Timeline of environmental history of New Zealand

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

[edit] Pre 1800s

1300s- — Arrival of Māori who brought with them the kiore rat.

1500s — Final extinction of all eleven species of Moa.

1642Tasman is first European to reach New Zealand.

1769 — New Zealand mapped by James Cook, and the Norway rat believed to have arrived in New Zealand aboard his ship, the Endeavour.[1]

1790s — Sealers and whalers arrive.

[edit] 1800s

[edit] 1830s

1837 Australian brush-tailed possum introduced.

[edit] 1840s

1840 Treaty of Waitangi

[edit] 1860s

  • Ship rat spreads throughout North Island.

1860

1861

  • The Protection of Certain Animals Act passed - legislated that: "No Deer of any kind, Hare, Swan, Partridge, English Plover, Rook, Starling, Thrush or Blackbird" could be shot for the rest of the decade.[3]

1864

  • Wild Birds Protection Act - legislated that: "No Wild Duck, Paradise Duck, or Pigeon indigenous in the colony shall be hunted, taken, or killed except during the months of April, May, June, and July in any year".[3]

1867

  • Trout and Salmon Protection Act passed - made provision for "the preservation and propagation of Salmon and Trout in this Colony".[3]

[edit] 1870s

1870

1875

  • Seal hunting restricted to a short annual season.[3]

1876

  • Rabbit Nuisance Act passed.[3]

1879

  • Ferrets introduced to control rabbits even after warnings were made of their effects on bird life.

[edit] 1880s

1882

  • Small Birds Nuisance Act passed. [3]

1885

  • Stoats and weasels are liberated as a misguided attempt to control rabbits.

1887

[edit] 1890s

1890

  • An area of land, that will become the Trounson Kauri Park, is set aside by the Government. [3]

1893

  • Rainbow trout successfully introduced by the Auckland Acclimatisation Society.

1894

1897

[edit] 1900s

1900

1901

  • Noxious Weeds Act passed

1903

  • Scenery Preservation Act passed.

1904

  • Scenery Preservation Commission appointed.

1907

[edit] 1920s

1921

  • Herbert Guthrie-Smiths Tutira: The Story of a New Zealand Sheep Station is published.
  • Animals Protection and Game Act 1921-22

1923

1929

[edit] 1930s

1936

[edit] 1940s

1942

1946

1948

1949

  • Forest Act 1949 is passed.

[edit] 1950s

1952

1953

1954

[edit] 1960s

1964

1965

  • Hydro dam proposed at Tuapeka River mouth is opposed by local residents.

1967

  • Rudd is illegally introduced into New Zealand.[5]

1969

[edit] 1970s

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

  • 4 July - The Maruia Declaration, calling for protection of native forests, is signed. It attracted 341,160 signatures by the time it was presented to Parliament in 1977.

1976

1977

  • The "Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zone Act" is passed. [10]
  • Queen Elizabeth II National Trust Act set up to encourage the protection of private land from development.
  • 20 July - The Maruia Declaration with a 341,159 signature petition is presented to Government.
  • 23 December — The Reserves Act is passed (includes provision for Wilderness Areas) [11]
  • 23 December — Wild Animal Control Act passed [12]]

1978

  • Tree top protest in Pureora Forest to halt the logging of native forest.
  • 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.

[edit] 1980s

1980

1982

  • The approval of the water rights necessary for the high Clyde Dam is overturned on appeal in Gilmore v. National Water and Soil Conservation Authority (1982)[14]
  • The National Government enacts the Clutha Development (Clyde Dam Empowering) Act 1982 to overturn the High Court case refusing water rights.[15]

1983

  • 1 October — Fisheries Act comes into force (establishes a fishing quota system).

1984

1985

1986

1987

  • Paparoa National Park established.
  • 1 January — Environment Act comes into force [17]
  • 1 April — Conservation Act comes into force (establishes DoC, Fish and Game)

1989

  • 1 June — Trade in Endangered Species Act comes into force (CITES)

[edit] 1990s

1990

1991

1993

1994

1996

  • Environment Court, formerly called the Planning Tribunal, is constituted by the RM Amendment Act 1996 with upgraded powers [23]
  • Kahurangi National Park gazetted.
  • Fisheries Act 1996 is passed (though parts of it come into force only spasmodically over the next few years).
  • Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 is passed.
  • Ozone Protection Layer Act 1996 is passed.

1997

1998

1999

[edit] 2000s

2000

  • A gondola is proposed from Lake Wakatipu area to the Milford Sound road.
  • Varroa bee mite discovered in New Zealand. [29]
  • 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. [4]

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

  • Non-toxic shot only is to be used for hunting from the 2005 season onwards. [11]
  • 14 March — Application lodged for mining black sands off the west coast of the North Island. [12] [13] [14]
  • 1 April - The Income Tax Act 2004, which makes it easier to claim environmental expenditure, comes into force. [15] [16] [17]
  • 22 April — Landsborough Station purchased. [18]
  • 1 MayPesticides blamed for killing native frogs.
  • 26 May — Environment Court rules in favour of Solid Energy for the Cypress coal mine. [19] [20] [21]
  • 1 JulyMolesworth Station transferred from LINZ to DoC. [22]
  • 28 July — First criminal conviction for killing a fur seal is handed down.
  • September - Rock snot found in the Buller River. [23]
  • November - Last remaining use of reusable glass milk bottles will end.
  • 18 November - Cavers protest about potential damage to Te Tahi Cave when used for adventure racing.
  • 20 December - A tunnel is proposed to link Queenstown and the Milford Sound road. [43]

