Big South Cape Island. One of the Titi (Muttonbird) Islands
off Stewart Island. Formerly mammal free and home to the last surviving
populations of South Island saddleback, New Zealand snipe and bush wren.
Rats invaded from mutton bird boats and the effects of an invasion could be
observed. Within12 months the collapse of birdlife was catastrophic and
Wildlife Service staff attempted a desperate ‘cold turkey’ translocation of the
saddleback, snipe and wren to another nearby, rat free, island. The South
Island saddleback survived and thrives to this day on a number of islands but,
tragically, the snipe and wren were lost. This event triggered an urgent
programme to develop capture and translocation techniques and establish
‘back up’ populations on other islands. This eventually led to the whole ‘safe
island’ strategy.
1969: Save Manapouri. This created a major national environmental
movement around preventing the raising of Lake Manapouri for power
generation. Environmental groups such as Forest and Bird, Greenpeace and
the Native Forest Action Council all emerged stronger from this event.
1971: Ramsar convention. Named after Ramsar, a city in India, this was an
international convention that identified and sought to protect key aquatic areas
around the world (primarily wetlands and wader habitat. New Zealand became
an official party in 1976 and now has 6 Ramsar sites: Waituna lagoon
(Southland); Farewell Spit (Nelson); Whangamarino (Waikato); Kopuatai Peat
dome; Firth of Thames (Waikato Conservancy) and Manawatu River estuary
(Wanganui Conservancy). More information on DoC website: www.doc.govt.nz
and Ramsar website: www.ramsar.org.
1971-75: The Marine Reserve Act was passed in 1971 and led to the
establishment of New Zealand’s first marine reserve at Goat Island, Leigh.
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
o
o
o
o
Presenters Notes
Own Notes
Primarily due to the efforts of Dr Bill Ballantyne who worked hard for the cause
of marine reserves and overcame considerable local opposition. Established a
model for the subsequent development of further marine reserves – now
numbering 27 and covering approx. 2.5 million hectares. Leigh is now an
Auckland icon.
1979: Black robin recovery. The now legendary story of how Don Merton and
his team brought the black robin back from almost below the trapdoor to the pit
of extinction made conservation and species recovery big news and
established New Zealand as leader in ‘from the edge’ species recovery. New
intensive species management techniques were developed during this project,
e.g., cross-fostering.
1987: first major island rat eradication. A joint venture between DoC and
Landcare. Field workers and researchers had experimented with rat poison to
control or eradicate rats on islands as early as the late 1970s, mostly on tiny
areas and with promising results. In addition, there had been at least 5
‘accidental eradications’ since 1960 (Maria Island (1ha)). In 1987, after an
earlier successful trial on a smaller neighbouring island (Hawea), a project to
eradicate Norway rats on Breaksea Island (170ha) succeeded brilliantly and
led to a string of successful eradications, culminating in the largest ever –
11,000ha Campbell Island in 2003. Techniques evolved from bait stations to
aerial and have received world acclaim.
1987: DoC formed. The Department was formed by the passing of the
Conservation Act in 1987 and created through a merger of the National
Parks/Reserves portion of the Lands and Survey Department, the
Environmental Forestry Division of the New Zealand Forest Service and the
Wildlife Division of Internal Affairs. This resulted in one of the most unified
conservation management structures in the world. In conjunction with this was
the allocation of Crown lands, with most native forest lands being placed under
DoC protection and management.
1990: Mainland Islands. Born at Mapara in the King Country. The first
intensive management on the mainland intended to protect a declining
population of kokako by continuously managing mammal pests, especially
predators. This was the first major attempt to do intensive restoration on the
mainland and spawned a whole new approach to conservation management,
taking it beyond ‘island safe-houses’ and, eventually, to ‘ecosystem
Page 33
Slide
Notes
o
o
o
o
Slide 40.
Own Notes
management’.
1990s: aerial control. While poison had been dropped from aircraft for rabbit
control and other purposes many years earlier, it was the 1990s that saw the
development and major ramping up of this vital and highly successful
technique. Initially introduced in response to major forest collapse evident in
the central North Island, West Coast and, especially, Northland, it became
widespread when TB control became a national issue and DoC joined forces
with the Animal Health Board (AHB) as part of the National Possum Control
Authority (NPCA). Millions of hectares are now routinely treated by aerial
application annually and major forest collapse appears to have been arrested.
