Natural
Environment
Geography
New Zealand is situated in the South Pacific
ocean, between latitude 34'S and 47'S.
The country runs roughly north-south with
mountain ranges down much of its length.
Its two main islands (North and South)
cover 266,200 sq km (103,735 sq miles),
about the size of Japan or California
and slightly larger than Great Britain.
Natural
Environment
New Zealand's separation from other
land masses about 100 million years
ago allowed many ancient plants and
animals to survive and evolve in isolation.
Complementing our unique flora and fauna
is a landscape that contains an unrivalled
variety of landforms. In a couple of
days drive it is possible to see everything
from mountain ranges to sandy beaches,
lush rainforests, glaciers and fiords
and active volcanoes.
Flora
In spite of around 1000 years of native
bush clearance by humans, about a quarter
of the country still remains forested
- mostly in high country areas. Most
of these remaining areas are protected
from exploitation in national and forest
parks, where they can be enjoyed by
all.
The
characteristic New Zealand forest is
a temperate, evergreen rain forest with
giant tree ferns, vines and epiphytes
- looking a bit like the popular image
of a jungle. The giant kauri, among
the largest trees in the world, is now
restricted to relatively small forest
pockets in Northland and on the Coromandel
Peninsula.
Fauna
New Zealand is a land of unique birds.
The best known is the flightless kiwi,
New Zealand's unofficial national symbol.
Also flightless are the weka and the
endangered kakapo, the world's largest
parrot which can just scramble up into
shrubs and small trees.
Another
unique bird, one capable of flight,
is the inquisitive kea (native alpine
parrot), which is renowned for its fearlessness
of humans and cheeky personality.
New Zealand's Natural Heritage
What makes New Zealand's natural heritage
so special?
Underlying
New Zealand's physical attractions -
its dramatic mountains, unpolluted beaches
and green countryside - is an epic survival
story of unique plants and animals.
Cast adrift from the ancient supercontinent
of Gondwanaland, these ancient species
evolved in isolation and struggled to
survive in what renowned naturalist
David Bellamy has called ‘Moa's
Ark’ (named after New Zealand's
native, but now extinct, giant flightless
bird, the moa).
After
only 1000 years of human settlement
New Zealand has lost many native species.
But impressive gains have been made
in recent times to protect and enhance
what is left. These include removing
introduced pests from island wildlife
sanctuaries, the establishment of 13
national parks, three maritime parks,
two world heritage areas, hundreds of
nature reserves and ecological areas,
a network of marine reserves and wetlands,
and protection for special rivers and
lakes. In total, around 30 percent of
New Zealand's land area is protected
conservation land.
In
addition, research and management programmes
have been introduced to aid the recovery
of rare and endangered species like
kakapo, kokako, kiwi and tuatara. You
can learn more about these programmes
on the Department of Conservation website.
New
Zealand welcomes everyone to experience
and discover its unique and precious
natural heritage. We ask only that you
make as little impact as possible, so
future generations may also enjoy it
as you do.
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