You can contact LEARNZ, part of CORE Education, at:
Postal Address:
PO Box 13 678,
Christchurch 8141,
New Zealand
Caring for the outdoors and protecting the environment on private land
There are many threatened native species in New Zealand that are at real risk of becoming extinct soon.
Although we have conservation parks and reserves, 70% of New Zealand is privately owned with some of our most threatened animal and plant species depending on private land. Protecting species and their habitats is extremely important for the future biodiversity of New Zealand.
Protecting habitats
Habitats are the natural environment in which a species of organism lives. It is those places where they can find food, shelter, protection and are able to reproduce.
QEII National Trust helps to protect areas that provide habitats for many species such as wetlands, sand dunes, forest and grassland. The species protected includes insects, birds, fish, lizards, plants and many others.
QEII National Trust partners with landowners to protect special places on private land and the species that are found in them.
QEII National Trust do this by working with farmers and other landowners to agree on which area should be protected and what activities can take place in the future.
Once an area has been protected, the protection is permanent and the landowner cannot make any big changes such as cutting down trees and building houses. They also need to make sure that they do everything they can to help the habitat thrive – such as making sure the area is fenced off properly and carrying out pest and weed control.
QEII National Trust assists landowners to protect these special areas and the species found in them for the benefit of present and future generations.
Wetlands
Wetlands are areas where water is the most important element for the plants and animal life found there. Water is usually always at or near the surface of the land.
Wetlands are like the kidneys of the earth as they can filter and clean water that flows into them. Protecting wetlands can also help to control flooding and limit the effects of big storms and tides.
Pohangina wetlands. Image: Teanau Tuiono.
Wetlands are just one type of special ecosystems that QEII National Trust helps protect.
You can find out more about other types of ecosystems and why they are important to protect from the QEII National Trust.
You can find out more about wetlands from the National Wetland Trust of New Zealand.