1991: New Zealand Forest Accord – an agreement between a coalition of
environmental NGOs (led by Forest and Bird and the Maruia Society) and
native forest owners and users. Resulted in the effective protection of
hundreds of thousands of hectares of privately owned native forest – much of
which had been targeted for wood chipping/clearance for exotic plantings. This
accord still stands.
1995: First fenced areas. Fences had been proposed as a control method for
some time with moderate results. In 1994 DoC joined forces with the Karori
Sanctuary to assist them to develop their ambitious predator-proof fence in the
middle of Wellington city – as hostile a test as could be imagined. The fence
was built in 1999 and has been an outstanding success, safely protecting the
most sensitive of animals and plants and spawning a whole raft of similar
fenced private areas and community enthusiasm for conservation.
2000: Biodiversity Strategy. Launched to address New Zealand’s obligations
under the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Strategy injected over $50m
annually into conservation and was the first step in a sector-wide approach to
conservation. The theme of the Strategy was to ‘halt the decline’ of
biodiversity.
Progress Check #2
Progress Check Answers
Question 1: Tuatara; Giant weta
Question 2: Faulting & earthquakes; Glaciation
Question 3: Abundance and variety; Huge seabird colonies
Page 34
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
Question 4:
Question 5:
Question 6:
Question 7:
Question 8:
Question 9:
Question 10:
Question 11:
(a) Kauri forest; (b) Braided riverbeds, swamp forest; (c) Arid deserts
Hebe; Podocarp
Migratory galaxids; Giant land snails; Flightless birds
The dawn chorus; The flowering of the rata
(a) Adzebill; (b) Grayling, bush wren; (c) Blue duck
(a) Kiore, goats; (b) Wasps; (c) Honey bees
Titi Island; Kermadec islands
1914 – Forest and Bird Protection Society formed; 1945 –
Rediscovery of the takahe; 1894 – Lands Act; 1887 – First National
Park
Question 12: 1987 – DOC formed; 1991 – Forest Accord; 1969 – Save Manapouri
Campaign; 1971 – Ramsar Convention
Presenters Notes
Page 35
6. Module 3: Repairing the Tapestry
Slide
Notes
Slide 3-4.
Our mandate
• Emphasise DoC can only act within its legislative mandate, i.e., must have legal
authority.
• Subjective as to which are major. Emphasise the range of legislation.
• DoC’s main mandate (i.e., validating its existence) stems from the Conservation Act
1987.
Slide 5.
DOC’s constraints
• Emphasise DoC’s activities limited to what it can do with the available funds.
• Biodiversity = 52% of DoC funding. Other funds spent on visitors, historic,
community, kaupapa atawhai, etc.
• DoC biodiversity spending = about 0.1% of total New Zealand gross national
product.
• Allocation of funds is done through annual business planning process.
Slide 6.
Statement of Intent
• Emphasise SOI covers all DoC operations, not just biodiversity.
• Provides the shorter term direction (3 years) within an overall outcome framework.
• Outcomes – long term ‘ends’ or goals.
• Intermediate outcomes = second level grouping, which together make up the
outcome.
• Important! Relate each intermediate outcome to the biodiversity concepts in part
one: representation, managed places (ecosystems), threatened species (species
and populations) and biosecurity (threats).
• Outputs – services supplied to achieve the outcomes.
• Activities within these are explained later in this presentation.
Slide 7-10.
How DOC is organised to manage biodiversity
• A review of biodiversity roles.
Page 36
Own Notes
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
• Explain role of your location and specific roles of specific people.
Slide 11-15.
NHMS How DOC can better manage biodiversity
• A snapshot of how NHMS should work. Still under development, this system is a
goal the Department is working towards in the longer term.
• All new developments and practices are designed to fit into this framework.
• Many elements of this have already been incorporated in the Department’s work.
Slide 16.
Managing representation
• Remind audience of the concept of representation in Biodiversity Terms and
Concepts.
