Take a closer look at historic heritage

Elizabeth Marenzi —  24/10/2013
Kea yawning. Photo: Herb Christophers.

Underwhelmed? A real yawn? Think again!

The Department of Conservation’s Annual Report for 2012/13 has recently been published. If this news underwhelms you, then I hope you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

It’s actually chocka full of fascinating facts and information that’ll give you a better understanding of what we do and what we’ve been up to in the past year.

For those of you who don’t want to read the full report, we’re going to take a short sweet peek at some bits and pieces from it on the blog over the next few weeks (mostly pretty pictures people, don’t panic!).

So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at:

Historic heritage

Not everyone knows that DOC manages the single largest collection of historic heritage in the country.

This visual from the Annual Report gave me a better appreciation of our work in this area:

Historic heritage infographic.

20 iconic places that reflect the New Zealand identity. 600+ buildings Historic places cover a wide ranger of historic herigage features including: 147 items of machinery. 93 historic roads and tracks. 53 earthwork features. 44 structures. 18% increase in visitation to Denniston compared with 2011/12. 28% increase in visitation to Karanghaka Gorge compared with 2011/12. Over 75% of the 607 historic places actively being conserved can be visited. Increase in inventory of historic sites on public conservation land (from 12000+ to 13000+) 300 + features 438 archaeological sites and collections. 607 heritage places actively conserved. Our history is protected and brought to life. Historic heritage

There, you’ve just digested a whole page from DOC’s Annual Report! It wasn’t so bad was it? I hope you’ve learnt something new.

Let’s regroup next week for another instalment. I know—a cliffhanger finish—can you stand it?

Check out the DOC website for more information about:

DOC’s Annual Report

DOC’s work caring for and protecting historic and cultural heritage

Icon heritage sites
Icon sites tell a range of great stories about kiwi identity. DOC started developing these sites ten years ago, in collaboration with local councils and communities.

Karangahake Gorge
The Karangahake Gorge is rich with history and is located on State Highway 2 between Waihi and Paeroa, at the southern limits of the Coromandel Peninsula.

Historic Denniston
Denniston was the main township of a unique collection of mining towns built to service the coal mines on the Denniston plateau. It is one of New Zealand’s most significant industrial sites and is a 25 minute drive north of Westport, on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island.

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Photo of the week: Biking the Heaphy Track

Department of Conservation —  23/10/2013

Today’s photo of the week is from the Heaphy Track in the Kahurangi National Park.

A three year trial of winter mountain biking on the Heaphy Track has recently finished. The subsequent Kahurangi National Park mountain biking trial 2011-2013 report supports mountain biking continuing.

Biking on the Heaphy Track.

The Heaphy Track passes through diverse landscapes, from beautiful beech forest to expansive tussock grasslands, to lush forests, nikau palms and roaring seas.

It’s a tough ride, and not to be underestimated. It requires advanced mountain biking skills, being ranked Grade 4 rising to Grade 5/expert in wet or otherwise difficult riding conditions.

It takes 2 – 3 days to ride (4 – 6 days to walk) depending on fitness, skills and conditions.

This photo was taken by Jono B.

Related links:

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Help make the DOC website easier to use

Department of Conservation —  22/10/2013

By Beverly Bacon, Web Communications Advisor, Department of Conservation (DOC)

We’re planning changes to DOC’s website and online booking system and are looking for people to provide feedback on our plans over the next few months.

It’s an opportunity for you to see what’s coming up and to tell us what you think, and it will help ensure any changes we make help you find what you’re looking for and to book online.

Graphic of man using computer. Images of hills, a hut and a kiwi in the background. Text reads: Help us improve the DOC website.

You can help us online from anywhere convenient to you, or by coming to see us in our Wellington office (other offices to be confirmed). Prezzy cards are on offer.

If you’re interested, complete the registration form on the DOC website, and we’ll be in touch.

Screen shot of the DOC website homepage and booking screen. Click to go through to the DOC website and the registration form.

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Giveaway: Native birds of New Zealand poster

Elizabeth Marenzi —  21/10/2013

We have had so many great comments telling us why you want this beautiful poster. The giveaway is now closed and the winning comment (picked at random) is from Anna Margaret. Em Scott also picks up a copy for naming all of the birds. Thanks for commenting.

If you’ve been following the Conservation Blog for a while you might remember that last November we gave away a copy of Buller’s Birds of New Zealand.

