This is timeline is incomplete. It is an ongoing project.

This is a timeline of environmental history of New Zealand. These events relate to the natural environment of New Zealand as a result of human activity.

See also: Timeline of New Zealand history

 

Pre 1800s

• Arrival of Maori.
• Many species of bird, including Moa, become extinct.
• New Zealand is discovered by Europeans.
• Sealers and Whalers arrive

1800s

• Gorse introduced as hedging plant.
• Rabbits introduced.

1840s

• 1840 Treaty of Waitangi
• 1841
• 1842
• 1843
• 1844
• 1845
• 1846
• 1847
• 1848
• 1849

1850s

• 1850
• 1851
• 1852
• 1853
• 1854
• 1855
• 1856
• 1857
• 1858
• 1859

1860s

• 1860
  • Australian Magpie introduced.
• 1861
• 1862
• 1863
• 1864
• 1865
• 1866
• 1867
• 1868
• 1869

1870s

• 1870
  • Hedgehogs, which devour large quantities of insects, are introduced.
• 1871
• 1872
• 1873
• 1874
• 1875
• 1876
• 1877
• 1878
• 1879
  • Ferrets introduced to control rabbits even after warnings were made of their effects on birdlife.

1880s

• 1880
• 1881
• 1882
• 1883
• 1884
• 1885
  • Stoats and weasels are liberated as a misguided attempt to control rabbits.
• 1886
• 1887
  • 23 September - Te Heuheu gifts Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe to people of New Zealand.
• 1888
• 1889

1890s

• 1890
  • An area of land, what will grow into the Trounson Kauri Park, is set aside by the Government. [1] (http://www.doc.govt.nz/Conservation/Showcase-Areas/Trounson-Kauri-Park.asp)
• 1891
• 1892
• 1893
• 1894
  • Protection of fur seal population due to declining numbers.
  • The Stephens Island wren is made extinct by the lighthouse keeper's cat.
• 1895
• 1896
• 1897
• 1898
• 1899

1900s

• 1900
  • Egmont National Park established
• 1901
• 1902
• 1903
  • Scenery Preservation Act passed.
• 1904
  • Scenery Preservation Commission appointed.
• 1905
• 1906
• 1907
  • Tongariro National Park is formally gazetted.
  • Last known huia sighted and then shot.
• 1908
• 1909

1910s

• 1910
• 1911
• 1912
• 1913
• 1914
• 1915
• 1916
• 1917
• 1918
• 1919

1920s

• 1920
• 1921
  • Herbert Guthrie-Smiths Tutira: The Story of a New Zealand Sheep Station is published.
• 1922
• 1923
  • The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand is formed.
• 1924
• 1925
• 1926
• 1927
• 1928
• 1929
  • Attempt made to protect bush in an area near what will be the Abel Tasman National Park.

1930s

• 1930
• 1931
• 1932
• 1933
• 1934
• 1935
• 1936
  • Protection removed from mustelids.
• 1937
• 1938
• 1939

1940s

• 1940
• 1941
• 1942
  • Abel Tasman National Park established.
• 1943
• 1944
• 1945
• 1946
  • Possums no longer protected.
• 1947
• 1948
  • Takahe rediscovered in the Murchison Mountains in Fiordland.
• 1949

1950s

• 1950
• 1951
• 1952
  • Waipoua Forest Sanctuary formed.
  • Fiordland National Park established.
• 1953
  • Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park established.
• 1954
  • 28 July - Te Urewera National Park gazetted. Additions made later. [2] (http://doc.govt.nz/Explore/001~National-Parks/Te-Urewera-National-Park/Te-Urewera-National-Park-Management-Plan/001~1.0-Introduction.asp)
• 1955
• 1956
• 1957
• 1958
• 1959

1960s

• 1960
• 1961
• 1962
• 1963
• 1964
  • Mount Aspiring National Park esablished.
• 1965
  • Hydro dam proposed at Taupeka Mouth is opposed by local residents.
• 1966
• 1967
• 1968
• 1969
  • Save Manapouri Campaign gained nationwide headlines.