• Emphasise tie-up with legislation, e.g., national parks - National Parks Act; forest
and conservation parks – Conservation Act; nature, scenic and scientific reserves –
Reserves Act; marine reserves – Marine Reserves Act.
• Give local examples of each type of protection.
Note: Only a small amount (3%) of marine is near shore on the 2 main islands. Most is
around the Kermadec and Auckland islands.
Slide 17.
Managing representation - Protection beyond DOC
• Emphasise much biodiversity is protected ‘off estate’. Amount unknown but
probably several million hectares. There is approx. 5,000,000ha of native cover not
under DoC protection and most of this will have some form of actual or incidental
protection.
• Much QEII and private land protected is in the lowlands where DoC estate is underrepresented.
• Private reserves and covenants are significant and include the Forest Accord lands
– hundreds of thousands of hectares.
• Give local examples of each.
Slide 18.
Managing representation – Selecting places for protection
• Emphasise there is some logic in selecting places to protect.
• The Natural Heritage Strategy is in draft form at time of writing and is an evolving
Presenters Notes
Page 37
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
document.
• Give local examples of places applicable to each criterion.
Slide 19.
Managing representation – Selecting places for protection
• Many small reserves exist specifically to protect a single species – 3 examples
given. Provide further local examples.
• Most of our island and wildlife reserves were developed for species protection – not
always a single species.
Slide 20.
Managing representation – Developing protected areas
• Explain roles in protecting areas.
• Most practical protection work usually done in conservancies. Indicate who does
this in your Conservancy/Area.
• Give examples of recent successful local protection cases and who dealt with them.
Slide 21.
Managing representation - Strategic partners - biodiversity
• Largely self-explanatory.
• Give local examples by naming local organisations.
• Explain who/how you work locally with other agencies.
Slide 22.
Managing places overview
• Largely self-explanatory. An overview of the broad types of managed places, with
simple definitions.
• Don’t give too many local examples at this stage as more to come on each and best
done later.
Slide 23-24.
Island management
• Emphasise number of islands. Over 700 ranging from tiny rock stacks and islets to
the main islands.
• DoC manages about 220 islands.
• Highlight major groupings of islands on maps. Expand the group your people are
closest to.
Page 38
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
• Genetic banks – those islands that hold critical populations – all now entirely pest
mammal free. The most vital islands.
• Smaller, back-up islands. Islands that act as ‘back stop’ for the ‘genetic banks’ by
holding additional populations to guard against what happened at Big South Cape
Island. Highlight local or nearest examples.
• ‘Green fields’ restoration. Islands being restored from virtually nothing – grassland
in many cases. Often used as ‘open reserves’ for public visitation and community
involvement, to take the pressure off the vital islands. Tiritiri Matangi has been a
great success in this. Others include Mana, Matiu/Somes, (DOC) and Quail and
Limestone islands (community groups).
• Unique ecosystems. Each ‘one of a kind’ in their own right with many species or
subspecies endemic to them., e.g., Kermadec parakeet, Chatham Island parea
(pigeon), Campbell island teal, etc.
• Very large islands. Now the target for the next step. These are islands with large
proportions of them reserved and some significant pests not present, and could be
targets for future, more serious restoration, e.g., there is a plan to remove all pests
from Secretary and Resolutions islands in Fiordland.
• Emphasise the huge success of the Island Restoration Strategy – a world-wide
conservation triumph and critical to securing many threatened species.
Slide 25.
Managing places: Marine reserves
• Largely self-explanatory.
• Activities usually restricted to preventing poaching and monitoring fish stocks on the
assumption that marine ecosystems will recover if exploitation ceases.
• Large offshore areas are policed in conjunction with MAF fishery controls. Too large
and expensive a job for DoC to do this on its own as it involves operating ‘blue
water’ ships and long-range aircraft.
Slide 26-27.
Managing places: Mainland islands
• See DoC website for more information
• Trounsen: Kauri forest with kiwi as the flagship species.
• Otamatuna: Consists of a core area 2510ha and a larger managed area of about
30,000ha. Kiwi and kakapo are focal species in this beech/podocarp forest.
• Boundary Stream: Podocarp forest remnant with some unusual flora associations.
