Online Encyclopedia
Timeline of environmental history of New Zealand
This is a timeline of environmental history of New Zealand.
These events relate to the natural environment of New Zealand as a result of human activity.
See also: Timeline of New Zealand history
Contents |
Pre 1800s
- Arrival of Maori.
- Many species of bird, including Moa, become extinct.
- New Zealand is discovered by Europeans.
- Sealers and Whalers arrive
1800s
1840s
- 1840 Treaty of Waitangi
- 1841
- 1842
- 1843
- 1844
- 1845
- 1846
- 1847
- 1848
- 1849
1850s
- 1850
- 1851
- 1852
- 1853
- 1854
- 1855
- 1856
- 1857
- 1858
- 1859
1860s
- 1860
- Australian Magpie introduced.
- 1861
- 1862
- 1863
- 1864
- 1865
- 1866
- 1867
- 1868
- 1869
1870s
- 1870
- 1871
- 1872
- 1873
- 1874
- 1875
- 1876
- 1877
- 1878
- 1879
1880s
- 1880
- 1881
- 1882
- 1883
- 1884
- 1885
- Stoats, ferrets and weasels are liberated as a misguided attempt to control rabbits.
- 1886
- 1887
- 23 September - Te Heuheu gifts Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe to people of New Zealand.
- 1888
- 1889
1890s
- 1890
- 1891
- 1892
- 1893
- 1894
- Protection of fur seal population due to declining numbers.
- The Stephens Island wren is made extinct by the lighthouse keeper's cat.
- 1895
- 1896
- 1897
- 1898
- 1899
1900s
- 1900
- Egmont National Park established
- 1901
- 1902
- 1903
- 1904
- 1905
- 1906
- 1907
- Tongariro National Park is formally gazetted.
- Last known huia sighted and then shot.
- 1908
- 1909
1910s
- 1910
- 1911
- 1912
- 1913
- 1914
- 1915
- 1916
- 1917
- 1918
- 1919
1920s
- 1920
- 1921
- Guthrie-Smith's Tutira: The Story of a New Zealand Sheep Station published.
- 1922
- 1923
- The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand is formed.
- 1924
- 1925
- 1926
- 1927
- 1928
- 1929
- Attempt made to protect bush in in an area near what will be the Abel Tasman National Park.
1930s
- 1930
- 1931
- 1932
- 1933
- 1934
- 1935
- 1936
- Protection removed from mustelids.
- 1937
- 1938
- 1939
1940s
- 1940
- 1941
- 1942
- Abel Tasman National Park established.
- 1943
- 1944
- 1945
- 1946
- Possums no longer protected.
- 1947
- 1948
- 1949
1950s
- 1950
- 1951
- 1952
- Waipoua Forest Sanctuary formed.
- Fiordland National Park established.
- 1953
- Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park established.
- 1954
- 28 July - Te Urewera National Park gazetted. Additions made later. [1]
- 1955
- 1956
- 1957
- 1958
- 1959
1960s
- 1960
- 1961
- 1962
- 1963
- 1964
- Mount Aspiring National Park esablished.
- 1965
- Hydro dam proposed at Taupeka Mouth is opposed by local residents.
- 1966
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
- "Save Lake Manapouri" campaign gained nationwide headlines.
1970s
- 1970
- EDS formed [2]
- 1971
- 1972
- 1973
- Government decides to put South Island beech forests up for tender for chipping.
- 1974
- Greenpeace New Zealand formed. [4]
- 1975
- 1976
- 1977
- Native Forest Action Council presents 341,159 signature petion to Government (beech forests?)
- 23 December - Reserves Act passed (includes provision for Wilderness Areas) [6]
- 23 December - Wild Animal Control Act passed [7]
- 1978
- 1 April - Reserves Act comes into force
- 1979
- Five black robins left but saved from extiction by Don Merton and team.
1980s
- 1980
- Clyde Dam protests.
- Native Forest Restoration Trust established to purchase and protect native forests. [8]
- 1981
- 1982
- 1983
- 1 October - Fisheries Act comes into force (establishes a fishing quota system).
- 1984
- New Zealand declared nuclear free by Labour Government.
