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Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry today announced the 2016 Green Ribbon Awards finalists to celebrate exceptional environmental achievements by New Zealanders.

“We are delighted to recognise these community groups, scientists, schools, councils and businesses for their innovation and achievements in the 26th annual Green Ribbon Awards,” Dr Smith says.

“This year we received a very commendable 106 nominations across the ten categories, with some projects making a positive difference over many years.

The largest pest control operation in New Zealand’s history will be launched this winter in response to a pest plague which threatens vulnerable native wildlife, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

Battle for our Birds 2016 will receive $20.7 million in new operating funding for 2015/16 from this month’s Budget, helping to fight back against an expected pest population boom caused by a heavy forest seeding, or mast.

A kakapo chick rearing facility in Invercargill upgraded with the help of offenders carrying out community work is playing a vital role in the species’ recovery, Corrections Minister Judith Collins and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry say.

The most vulnerable kakapo chicks hatched during this year’s record breeding season are being hand-reared at the site, a converted building offered by the Invercargill City Council.

The centre is needed for chicks which have fallen ill, or were not putting on sufficient weight in the wild.

Amendments to how regulations are made for the Lake Taupo trout fishery will make its management more responsive, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

“The change will allow fishing conditions developed by the Taupo Fishery Advisory Committee, including the key management tools of daily bag and fish size limits, to be approved solely by the Minister of Conservation rather than through the Cabinet process, as was the case,” Ms Barry says.

The successful release of three young Coromandel Brown Kiwi on Motutapu Island off Auckland yesterday is testament to the power of working together, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

"Two female kiwi and one male – who was renamed Ropata in honour of renowned conservationist Rob Fenwick – were brought to Motutapu from Rotoroa Island in double-hulled and masted waka hourua," Ms Barry says.

An application to transfer and release grass and silver carp to a new fish farm site outside Taupo has been withdrawn, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

"Applicant Golden Harvest Aquaculture has written to the Department of Conservation stating they wish to withdraw their current application for a fish farm," Ms Barry says.

The application was still under consideration as the Minister had not formally signed off approval for the transfer and release of carp as part of the consenting process.

The first stage of a record breeding season for the kakapo has come to a close, with the last egg of the year hatched this morning, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

“The future of New Zealand’s own giant flightless parrot is looking much brighter,” Ms Barry says.

“Zephyr 2, hatched on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island shortly before 7am today, is the 46th chick this year – which makes this the most successful breeding season in the 25-year history of DOC’s Kakapo Recovery Programme.”

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has welcomed a renewed commitment to supporting New Zealand’s own white-water rafting duck, the whio, announced today.

The Department of Conservation and Genesis Energy have signed a five year extension to their Whio Forever partnership, begun in 2011.

“This is one of DOC’s most successful partnerships, and it’s made a significant difference to the species’ prospects,” Ms Barry says.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has welcomed the first reading of the Wildlife (Powers) Amendment Bill in Parliament this evening.

A modernisation and upgrade of existing legislation, the bill will give Department of Conservation rangers new powers to intervene and prevent offences against native wildlife such as poaching, hunting protected species and smuggling.

“Under the Wildlife Act 1953, DOC is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of these crimes,” Ms Barry says.

A new “roadmap” for scientific research will look for answers to important questions about how we care for New Zealand’s natural world, Environment Minister Nick Smith and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry say.

Development of the Conservation and Environment Science Roadmap will set out 20-year targets for conservation and environmental research.

“A unified approach to the science will help us make research more efficient, targeted at tangible goals,” Dr Smith says.

Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner has today welcomed an agreement between the Department of Conservation (DOC) and the State Forestry Administration (SFA) of China to protect wetlands in both countries used by migratory birds.

2016 may become the most successful kakapo breeding in the history of the species recovery programme, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

The critically-endangered birds are world-famous for their character, rarity and bizarre appearance, a giant flightless nocturnal parrot found only in New Zealand.