1970s

• 1970
  • EDS formed [3] (http://eds.org.nz/aboutus/history.cfm)
• 1971
  • CoEnCo formed [4] (http://eco.org.nz/about.asp)
• 1972
  • Values Party formed at Victoria University of Wellington
• 1973
  • Government decides to put South Island beech forests up for tender for chipping.
• 1974
  • Greenpeace New Zealand formed. [5] (http://greenpeace.org.nz/about/FAQs.asp)
• 1975
• 1976
  • CoEnCo renamed as ECO [6] (http://eco.org.nz/about.asp)
• 1977
  • Queen Elizabeth II National Trust Act set up to encourage the protection of private land from development.
  • Native Forest Action Council presents 341,159 signature petition to Government for forest protection.
  • 23 December - Reserves Act passed (includes provision for Wilderness Areas) [7] (http://www.legislation.govt.nz)
  • 23 December - Wild Animal Control Act passed [8] (http://www.legislation.govt.nz/browse_vw.asp?content-set=pal_statutes&clientid=3127279740&viewtype=search)
• 1978
  • 1 April - Reserves Act comes into force
• 1979
  • Five black robins left but saved from extinction by Don Merton and team.
  • 1 January - Marine Mammals Protection Act came into force.

1980s

• 1980
  • Protests over a proposed aluminium smelter at Aramoana. See also: Independent State of Aramoana.
  • Clyde Dam protests.
  • Native Forest Restoration Trust established to purchase and protect native forests. [9] (http://www.nznfrt.org.nz/)
• 1981
• 1982
• 1983
  • 1 October - Fisheries Act comes into force (establishes a fishing quota system).
• 1984
  • New Zealand declared nuclear free by Labour Government.
• 1985
  • 10 July - Bombing of Rainbow Warrior by French secret agents.
• 1986
  • Environment Act passed (establishes MfE and PCE) [10] (http://www.legislation.govt.nz)
  • Kea given full protection.
  • West Coast Accord signed.
• 1987
  • Paparoa National Park established.
  • 1 January - Environment Act comes into force [11] (http://www.legislation.govt.nz)
  • 1 April - Conservation Act comes into force (establishes DoC, Fish and Game)
• 1988
• 1989
  • 1 June - Trade in Endangered Species Act comes into force (CITES)

1990s

• 1990
  • Banning of wood chip exports.
  • Creation of Tongariro National Park World Heritage site. [12] (http://whc.unesco.org/heritage.htm)
  • Creation of Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. [13] (http://whc.unesco.org/heritage.htm)
  • Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is formed. [14] (http://greens.org.nz/about/history.htm)
  • Ministry for the Environment Green ribbon award established [15] (http://mfe.govt.nz/withyou/awards/)
• 1991
  • Resource Management Act passed into law.
• 1992
• 1993
  • Forest and Bird develop the Forest Friendly Awards to classify invasive garden plants.
• 1994
  • Rats eradicated from Kapiti Island.
  • Resource consent given to mine sand in Mangawhai Harbour.
  • Basel Convention comes into force.
• 1995
• 1996
  • Environment Court, formerly called the Planning Tribunal, is constituted by the RMA 1996 [16] (http://www.justice.govt.nz/environment/)
  • Kahurangi National Park gazetted.
• 1997
  • Native Forest Action commences lobbying to save West Coast forests. [17] (http://www.converge.org.nz/nfa/)
  • Wild Greens group formed. [18] (http://www.greens.org.nz/searchdocs/PR3759.html)
  • Zerowaste Trust established. [19] (http://www.zerowaste.org.nz)
• 1998
  • Creation of New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands World Heritage site.[20] (http://whc.unesco.org/heritage.htm)
• 1999
  • Labour Government gains power.
  • New Zealand Department of Conservation publishes "Karst Management Guidelines" to assist with cave and karst protection. [21] (http://www.doc.govt.nz/Conservation/Land/006~Karst-Management-Guidelines.pdf)

