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Welcome to New Zealands Plant Portal. DOC News 6 to 12 August 2007
What's Up @ DOC? Department of Conservation

Recent additions to the Department of Conservation website

Conservation Week 6 – 12 August 2007

Get involved in Conservation Week activities
Find out about activities around the country that you can take part in for Conservation Week 2007.

Easy recreation opportunities
Find easy recreation opportunities in your region.

Enter the Conservation Week competition
There’s still time to go into the draw to win an all expenses paid trip for two to walk the Queen Charlotte Track, including return flights from any major centre in New Zealand.

Education

Young Conservationist Award
YHA Young Conservationist Awards are an annual environmental award programme for individuals or groups under the age of 18. Find out about entering the 2007 awards.

Uncle Don knows heaps of wacky stuff
This activity book for youngsters on road trips follows Sylvie as she takes a holiday with Uncle Don the DOC ranger.

Forest Hill Scenic Reserve
At Forest Hill students will learn about the rich forest community that would have once covered the limestone outcrops of the Southland Plains.

Bluff Hill/Motupo-hue Scenic Reserve
This reserve is ideal for groups wanting to explore the human and natural history of the Stirling Point area in Bluff.

Consultations

Draft West Coast Te Tai o Poutini Conservation Management Strategy
The draft West Coast Conservation Management Strategy is now open for submissions.

Doubtful Sound bottlenose dolphin
Provide us with your views, comments and suggestions on increased protection of the bottlenose dolphins of Doubtful Sound.

Volunteer opportunities

Hollyford and Pyke valleys visitor asset maintenance
Undertake track maintenance and spring cleaning of huts in different locations within the Hollyford and Pyke valleys.

Murchison Mountains track and hut maintenance
Assist with general track and hut maintenance in this special area of the Murchison Mountains.

Secretary Island track maintenance
Undertake annual clearing of windfalls and replace markers that have been lost on Secretary Island in Doubtful Sound.

Takahe Rearing Unit maintenance
Assist with the annual maintenance of the Takahe Rearing Unit, maintaining predator proof fences and clearing fire breaks.

Welcome Flat Hut volunteer warden
A hut warden is needed at Welcome Flat Hut in South Westland. One of the features at Welcome Flat are natural hot pools where you can bathe.

Hopkins Valley hut maintenance
Explore the Hopkins Valley and help improve huts together with rangers from DOC. Hopkins Valley is just north of Lake Ohau in the South Island.

Southland community conservation projects

Fiordland Wapiti Foundation stoat trapping
Wapiti hunters in Fiordland have a new target in their sight - learn about their trophy catches which are barely 25cm long.

Kepler Challenge stoat trapping
Mountain runners are protecting kiwi, blue ducks/whio, and many other native birds on the Kepler Track.

Manapo-uri Weedbusters
This community group have successfully targeted a range of weeds on Manapo-uri's lakeshore and replanted with natives.

Milford Community stoat trapping project
Fiordland businesses and local residents are helping to control stoat numbers around Milford Sound/Piopiotahi to protect the blue duck/whio and other native bird species.

Pomona Island Charitable Trust
This community-based conservation project is restoring the biodiversity on Pomona Island, Lake Manapo-uri.

Real Journeys Fiordland threatened species sponsorship
Local tourism company Real Journeys is supporting the conservation management of threatened species in Fiordland.

Recreation

Waikato area

Family-friendly outdoor adventures in the Waikato
Find out some of the best places for families to visit near Hamilton.

East Coast/Hawke’s Bay

Urutawa Conservation Area
Located 14km south of Opotiki, the Urutawa Conservation Area is predominantly semi coastal and contains a wide variety of threatened birds and special fauna.

Pakihi - Te Waiti loop route
Starting at the Pakihi Road end, this route exits onto Te Waiti Valley Road.

Pakihi Hut to Motu Road
This route follows the now disused Motu-Opotiki stock track and is graded and well benched.

Hastings Hut Route
A short but challenging route to the Hastings Hut via the Hastings Pole Bridge.

Te Waiti to Lagoon Route
Continue on from the Te Waiti Hut Walk to Lagoon Hut.

Te Waiti Hut Walk
This track affords views of Te Waiti Stream and lowland forest and is suitable for a family day trip.

Te Waiti Nature Trail
An ideal family walk through nikau and tawa forest.

Wanganui area

East Egmont barrier-free walks
Although these walks are maintained to wheel chair standard, they’re great for families with a baby on board as well.

North Egmont easy tramping tracks
Explore the North Egmont area of Egmont National Park which features lush native forest and on a clear day some spectacular scenery.

North Egmont walking tracks
Explore the North Egmont area of Egmont National Park which features lush native forest and on a clear day some spectacular scenery.

