From our taonga species to our local beaches and rivers, nature is close to the heart of many kiwis. Despite this, many of our ecosystems suffer from human impacts, and some of our native species face uncertain futures. But, just like our actions can influence our environment for the worse, they can also be a force for good. Taking responsibility and showing care for the environment through our actions can lead to significant changes.
Celebrated from 2-8 September, Conservation Week is an opportunity for kiwis to come together and take action for nature! Coordinated by the Department of Conservation and featuring a variety of DOC and community-led events, Conservation Week celebrates that all actions, no matter how big or small, can make a huge difference for our environment.
Conservation Week history
Originally launched in 1969 by the New Zealand Scout Association, the goal of Conservation Week was to promote greater interest in the environment and encourage people to take practical actions to look after it. In 1987, the Department of Conservation took over the running of Conservation Week - this was also the same year Seaweek was launched at the Marine Discovery Centre in Victoria, Australia!
Opportunities to act
Nationwide, there are projects which you can contribute to that help restore coastal environments, add to our collective knowledge and inform policy changes. The initiatives below are just some ways to take part in conservation and restoration, but we know that there are so many other projects and organisations across Aotearoa New Zealand taking action for our environment.
At MERC, we’re offering an opportunity to do your part for our beautiful Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve by participating in a hands-on citizen science session. We’d encourage you to check out your local community groups to see what’s being done to take care of environments near you or visit DOC’s Conservation Week events page closer to the event to find more ways to get involved.
Organisations
Sustainable Coastlines coordinates Litter intelligence, a national litter monitoring programme enabling communities to collect data and gain understanding about litter in their local coastal areas.
Environment Hubs Aotearoa is a nationwide umbrella of 22 environment centres and other community organisations collaborating for community resilience and positive environmental change.
Conservation Volunteers New Zealand is an organisation facilitating opportunities to take part in volunteer-based projects to restore rivers, wetlands, and oceans nationwide.
Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust provides opportunities to experience, learn about and take action for marine and freshwater environments across New Zealand. From community events with Mountains to Sea’s Experiencing Marine Reserves branch, to volunteer programmes and freshwater restoration projects, there are many ways to get involved.
iNaturalist is an international citizen science platform where participants can upload photo observations of species to a publicly accessible database. This is a great way to learn how to identify wildlife, receive identification help from experts and contribute to important knowledge about our environment.