2000s

• 2000
  • A gondola is proposed from Lake Wakatipu area to the Milford Road.
  • West Coast loop road through conservation land is promoted by group of South Island mayors.
  • 15 June Biotech lobby group Life Sciences Network web site goes live. [22] (http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/SC0006/S00006.htm)
• 2001
  • Moratorium on new marine farming applications, initially for two years.
  • Forest restoration on the Kapiti Coast. [23] (http://www.kapitibush.org.nz/default.htm)
  • National Plant Pest Accord is developed to prevent the spread of invasive plants.
  • 30 May - Government announces transfer of all Timberlands managed forests to DoC.
  • 18 August - Macraes mine extension turned down by Sandra Lee, the Minister of Conservation.
• 2002
  • Rakiura National Park established.
  • New Zealand ratifies the Kyoto Protocol.
  • New Zealand Waste Strategy released by the Ministry for the Environment. [24] (http://mfe.govt.nz/publications/waste/waste-strategy-mar02/index.html)
  • Ferrets no longer able to be bred, sold or distributed.
  • 25 January - New Zealand Environment magazine launched.
• 2003
  • YHA started a Young Environmentalist programme.
  • Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry for the Environment, and Fonterra sign the Clean Streams Accord. [25] (http://www.ew.govt.nz/newsandevents/agendas/documents/878059.pdf)
  • 24 April - New Zealand population tops 4,000,000.
  • 5 September New Zealand Environment magazine discontinued.
  • 31 October - Businessman jailed for clearing native bush (this has set a precident) [26] (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=news&thesubsection=&storyID=3531755&reportID=162576)
• 2004
  • Group to proceed with the Milford Gondola.
  • Nitrates an increasing problem in Canterbury's groundwater. [27] (http://ecan.govt.nz/About-Us/Media-Releases/news.asp?Id=504), [28] (http://ecan.govt.nz/About-Us/Media-Releases/news.asp?Id=501), [29] (http://ecan.govt.nz/About-Us/Media-Releases/news.asp?Id=493)
  • Monorail proposed to shorten tourist trip between Queenstown and Milford Sound.
  • Pike River coal mine given go-ahead.
  • Kaikoura Green Globe Conference declaration.
  • Rats successfully eradicated from Raoul Island. [30] (http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.cfm?DocumentID=21025)
  • 20 January - Two Czech visitors fined for plant smuggling [31] (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3544495&thesection=news&thesubsection=general)
  • 12 March - Mount Burnett mining road application turned down. [32] (http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/archive/scoop/stories/ce/2b/200403121148.3c574124.html)
  • 25 March - Open cast mine proposed at Happy Valley (Cypress Mine). [33] (http://www.happyvalley.enzyme.org.nz/)
  • 29 March - Meridian Energy Limited "Project Aqua" cancelled. [34] (http://www.meridianenergy.co.nz/aboutus/newsevents/news/meridian+announces+stop+to+project+aqua.htm)
  • 10 May - Kaikoura Island protected. [35] (http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.cfm?DocumentID=19627)
  • 11 October - Banded fairy prion returns to Mana Island for nesting, the first successful transfer to another location. (Hundreds of chicks have been moved there from Stephens Island since 2001.) (Porirua City News, 17 November, page 16)
  • 18 October - More invasive plants discovered in Auckland [36] (http://arc.govt.nz/arc/index.cfm?ADC408DC-BCD4-1A24-9C1E-75698BA9D6B9)
  • 3 November - PCE releases report on the environmental effects of farming. [37] (http://pce.govt.nz/reports/allreports/1_877274_51_8.shtml)
  • 31 December - Moratorium on marine farms lifted after the passing of the Aquaculture Reform Bill. [38] (http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.cfm?DocumentID=21842)
• 2005
  • 1 July - Molesworth Station to be transferred from LINZ to DoC.

Other

(no dates established as yet.)

• Deer, wapiti, wallabies introduced.
• Population at 1,000,000
• Population at 2,000,000
• Population at 3,000,000
• Molesworth Station has plant and animal pest problems.
• Deer culling commenced.
• First campaign to save the West Coast beech forest.
• Protests at Whirinaki against native forest logging.
• Tree top protest in Pureora Forest.
• Waipoua Forest protest.
• Milk industry deregulated paving the way for plastic milk bottles
• NZ Speleological Society conservation Officer position appointed.
• Kerbside recycling commences in North Shore City.
• Terranova magazine now extinct.
• GE free New Zealand organisation commenced [39] (http://gefree.org.nz/about.htm)
• Nature Heritage Fund established.
• South Island high country tenure review.
• Bluegreens (with close ties to the National Party) is formed.
• Greymouth sewerage causing pollution in the Grey River.
• Media highlights polluted Rotorua lakes.
• Sucessfull opposition to a dam on the Rangitaiki River.

References

• Immigrant Killers - Carolyn King ISBN 0-19-5581221-0