Robins successfully reintroduced. Saddleback recently attempted.
• Paengaroa: Special reserve with many rare, frost adapted divaricating plants.
Presenters Notes
Page 39
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
• Hurunui: Largest mainland island in beech forest. Mohua (yellowhead) and orangefronted parakeet focal species. Speciality is beech masting management.
• Honeydew, Rotoiti: Beech honeydew system. Kaka a focal species. Pioneered
wasp control.
• Mainland islands have retained their special research focus. Generally regarded as
a success and have spawned the intensively managed areas (below) and private
sanctuaries.
Slide 28.
Managing places: Intensively managed areas
• These were generally an extension of the mainland island concept but with less
emphasis on research and monitoring, although these activities still occur there.
• Many examples nationally. Augment those provided with a prime local example.
Number of sites is not clearly defined – 50 is a reasonable approximation.
• Mostly places identified with special values to protect – either an outstanding
example of its ecosystem type or a number of critical threatened species are
present.
• Activities at these sites centre round controlling the specific threats to the site and
species. Include animal baiting/trapping, weed control, aerial poisoning, fire control,
ungulate hunting, species management and predator control.
• The area involved is difficult to estimate – probably several hundred thousand
hectares.
Slide 29.
Managing places: Extensively managed areas
• Largely self-explanatory.
• Describe local examples – extent, nature, location.
• Activities in these sites usually restricted to aerial poisoning and ungulate shooting
and pre/post operation monitoring (result monitoring) and monitoring to assess
effects of the work longer term (outcome monitoring).
• Areas treated involve several millions of hectares annually.
• AHB often treats large areas of DoC land as a part of TB control work. Integrated
with DoC protection work.
Page 40
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Slide 30.
Managing places: Strategic partners - places
• Emphasise points on slide.
• Emphasise importance and value gained from associating with strategic partners.
Give local examples.
• DoC unable to do the job alone – receives an enormous amount of input from
partners.
Slide 31.
Threatened species management
• First point covers why we deal with threatened species as a separate business
steam. Note: there is some debate around this point. Many people suggest all
threatened species can be managed through places. Technically this is true (all
species need to live somewhere). However, main point is that there are two
distinctly different objectives: (1) managed places = indigenous dominance at sites
and (2) threatened species = lower risk of extinctions.
• Also, many species that are ‘on the brink’ need special programmes and special
sites where their survival is the key objective, e.g., black robin, kakapo.
• Threat classification: National process for determining which species need the
most urgent attention – explained in the next slide.
• Recovery planning: National process for deciding ‘how’ to manage a species (or
group of species) – explained in slide 89.
• Threatened species operations: The field techniques peculiar to species
management: translocation, nutrition supplementation, marking and recording,
counting, capture, breeding manipulation (nest boxes, cross-fostering, etc.). These
techniques are usually applied to individuals of the species. Other techniques to
protect species (which could be said to be common with ecosystem management)
centre round threat control and habitat maintenance: predator trapping and
poisoning, competitor control, preventing/managing disturbance and pollution, and
managing effects of catastrophic (stochastic) events. Expanded on in slides 90 and
91.
Presenters Notes
Own Notes
Page 41
Slide
Notes
Slide 32.
Threatened species management: Threat classification
• This slide is fairly self-explanatory. Covers the bones of the national process.
• Based on a system devised by Molloy and Davis – since revised by Hitchmough et
al.
• More information available on DoC website.
• Give examples of species for each type of threat category.
• Provide local examples.
Slide 33.
Threatened species management: Recovery planning
• Also self-explanatory.
• The international system is operated by the IUCN (The World Conservation Union).
• Step 2: often these groups have experts from outside DoC.
• Examples of plans are on DoC website, e.g., dactylanthus taylorii (plant), hoiho
(bird), leiopelma frogs (amphibians), Otago and grand skinks (reptiles),
Powelliphanta land snail (invertebrates). Show a copy of a plan relevant to a
species in or near your location.
• Only a comparatively few threatened species have recovery plans.
Slide 34.
Threatened species operations
• This slide emphasises the range of ways we manage threatened species.
• National programmes are for a few high profile species – usually with private
sponsors involved, e.g., Comalco (kakapo) and BNZ (kiwi).