At the time I said that each painting was a masterpiece that I wanted to frame for my wall. I also said that pulling apart such a precious book for a piece of wall art would be criminal. This month I found the solution to my problem. May I present to you Native Birds of New Zealand—the poster.

The image used in this poster is a cromolithograph (c. 1900) by William Shaw Diedrich Schmidt. The birds in Schmidt’s work were based on the artwork of J.G Keulemans in Walter Buller’s A History of the Birds of New Zealand.

Buller's birds of New Zealand. The poster.

How gorgeous is that? How perfect would it look on my (ahem, I mean your) wall? How great would it be to win a copy?

Well, today you have a chance, thanks to Te Papa Press.

All you need to do to be in with a shot of winning the Native Birds of New Zealand poster is to leave a comment on this post before 12 noon, Wednesday 23 October 2013, telling us why you want it. 

A winner will be selected at random and contacted by email.

For an extra chance to win (yes, that’s two copies of the poster we’re giving away), and a fun challenge for the dedicated bird lovers amongst us, who can name the most birds in the poster?

Good luck!

Unfortunately we can only post to New Zealand addresses.

The Native Birds of New Zealand poster (755mm x 449mm) is valued at $24.99 and is available to purchase from Te Papa (and their online store).

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Jobs at DOC: Hannah Edmonds – Biodiversity Ranger

Department of Conservation —  18/10/2013

Come behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation (DOC).

Today we profile Hannah Edmonds, Biodiversity Ranger in the Fiordland District Office.

At work

Some things I do in my job include…monitoring Haast tokoeka (kiwi) chicks on crèche islands, little spotted kiwi, mohua and saddleback translocations, monitoring Fiordland crested penguins, monitoring long and short tailed bats, and monitoring lizards on islands and in the alpine.

Releasing Haast tokoeka on Pomona Island. Photograph: Barry Harcourt

Releasing Haast tokoeka on Pomona Island with Blair Hoult

This helps achieve DOC’s vision by…ensuring the survival of wildlife and restoring ecosystems.

The best bit about my job is… visiting some amazing places, and working with challenging and endearing species.

The awesome-est DOC moment I’ve had so far is… oh so many awesome moments, it’s hard to choose one but flying over Fiordland in the fading light after dropping of little spotted kiwi to their new home on Chalky Island (who’ve been absent from Fiordland for 100 years) would have to be up there.

The DOC (or previous DOC) employee that inspires or enthuses me most is…no one particular person. There are many of my colleagues that work above and beyond a normal working week, driven purely by passion.

Hannah climbing in the Sinbad Gully searching for Sinbad skinks.

Climbing in the Sinbad Gully searching for Sinbad skinks

On a personal note…

Most people don’t know that I… hmmm, now why would I share a secret?

The song that always cheers me up is… “Sun is shining” by Bob Marley… guaranteed to make you smile and not get it out of your head, even if it is raining!

My stomping ground is… Fiordland’s wild places.

If I could trade places with any other person for a week—famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional—it would be… David Attenborough.

My best ever holiday was… probably trekking in India and Nepal.

If I could be any New Zealand native species I’d be… a short-tailed bat – imagine being one of New Zealand’s only native land mammals, being able to fly at night and having plenty of attitude!

My secret indulgence is… Trademe!

If I wasn’t working at DOC, I’d like to…travel the world, be famous, own an island… not too much really!

Before working at DOC I… travelled the world, but never owned an island.

A Fiordland crested penguin with chick.

Fiordland crested penguin with chick on Breaksea Island a few weeks ago

On a kiwi note…

What would a New Zealand full of kiwi look like? Like a brown mass of fluffy feathers!

If you could give kiwi one super power, what would it be? Super size it so it becomes like a moa.

How can everyday New Zealanders help save the kiwi? Take part in predator control, do volunteer work with kiwi, or make donations to kiwi charities.

If you could ask a kiwi one question, what would it be? What does the world look like to you?

Do you have a favourite kiwi? Fiordland tokoeka of course!

A helicopter being loaded with mountains in the background.

Loading helicopter with boxes of mohua in the Landsborough, to be released on Resolution Island

Deep and meaningful…

My favourite quote is… “I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life’s realities,” by Dr Suess.

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is… go with the flow.

In work and life I am motivated by… doing something I enjoy, and making a difference.

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