2006

2007

2008

  • 31 January - Environment New Zealand 2007, a State of the Environment report, is released.
  • 10 February - The Green Party leak Chapter 13 of Environment New Zealand 2007 State of the environment report, which slates the dairy industry and the high level of consumption in New Zealand.
  • 20 February - A survey shows that 53% of New Zealanders' are deeply concerned that we are not doing enough to protect the environment. [52]
  • 4 March - The World Economic Forum Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report rates New Zealand at 24 out of 130 countries for environmental sustainability.[53]
  • April - greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand are 26% higher than 1990 levels, the required level for the Kyoto Protocol.[54]


[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Introduced Animals, Christchurch Library.
  2. ^ Rabbits Christchurch Library.
  3. ^ a b c d e f MfE State of Environment Report, 1997
  4. ^ Te-Urewera-National-Park-Management-Plan
  5. ^ Rudd facts DOC website, retrieved 16 September 2007.
  6. ^ History of EDS EDS web site.
  7. ^ About ECO ECO website.
  8. ^ Greenpeace NZ website FAQ
  9. ^ About ECO ECO website.
  10. ^ [1]
  11. ^ NZ Govt. Legislation
  12. ^ NZ Govt. Legislation
  13. ^ Native Forest Restoration Trust
  14. ^ Wheen, N. (2002) A history of New Zealand environmental law. pp 261-274, In Environmental histories of New Zealand, edited by Pawson, E. and Brooking,T. Oxford University Press, Melbourne, page 268.
  15. ^ Wheen, N. (2002) Op cit
  16. ^ NZ Govt. Legislation
  17. ^ Govt. Legislation
  18. ^ UNESCO
  19. ^ UNESCO
  20. ^ Greens history
  21. ^ Green Ribbon Award
  22. ^ The Press - 24 August 2004
  23. ^ NZ Justice Department
  24. ^ Native Forest Action
  25. ^ Wild Greens
  26. ^ Zerowaste
  27. ^ UNESCO
  28. ^ Karst-Management-Guidelines
  29. ^ Varroa FAQ
  30. ^ Waste Strategy
  31. ^ Ecological footprint
  32. ^ Campbell Island
  33. ^ Clean Streams Accord
  34. ^ Rotorua Lakes
  35. ^ Businessman jailed for clearing native bush
  36. ^ Didymo
  37. ^ Nitrates, Press Release, Environment Canterbury
  38. ^ Nitrates, Press Release, Environment Canterbury
  39. ^ Nitrates, Press Release, Environment Canterbury
  40. ^ Million dollar conservation project restores Raoul. New Zealand Government (2004-09-24).
  41. ^ Mining road application turned down
  42. ^ Project Aqua
  43. ^ [2]
  44. ^ Environmental Performance Index: Redirect
  45. ^ Pipe bomb explodes outside conservationist's home, The New Zealand Herald, 10 April 2006, retrieved 5 April 2008.
  46. ^ New threatened species list: Media release
  47. ^ Beehive - Address to New Zealand Ambassador's Reception
  48. ^ http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/OECD_releases_report_on_New_Zealand%27s_environmental_performance
  49. ^ Beehive - Groundbreaking initiative to protect underwater habitats
  50. ^ Beehive - Abandoned Tui mine to be cleaned up
  51. ^ Beehive - NZ and Australia close orange roughy fishery
  52. ^ Beehive - Research on New Zealanders' environmental actions
  53. ^ Table 2: The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index: Regulatory framework (PDF). World Economic Forum (2008).
  54. ^ (April 2008) New Zealand’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990-2006: An Overview. Ministry for the Environment (New Zealand). ISBN 978-0-478-30222-6. 

[edit] Bibliography

  • King, Carolyn; (1984) Immigrant Killers. Auckland: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-558121-0
  • Young, David; (2004) Our Islands, Our Selves. Dunedin: University of Otago Press. ISBN 1-877276-94-4
  • Galbreath, Ross; (1993) Working for Wildlife: A History of the New Zealand Wildlife Service. Wellington: Bridget Williams Books Limited. ISBN 0-908912-43-9

[edit] Further reading

  • King, Carolyn; (1984) Immigrant Killers. Auckland: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-558121-0
  • Young, David; (2004) Our Islands, Our Selves. Dunedin: University of Otago Press. ISBN 1-877276-94-4
  • Galbreath, Ross; (1993) Working for Wildlife: A History of the New Zealand Wildlife Service. Wellington: Bridget Williams Books Limited. ISBN 0-908912-43-9
  • Bührs, T. and Bartlett, R.V.; (1993) Environmental policy in New Zealand: The politics of clean & green?. Auckland: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-558284-5
  • Cant, Garth and Kirkpatrick, Russell (eds.); (2001) Rural Canterbury: Celebrating its History. Wellington: Daphne Brasell Assosciates Ltd. ISBN 0-909049-34-3
  • Pawson, Eric and Booking, Tom (eds.); (2002) Environmental Histories of New Zealand. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-558421-X
  • Roche, Michael; (1990) History of New Zealand Forestry. Wellington: GP Print Ltd. ISBN 0-477-00004-5
  • Boon, Kevin; (2005) The Forests: Developments in New Zealand History. Waiatarua Publishing. ISBN 1-86963-201-X