• Integrated site management. Includes islands but also the ‘mainland islands’ and
‘intensively’ managed mainland sites. Most of these have a number of threatened
species populations. Many threatened species receive little management but are
relatively secure from extinction on offshore islands, e.g., saddleback, hihi, etc.
• Local programmes. Most Areas will have their local threatened species
programme – usually working to a national recovery plan and involving a number of
local threatened species populations. Give a local example.
Slide 35-36.
Threatened species operations
• Gives an overview of the types of work undertaken by threatened species managers
and staff.
Page 42
Own Notes
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
• Inventory and Monitoring: Includes call counts, capture/recapture, plots and
census to gauge the health and ongoing viability of populations.
• Capture and handling: To assist monitoring and recording or to move individuals.
Includes mist netting, pitfall trapping, light trapping, etc.
• Recording, measuring and banding: Much effort goes into marking, weighing and
measuring individuals after capture so they can be located again and the health of
the population assessed.
• Habitat improvement: Can involve replanting or providing water to extend or
upgrade the habitat available to a species.
• Predator control: Involves trapping, shooting, poisoning of (usually) exotic animals
that are a threat to the population.
• Translocation/Planting: Individuals often need to be moved to add to or establish
a new population in suitable habitat. Involves capture, transporting and release for
animals and growing and replanting for plants.
• Captive rearing: Doc operates captive rearing facilities at Mt Bruce and Burwood
Bush for certain critical species where wild population need a boost, e.g., takahe
and kokako.
• Give some local examples of those activities undertaken by local staff.
Slide 37.
Threatened species management: Roles within DOC
• Largely self-explanatory.
• Give examples of such things as national research being done locally and indicate
who does these things in your Conservancy/Area.
Slide 38-39.
Pest management ‘Site led
• Explains ‘site led’ pest management. Usually pest management done within
‘managed places’ and ‘threatened species’ programmes to meet the specific
objectives of the particular place or species.
• People need to understand this site led concept for the next slide.
Slide 40.
Pest management: ‘Pest led’
• Emphasise most weed and freshwater fish work is ‘species led’. Also some animal
pest work, but less so than weeds. Most animal control work is ‘site led’ for
Presenters Notes
Page 43
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
ecosystem or threatened species management.
• Explain examples given.
• Give local examples of species led pest work.
Slide 41-43.
Biosecurity
• Biosecurity and prevention of expansion of range of pests is a major issue with over
$80 million spent on this annually by various agencies.
• Emphasise ‘biosecurity’ is really all pest management work. Often used specifically
in the sense of preventing establishment or further spread.
• ‘Species led’ pest management is a major programme for DoC, involving all
conservancies and Areas.
• Biosecurity NZ deals with all pest incursions, i.e., agricultural and horticultural pests
such as the painted apple moth. Regional councils, through Regional Pest
Management Strategies (RPMS) also work across the board. DoC is more
concerned with pests that are a direct threat to indigenous ecosystems and species.
• Biosecurity NZ tends to ‘mind the border’; regional councils do much of the local
work and DoC ‘minds’ the conservation lands and waters.
Slide 44.
Pest Management: Strategic Partners - places
• Self explanatory and builds on other roles in biodiversity.
• Identify local pest TSO and programme managers and discuss what they do.
• Emphasise importance of surveillance role for staff and public and how it works, i.e.,
educating and information people through programmes such as ‘weed busters’ and
following up on reports from people.
Slide 45.
Other biodiversity related operations
• An introductory slide to give an overview of the range of other functions that come
under biodiversity.
• Each is expanded in subsequent slides.
Slide 46.
Other biodiversity related operations: Science and research
Page 44
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
• Through RD&I Division nationally but also local Conservancy Advisory Scientists
(CAS). Explain who they are and their role, i.e., to provide local science advice and
support to managers and to contribute to national programmes.
• Each segment explains the basics of science. Give local examples of these.
• Classify: examples given. Other examples include: vegetation classifications, geopreservation lists, etc. in biodiversity we are constantly defining and classifying.
• Count: examples given. Inventory and monitoring is a huge part of biodiversity as it
tells us where things are, how many we have and what is happening to them.
