To usher in Spring Doc is celebrating Conservation Week from 15 – 23 September. This year DOC is aiming to raise awareness of the biodiversity crisis that New Zealand faces, its causes and what we can to do address it.
Kiwis are being called to connect with nature this Conservation Week and give our native species and natural landscapes a helping hand. The week runs until Sunday September 23. The theme is “Conservation is Calling”.
New Zealand’s native wildlife is in crisis with more than 4,000 of our species threatened or at risk. It’s not just well-known species like kākāpō and kea under threat but also snails, plants, lizards, insects and fish.
We need to act now, or we could lose our unique native species. When we lose them, we lose a part of what makes New Zealand special.
Cleaning up waterways, protecting marine habitats, getting rid of weeds and planting native species are actions people can take to help protect our biodiversity.
The biggest threat to our plants and wildlife is from introduced predators like rats, stoats and possums. Getting rid of predators is an important first step. People can help by setting traps on their properties or joining a local predator trapping group. Together we can help New Zealand to achieve its Predator Free 2050 goal.
There are all sorts of events you can get involved in. https://www.doc.govt.nz/news/events/