- 1985
- 10 July - Bombing of Rainbow Warrior by French secret agents.
- 1986
- 1987
- Paparoa National Park established.
- 1 January - Environment Act comes into force [10]
- 1 April - Conservation Act comes into force (establishes DoC, Fish and Game)
- 1988
- 1989
1990s
- 1990
- Banning of wood chip exports.
- Creation of Tongariro National Park World Heritage site. [11]
- Creation of Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. [12]
- Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is formed.
- Ministry for the Environment Green ribbon award established [13]
- 1991
- Resource Management Act passed into law.
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- Rats eradicated from Kapiti Island.
- Resource consent given to mine sand in Mangawhai Harbour.
- Basel Convention comes into force.
- 1995
- 1996
- Environment Court, formerly called the Planning Tribunal, is constituted by the RMA 1996 [14]
- Kahurangi National Park gazetted.
- 1997
- Native Forest Action commences lobbying to save West Coast forests. [15]
- Wild Greens group formed. [16]
- Zerowaste Trust established. [17]
- 1998
- Creation of New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands World Heritage site.[18]
- 1999
- Labour Government gains power.
2000s
- 2000
- A gondola is proposed from Lake Wakatipu area to the Milford Road.
- West Coast loop roads through conservation land is promoted by group of South Island mayors.
- 15 June Biotech lobby group Life Sciences Network web site goes live. [19]
- 2001
- Moratorium on marine farms, initially for two years.
- Forest restoration on the Kapiti Coast. [20]
- 10 May - Government announces transfer of all Timerlands managed forests to DoC.
- 18 August - Macraes mine extension turned down by Sandra Lee.
- 2002
- Rakiura National Park established.
- New Zealand ratifies the Kyoto Protocol.
- New Zealand Waste Strategy released by the Ministry for Environment. [21]
- 25 January - New Zealand Environment magazine launched.
- 2003
- YHA started a Young Environmentalist programme.
- Min of Ag, MfE and Fonterra sign the Clean Streams Accord. [22]
- 24 April - New Zealand population at 4,000,000.
- 5 September New Zealand Environment magazine discontinued.
- 31 October - Businessman jailed for clearing native bush (this has set a precident) [23]
- 2004
- Group to proceed with the Milford Gondola.
- Nitrates an increasing problem in Canterburys groundwater. [24], [25], [26]
- Monorail proposed for Queenstown to Milford Sound tourists.
- Pike River coal mine given go ahead.
- Kiakoura Green Globe Conference declaration.
- Rats successfully eradicated from Raoul Island. [27]
- 20 January - Two Czech visitors fined for plant smuggling [28]
- 12 March - Mount Burnett mining road application turned down. [29]
- 25 March - Open cast mine proposed at Happy Valley. [30]
- 29 March - Meridian Energy Limited "Project Aqua" cancelled. [31]
- 10 May - Kaikoura Island protected. [32]
- 2005
- 1 July - Molesworth Station to be transfered from LINZ to DoC.
Other
(no dates established as yet.)
- Deer, wapiti, wallabies introduced.
- Population at 1,000,000
- Population at 2,000,000
- Population at 3,000,000
- Molesworth Station has plant and animal pest problems.
- Deer culling commenced.
- First campaign to save the West Coast beech forest.
- Protests at Whirinaki against native forest logging.
- Tree top protest in Pureora Forest.
- Proposed Aramoana smelter protest.
- Black Robin saved from extinction by Don Merton and team.
- Waipoua Forest protest.
- Milk industry deregulated paving the way for plastic milk bottles
- NZ Speleological Society conservation Officer position appointed.
- Kerbside recycling commences in North Shore City.
- Terranova magazine now extinct.
- GE free New Zealand organisation commenced [33]
- Nature Heritage Fund established.
- South Island high country tenure review.
- Bluegreens (with close ties to the National Party) is formed.
- Greymouth sewerage causing pollution in the Grey River .
- Media highlights polluted Rotorua lakes.
- Sucessfull opposition to a dam on the Rangitaiki River .
References
Immigant Killers - Carolyn King ISBN 0-19-5581221-0
Last updated: 01-09-2005 23:50:46