Department of Conservation (New Zealand)

The Department of Conservation (DOC ) ( māori Te Papa Atawhai ) is a Public Service Department ( authority of the civil service ) in New Zealand, which is responsible for nature conservation in the country.

History

In the climate of reform of the Labour government of 1980 to 1984 drew from the creation of an authority under which the entire nature of the country should be bundled. The New Zealand Forest Service was responsible for the protection of the forest and the Department of Lands and Survey for the protection of the country and the national parks, the latter to develop with simultaneous task, land for specific uses. This conflict and the campaign of various New Zealand NGOs, such as Forest & Bird, Native Forests Action Council, Friends of the Earth, Maruia Society and others nationwide to protect the so-called Lowland podocarp Forest sufficient, had an influence on the annual national conference of the Labour Party in 1985 in Christchurch.

On April 1, 1987, the Department of Conservation was established by the Labour government under Prime Minister David Lange. This was based on the previously adopted Conservation Act 1987 (Act ), the parts of functions of the New Zealand Forest Service, the Department of Lands and Survey and the archeology section of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust took over. The New Zealand Wildlife Service has been completely integrated into the DOC. About 1,100 permanent employees and about 700 part-time workers were at that time the country subtracted from the other authorities and integrated into the new Department. The first minister responsible Russell Marshall was followed by Helen Clark, who later became Prime Minister of the country.

In paragraph 4 of the Conservation Act 1987 stipulated, among other things, that the Treaty of Waitangi must be taken into account in all decisions of the DOC. This was made ​​clear that the concerns of Māori had to be in all decisions regarding land matters are considered.

In the years 1993 to 1994, the DOC changed its logo are moved towards signs with white logo, yellow writing and beams on a green background.

Cave Creek disaster

A " black day " experienced the DOC on April 28, 1995, when an observation deck in the Paparoa National Park sparked from its anchorage and 18 people yanked 30 feet in depth of Cave Creek. 14 of them died and the others were injured, some seriously. After the accident immediately more than 520 designs of DOC were inspected for safety and 65 which temporarily closed for repair work. Investigation of the incident, however, led to the actual causes of the disaster. The primacy of cost reduction from a cost point of view and the reduction of staff, at the same time increasing tasks and requirements had a demand on the organization of the West Coast Conservancy ( supervisor ) simply.

Thus led, inter alia, the facts that

  • The construction of the viewing platform was not designed for the weight of 18 people
  • Only was an engineer for the DOC on the southern island available and was not consulted for the construction of viewing platform,
  • Not a qualified carpenter was present during the construction,
  • Statutory regulations and requirements were not mediated employees,
  • Inadequate inspections were carried out by qualified personnel,
  • Inadequate warning signs were mounted with respect to the maximum number of persons for the platform,
  • Poor communication structures between management and staff on site existed,

In their interaction to the disaster.

Recognizing the shortcomings identified over 12,500 km of walking later inspected a little over a period of only three months, around 20,000 other facilities of the DOC, inventoried and set eight engineers across developed over three years safety standards and designs revised or newly developed. In the years 1998 to 2000 additional funds were provided to develop the infrastructure managed by DOC for the general public.

Responsibilities and tasks

The Department of Conservation has been transferred to the Conservation Act 1987 by law the task of promoting the preservation of natural and historic heritage of New Zealand on behalf of current and future generations.

The functions of the DOC in the National Parks Act 1980, the Marine Reserves Act 1971, the Reserves Act 1977, the Wild Animal Control Act 1977, the Wildlife Act 1953, the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978 defines. Beside the Conservation Act 1987

The main tasks in detail are:

  • Land, water, and historical sites to protect under the point of view of nature conservation.
  • In areas that are subject to conservation, hiking trails, bike paths, 4WD trails, cabins, campgrounds, visitor centers, access to historical places and other facilities for recreation seekers be available that develop and maintain.
  • To give tourism companies or third party activities use permits in protected areas, as well as to assign use rights for sites to telecommunications purposes.
  • To protect marine mammals and habitats of freshwater fish, as well as to preserve the existence of the protected animals and to regulate the local inland fisheries and recreational inland fisheries.
  • In general, to work for the preservation of natural and historic resources, to provide information on nature protection, implement international agreements and environmental management in New Zealand.
  • To support the Minister of Conservation in its responsibilities under the Resource Management Act 1991 for the coastal and marine environment.
  • To advise the Minister for Nature Conservation in nature conservation strategies and conservation law, as well as to accompany legislative processes of government.

The DOC today

The DOC is now divided into 11 regions, each with its own offices. It maintains and manages today:

  • 8.5 million hectares of land of historic places,
  • 14 National Parks (NP ),
  • 18 Conservation Park (CP ) ( Nature Reserves )
  • 15 Forest Park (FP ) ( forest park )
  • 33 marine protected areas covering an area of ​​just under 1.28 million hectares,
  • 6 protected areas for marine mammals with a total area of ​​2.4 million hectares,
  • Over 950 huts of all kinds,
  • More than 250 so-called Conservation Camp sites ( campsites) that are accessible by motor vehicle,
  • 9 Great Walks, hiking trails in the particularly lovely landscape with multi-day trips,
  • Another 21 trails with a special meaning, and
  • More countless miles of hiking trails ( hiking trails of New Zealand ).
State Services Commission Māori language National parks of New Zealand Four-wheel drive Marine reserves of New Zealand Tramping in New Zealand
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