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Black robin recovery gains momentum
The future is looking brighter for the Karure/Kakaruia/Chatham Islands black robin, with ongoing monitoring and research showing encouraging signs of recovery across the species’ range while also...
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Armour made of minerals, crystals and silk
By Nigel Binks, DOC Freshwater Technical Advisor High in the windswept mountain tops of the West Coast, where tarns sit like mirrors among sphagnum mosses and alpine herb fields, a Department of...
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Ranguru/Chatham petrel returning home
Once common on Maung’Rē/Mangere Island, the ranguru/Chatham petrel disappeared due to habitat loss and cat predation. Work is now underway to re-establish a breeding colony on Maung’Rē/Mangere Island....
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Naturing in winter: what our native species get up to
As the winter snap hits through the country, many of us are reaching for extra layers and staying indoors a little more often. But for our native wildlife, winter is far from a time of inactivity....
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Finding solutions to invasive purple weed in Manawatū
At Lake Papaitonga in the Horowhenua, a group of Manawatū rangers took on a challenge that had frustrated previous control efforts: how do you find and eliminate purple loosestrife in a complex...
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Mātauranga Māori and western science align for predator-free in Whakatāne
For Ngāti Awa, conservation is not just about protecting native species, it’s also about restoring the relationship between people and te taiao and creating purposeful employment opportunities in...
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Become a naturing pro this winter
Nature needs all of us, and the good news is that making a difference doesn’t always require heaps of time and energy. There are things we can do every single day to make a difference. So, wrap on...
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Drone bait pod ready for predator-free action
The latest Predator Free 2050 tool is a bio-degradable bait pod that can be distributed by a drone pilot with incredible accuracy. When the pods are released from the drone, they break open on impact...
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Swap screen time for green time this winter: Our best* winter walks around...
Winter is the perfect time to pull on a warm jacket, step outside and reconnect with nature. So, we’ve asked our rangers to share some of their favourite winter walks. Cooler temperatures can make it...
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Hut life: where generations collide (and everyone learns the unwritten rules...
By Abigail Monteith There’s something magical about staying in a hut. The smell of the old wooden walls, the sound of boots drying by the fire, the questionable mystery stain on the table that nobody...
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Matariki and Puanga: The Māori New Year
Matariki and Puanga are stars that sit in the night sky together to signal the start of the Māori new year for different iwi. The nine stars of Matariki The pre-dawn rising of Matariki, the cluster of...
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Huts with History – specialist Heritage Rangers move projects forward
DOC ranger Tim Groenendijk, Project Lead Heritage for the Lower North Island, has a unique role, he’s ensuring that the heritage of the region is maintained for future generations. He is one of ten...
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Wonderful wētā of Aotearoa
Imagine, you’re sitting on the dunny late at night after a long day of tramping up to a beautiful backcountry hut. It’s pitch black and you feel something brush against your leg… “It’s just a leaf in...
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In Search of Giants: Surveying Powelliphanta
By Nina Mercer, Planning and Performance Advisor Crawling around in the dirt on the forest floor isn’t something I’ve done a lot of, but that’s because I’ve never snailed before! And snailing must be...
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Forest ice cream: what deer and goats eat first
Browsing pressure can remove preferred plants from the forest understory, changing how forests regenerate over time and removing precious habitat and food for many of our native species. Left: outside...
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New stoat bait a 30-year journey for predator-free scientist
Seeing a stoat den lined with feathers from rare native birds motivated Elaine Murphy to become a scientist at the Department of Conservation over 30 years ago. Elaine has since spent most of her...
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Smile for the camera! Using new tech to identify baby native fish
May 23rd is World Fish Migration Day – a worldwide celebration of free-flowing rivers and the life they support. We have some very special fish here in Aotearoa, and this year we’re literally shining...
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Your guide to booking a Great Walk (or hut or campsite)
Surprise, surprise, the Great Walks booking opening is the biggest event in our booking calendar, with thousands of people from all around the world logging in on each opening day to nab spaces for...
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Winter warmers – fireplace etiquette
It’s cooling down around the country, so how do you stay warm – and safe – in a DOC hut? Media and Communications Advisor Krysia Nowak explores how to optimise your fireplace game. A warm fire can...
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Peaks and pits of a six-week Maukahuka trip
By Tōrea Scott-Fyfe It started right at the beginning of the trip. Eight DOC workers and three Ngāi Tahu contractors squeezed around a small Airbnb table, eating nachos. We were from all sorts of...
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