Timeline of the New Zealand environment

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.

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

1880s

• 1880
• 1881
• 1882
• 1883
• 1884
• 1885
• 1886
• 1887
  • 23 September - Te Heuheu gifts Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe to people of New Zealand.
• 1888
• 1889

1890s

• 1890
• 1891
• 1892
• 1893
• 1894
  • Protection of fur seal population due to declining numbers.
  • The Stevens Island wren is made extinct by the lighthouse keepers cat.
• 1895
• 1896
• 1897
• 1898
• 1899

1900s

• 1900
  • Egmont National Park established
• 1901
• 1902
• 1903
• 1904
• 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
  • Guthrie-Smith's Tutira: The Story of a New Zealand Sheep Station 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 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. [1]
• 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 Lake Manapouri" campaign gained nationwide headlines.

1970s

• 1970
  • EDS formed [2]
• 1971
  • CoEnCo formed [3]
• 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. [4]
• 1975
• 1976
  • CoEnCo renamed as ECO [5]
• 1977
  • Native Forest Action Council presents 341,159 signature petion to Government (beech forests?)
  • 23 December - Reserves Act passed (includes provision for Wilderness Areas) [6]
  • 23 December - Wild Animal Control Act passed [7]
• 1978
  • 1 April - Reserves Act comes into force
• 1979

1980s

• 1980
  • Five black robins left.
  • Clyde Dam protests.
  • Native Forest Restoration Trust established to purchase and protect native forests. [8]
• 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) [9]
  • Kea given full protection.
  • West Coast Accord signed.
• 1987
  • Paparoa National Park established.
  • 1 January - Environment Act comes into force [10]
  • 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. [11]
  • Creation of Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. [12]
  • Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is formed.
  • Ministry for the Environment Green ribbon award established [13]
• 1991
  • Resource Management Act passed into law.
• 1992
• 1993
• 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 [14]
  • Kahurangi National Park gazetted.
• 1997
  • Native Forest Action commences lobbying to save West Coast forests. [15]
  • Wild Greens group formed. [16]
  • Zerowaste Trust established. [17]
• 1998
  • Creation of New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands World Heritage site.[18]
• 1999
  • Labour Government gains power.

2000s

• 2000
  • A gondola is proposed from Lake Wakatipu area to the Milford Road.
  • West Coast loop roads through conservation land is promoted by group of South Island mayors.
  • 15 June Biotech lobby group Life Sciences Network web site goes live. [19]
• 2001
  • Moratorium on marine farms, initially for two years.
  • Forest restoration on the Kapiti Coast. [20]
  • 10 May - Government announces transfer of all Timerlands managed forests to DoC.
  • 18 August - Macraes mine extension turned down by Sandra Lee.
• 2002
  • Rakiura National Park established.
  • New Zealand ratifies the Kyoto Protocol.
  • New Zealand Waste Strategy released by the Ministry for Environment. [21]
  • 25 January - New Zealand Environment magazine launched.
• 2003
  • YHA started a Young Environmentalist programme.
  • Min of Ag, MfE and Fonterra sign the Clean Streams Accord. [22]
  • 24 April - New Zealand population at 4,000,000.
  • 5 September New Zealand Environment magazine discontinued.
  • 31 October - Businessman jailed for clearing native bush (this has set a precident) [23]
• 2004
  • Group to proceed with the Milford Gondola.
  • Monorail proposed for Queenstown to Milford Sound tourists.
  • Pike River coal mine given go ahead.
  • Kiakoura Green Globe Conference declaration.
  • 20 January - Two Czech visitors fined for plant smuggling [24]
  • 12 March - Mount Burnett mining road application turned down. [25]
  • 25 March - Open cast mine proposed at Happy Valley. [26]
  • 29 March - Meridian Energy Limited "Project Aqua" cancelled. [27]
  • 10 May - Kaikoura Island protected. [28]
• 2005
  • 1 July - Molesworth Station to be transfered from LINZ to DoC.

Other

(no dates established as yet.)

• Gorse introduced for use as hedgerows.
• Stoats ferrets introduced.
• Rabbits introduced.
• 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 Whikinaki against native forest logging.
• Tree top protest in Pureora Forest.
• Proposed Aramoana smelter protest.
• Black Robin saved from extinction by Don Merton and team.
• 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 [29]
• 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.