Protected areas of New Zealand are on both public and private land. Nearly 30 percent of the land mass of New Zealand is in public ownership and has some degree of protection. The level of protection varies according to the land status.
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The Department of Conservation administers the majority of the publicly owned land in New Zealand that is protected for scenic, scientific, historic and cultural reasons, or set aside for recreational purposes. More than 80,000 km2 – nearly 30 percent of the nation's total area – is administered by the department.
There are 14 national parks, covering just under 25,000 km2, 20 forest parks covering some 18,000 km2, about 3,500 reserves covering around 15,000 km2, and some 610 km2 of protected private land and covenants that have been set aside for scenic, scientific or ecological reasons. The department also has responsibility for the preservation and management of wildlife, and has a role in management of the coastal marine area with 19 marine reserves and two other protected marine areas from the Kermadec Islands to Fiordland.
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The Department of Conservation have set up five mainland islands:[1]
New Zealand has a total of 32 marine reserves spread around the North and South Islands, and two on outlying island groups. The first marine reserve was created in 1975.
There are 14 national parks, covering just under 25,000 km2.
Regional parks of New Zealand are administered by regional councils.
New Zealand is a signatory to the Ramsar Convention, and as of 2008 there are six Ramsar-registered sites in New Zealand:
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Travis Wetland is an ecological restoration project in Christchurch that was purchased by the city council as a nature reserve.
There are three World Heritage Sites in New Zealand:
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