“So far this season, 42 out of 54 female kakapo have nested, with 28 chicks alive and well and another 19 fertile eggs still to hatch,” Ms Barry says.

New Zealanders have the chance to honour the nation’s inspirational environmental leaders at the Green Ribbon Awards, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry say, with nominations for the 26th annual awards opening yesterday.

Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner has today announced a Nature Heritage Fund (NHF) purchase of an important area of native forest, wetland and river flats near Dargaville, Northland. The $655,000 NHF grant is supported by a contribution of $55,000 from the Northland Fish and Game Council.

The 342 hectare site, 5 km east of Dargaville, is alongside the Manganui and Wairoa Rivers. Three hundred hectares is remnant kauri, podocarp, hardwood forest and wetland, with the balance being drained river flats containing remnant areas of kahikatea.

An unprecedented number of New Zealand’s smallest kiwi species will be on the move next week, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

Thirty little spotted kiwi will be flown to new homes in the largest-ever translocation effort attempted by the Department of Conservation to increase the genetic diversity of the birds’ population.

“DOC has worked with iwi from five different rohe [areas], the Kiwis for Kiwi Trust, Cape Sanctuary and Air New Zealand to make this translocation possible,” Ms Barry says.

Brazilian beetles will be released into the wild in Wellington’s town belt today to help control the pernicious weed tradescantia, or wandering willie.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry and Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown are releasing tradescantia leaf beetles on Mt Victoria as part of an ongoing biocontrol project targeting the weed, which is a major problem in the capital city.

The new Toyota Kiwi Guardians programme launched today will help families have fun while they enjoy the great outdoors, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

Developed by the Department of Conservation as part of its five-year partnership with Toyota, Kiwi Guardians will promote family-friendly activities at 20 different sites across the country.

“Kiwi Guardians is all about having fun, getting out into New Zealand’s natural world and learning more about it,” Ms Barry says.

The reintroduction of whio/blue duck to Mt Taranaki has been a major success story for New Zealand’s native animals, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

Ms Barry helped release six captive-reared whio near the North Egmont Visitor Centre this afternoon as part of the ongoing reestablishment project.

The Taranaki Biodiversity Trust is making a significant difference to conservation efforts in the region, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

Launching the Trust’s new Wild For Taranaki identity at its Biodiversity Forum in Stratford today, Ms Barry says the group is an excellent example of communities coming together for the benefit of their natural environment.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry and Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner have congratulated the successful Givealittle campaign to buy Awaroa beach.

“Duane Major, Adam Gard’ner and the almost 40,000 Kiwis who donated close to $2 million to buy Awaroa beach deserve the thanks of the nation for their generosity, energy and spirit,” Ms Barry says.

“It’s been inspiring to see how the campaign reflected New Zealanders’ deep connection to our land and our desire to see it protected.

Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner is today signing a deed officially establishing the new Mackenzie Country Trust, which implements the vision and strategy of the 2013 Mackenzie Country Agreement.

“The establishment of the Mackenzie Country Trust provides a way forward for the Mackenzie Agreement and puts the future of the Mackenzie Basin firmly in the hands of local communities,” Ms Wagner says.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says a privately-owned beach will become part of the Abel Tasman National Park if an online crowdfunding campaign to buy it succeeds.

The Givealittle campaign has so far raised more than $750,000 to buy seven hectares of private land for sale at Awaroa Inlet, with the intention of offering it to be incorporated into the surrounding National Park.

World Wetlands Day is a chance for New Zealanders to find out more about some of the country’s most important natural treasures, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry and Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner say.

To mark the day the Department of Conservation has released a new online resource, Our Estuaries, to help people explore and look after the wetland environment.

“New Zealand has more than 300 estuaries, and they are home to a wide range of native plants, fish and birds,” Ms Barry says.

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry has welcomed the launch of Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision’s new website, which makes archive film and audio recordings available to all New Zealanders.

“This important website connects New Zealanders with their heritage in an exciting and accessible way,” Ms Barry says.