Explain some of the tools we use for this – counts, banding and recapture,
vegetation plots, transects, databases, spreadsheets, etc.
• Understand: Much science is aimed at improving our basic understanding of
ecosystems and species. From this we can better manage them if need be, e.g.,
bird studies, marine ecology studies, etc.
• Manage: Science is constantly working on better ways and means to help
operations staff manage ecosystems and species. From these studies improved
operating procedures are developed, e.g., stoat trapping methods, refinement of
aerial poison operations.
Slide 47.
Other biodiversity related operations: Science partnerships
• Emphasise that science underpins all biodiversity work and the science network is
national and international.
• Slide is largely self-explanatory and highlights the scale and diversity of people
involved.
Slide 48-49.
Other biodiversity related operations: Fire management
• Fire is a major national programme that can affect most Area staff at some time,
especially in areas prone to fire.
• Explain local set up with fire training - who does what.
• Fire training and equipment – readiness for fires.
• Explains roles and partnerships in fire fighting. DoC is a significant contributor.
• Severity of fires and damage varies significantly year to year depending on weather
and happenstance.
Presenters Notes
Page 45
Slide
Notes
Slide 50.
Other biodiversity related operations: Compliance and law enforcement (CLE)
• CLE is also a major issue in Areas and Conservancies, where much of the work is
done.
• Some examples given. Give additional local examples.
• Emphasise CLE can cover a wide range of activities.
Slide 51-52.
Other biodiversity related operations: Convention on Trade in Endangered
Species (CITES)
• CITES is a major global treaty and attempts to control an illegal trade worth billions
of dollars. Focal species internationally are elephants, rhino, parrots and tigers.
• The unusual nature of many New Zealand species makes them attractive
international targets. However, as we have no land borders with other countries it is
a little easier to control.
• Some examples given.
Slide 53.
Other biodiversity related operations: International obligations and conventions
• Some examples given. The slide is largely self-explanatory and some of these have
already been mentioned. Most of these treaties are managed through Strategic
Policy Division and the Minister’s Office.
Slide 54.
Other biodiversity related operations: Future development
• A taster for some of the major future development in biodiversity management.
• Emphasise change and improvement.
• Some examples given. There are many more.
• Finish on a positive note, especially on achievements which, over time, have been
many.
Slide 55.
Progress Check #3
Own Notes
Progress Check Answers
Question 1: Parliament; Legislation
Question 2: National Parks Act; Wildlife Act; Reserves Act
Question 3: Representation; Threatened species
Question 4: (a) Conservation Parks; (b) Marine reserves and Sanctuaries, (c)
Page 46
Introduction to Natural Heritage
Slide
Notes
Own Notes
National Parks; (d) Private land managed by DOC
Risk of loss; Beauty
Iwi groups; QEII Trust; Community/NGO groups
(a) Codfish Island, Kapiti Island; (b) -; (c) Tiritiri Matangi; (d) Chatham
Islands
Question 8: (a) Hurunui, Otamatuna; (b) Poulter Valley; (c) Tararua Range
Question 9: (a) Mainland islands; (b) Extensively managed areas; (c) Intensively
managed areas; (d) Islands
Question 10: Marine monitoring; Illegal fishing prevention
Question 5:
Question 6:
Question 7:
Progress Check #4
Progress Check Answers
Question 1: Threat classification; Recovery planning
Question 2: (a) 2788 – Total threatened species; (b) 16 – Extinct birds (since 1840);
(c) 33 – Extinct species (since 1840); (d) 383 – Nationally critical
Question 3: Predator control; Captive rearing; Recording, measuring and banding
Question 4: (a) Weed control at Paengaroa mainland island; (b) Deer surveillance in
Northland, Prevention of white bryony expansion
Question 5: Development of a species count method; Research on shark behaviour
Question 6: Protect species; Contribute to the rural fire programme
Question 7: Fire costs in 2005/6 were $1.2million; Canterbury is a fire ‘hot spot’
Question 8: Kereru harvest; Illegal logging
Question 9: Customs Dept; DOC Area staff
Question 10: Convention on Migratory Species; Ramsar Convention; CITES
Presenters Notes
Page 47