North Egmont short walks
These short walks are in the Egmont National Park, at North Egmont Roadend.

Dawson Falls short walk
This short walk takes you to Dawson Falls Power Station.

Pouakai Range tramping tracks
Explore the rugged range of rolling hills covered in sub alpine bush.

Kaitoke Range short walk
Walk to an attractive picnic area surrounded by native forest and gigantic Californian Redwood trees in the Kaitake sector of Egmont National Park.

Mount Damper Falls walk
This short walk leads to Mount Damper Falls, the highest in the North Island.

Everett park Scenic Reserve walk
Large grassed areas on the banks of the Manganui River, makes this a popular picnic and swimming area.

Ratapihipihi Scenic Reserve walk
This reserve features an outstanding example of a subtropical rain forest with kohekohe, tawa, puketea and nikau palms.

Nelson/Marlborough area

Nelson Lakes short walks and day walks
Both day and short walks are possible in Nelson Lakes National Park, making it an ideal place for walkers of all ages and capabilities to explore.

West Coast

Waitangitaona Wetland Walk
This easy walk takes you through a regenerating kahikatea forest and flax wetland to a viewing platform with spectacular views of the Southern Alps, Ka- Tiritiri o te Moana.

Harihari Coastal Walkway
This is one of the most scenic walkways on the West Coast, with spectacular views of forest, rivers, mountains and coastline.

Peters Pool Walk
The spectacular view at Peters Pool includes Franz Josef Glacier/Ka- Roimata o Hine Hukatere, and the Fritz Range, including Mt Moltke and Mt Roon.

Publications

New science and technical publications
DOC’s new science and technical publications for July 2007.

Conservation Action
View Conservation Action 2007, a snapshot of conservation work being undertaken around the country over the past year.

Rail heritage managed by the Department of Conservation
DOC manages a diverse range of rail heritage sites that are becoming increasingly popular. Find out about the 31 sites open to visitors.

Whales in the South Pacific
A review of the history of whales and whaling in the Pacific islands region, the current status of the great whale populations, their life histories, migration patterns and economic impacts.

The archaeology of New Zealand shore whaling
There are 87 New Zealand shore whaling stations and sites for which there is good archaeological and/or historical evidence.

A brief history of mining at the Bendigo Historic Reserve
Read about the history of mining in this Central Otago reserve.

The future of New Zealand War sites and landscapes
The important historical and archaeological landscape of the New Zealand wars is now coming under great pressure with rapid changes in land use.

Coming up in Canterbury
Find about what’s happening in Canterbury.

@DOC Canterbury newsletter
Read Canterbury’s bi-monthly email newsletter.

Conservation Services Programme
Review the approved 2007/2008 Conservation Services Annual Plan.

News

Te Kerikeri 1770-1850: The Meeting Pool launched in the Basin
Kerikeri has been much too much over-looked by the community at large, Professor Judith Binney said at the launch of a new book which focuses on the Kororipo-Kerikeri Basin’s early history.

Mahia locals observe a special visitor
The appearance of a bottlenose dolphin at Mahia Beach in northern Hawke's Bay is providing the opportunity for locals to enjoy having a wild marine mammal on their doorstep and for people to safeguard the dolphin's wellbeing.

Walkway closures in East Coast Hawke's Bay
The Cooks Cove, Te Kuri Farm and Otoko Walkways have closed for the lambing season.

New Zealand writers found in wilderness
What's better than a Six Pack after a long, hard tramp? Trampers will now be able to rest their weary legs after enjoying the New Zealand wilderness and savour the work of six New Zealand writers.

Autopsy results on dead baby orca
An autopsy has confirmed that a dead baby orca missing its head, tail fin, right pectoral fin and with a cut in its side found on Ninety Mile Beach in early July died by drowning.

DOC seeks public input on management strategy
People are being asked to take part in an extensive public consultation that will help shape the management of a quarter of this country’s public conservation land over the next ten years.

"Mystery kiwi" discovered in Nelson Lakes National Park
Nelson Lakes National Park rangers were surprised to find a “mystery kiwi” in the Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project mainland island during routine checks on the kiwi and changes of radio-transmitters.

Kiwi death prompts call for tighter leash on dogs
A fatal dog attack on a Stewart Island brown kiwi/tokoeka has highlighted the need for dog owners to be keep their animals under control at all times.

New directors appointed to QEII National Trust
Two new directors have been appointed to the Board of the Queen Elizabeth the Second National Trust by Hon Chris Carter, the Minister of Conservation.



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Department of Conservation | Head Office | PO Box 10-420 | Wellington | New Zealand | Telephone +64 4 471 0726 | Fax +64 4 471 3049