Forest & Bird facts for kids

Forest & Bird

Te Reo o te Taiao
Formation	1923; 102 years ago (1923)
Type	Non-governmental organisation
Legal status	Charity
Purpose	Conservation
Headquarters	Wellington, New Zealand
President	Mark Hanger
Chief executive	Nicola Toki

Forest & Bird (which in Māori is called Te Reo o te Taiao) is also known as the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand. It is a group that works to protect and save New Zealand's amazing native plants, animals, and wild places. They also help look after the country's natural ecosystems.

Forest & Bird has 47 local groups all over New Zealand, in both cities and smaller towns. These groups are busy with projects to help nature and speak up for conservation. Forest & Bird also has offices and staff in places like Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Nelson, and Dunedin. They publish a magazine called Forest & Bird four times a year. It's a well-known magazine about New Zealand's nature and how to protect it.

Forest & Bird has also written a detailed book about environmental law in New Zealand. They actively work to make sure laws and practices better protect our natural environments.

What is Forest & Bird?

Forest & Bird is a non-profit group that cares deeply about New Zealand's unique nature. They work to protect native birds, plants, and their homes. This includes forests, rivers, and coastlines.

Why is Forest & Bird Important?

New Zealand has many plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Sadly, many of these are in danger. Forest & Bird helps to save these special species and places for everyone to enjoy, now and in the future.

History of Forest & Bird

Forest & Bird started way back in 1923. It was first called the Native Bird Protection Society. Over the years, it became known as the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand. From the very beginning, the group has always spoken up for protecting nature, especially New Zealand's forests.

How Forest & Bird Started

Val Sanderson is known as the person who started Forest & Bird. After returning from World War I in 1921, he was upset to see that Kapiti Island, a wildlife reserve, was being damaged by farm animals. Val Sanderson worked hard to get Kapiti Island better managed as a wildlife reserve.

Because of his success, he held a public meeting in March 1923. This meeting led to the creation of the Native Bird Protection Society. Sir Thomas Mackenzie was the first President. In 1935, Mackenzie and Sanderson changed the society's name to the Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand. Val Sanderson became president in 1933 and led the group until he passed away in 1945. He helped the society work on new areas like stopping soil erosion and using native trees to keep soil stable.

Growing Awareness for Nature

Until the 1970s, Forest & Bird was the main environmental group in New Zealand. But in 1971, the New Zealand Government planned to cut down large areas of native South Island forests. They wanted to replace half of these with pine trees. This plan, along with the Save Manapouri campaign, made more people aware of conservation issues. New environmental groups, like the Beech Forest Action Committee, also started.

In response to the native forest logging plans, Forest & Bird and the Beech Forest Action Committee began the Maruia Declaration on July 4, 1975. This was a public petition asking for an end to native forest logging and for native forests to be legally protected. The Maruia Declaration was given to the New Zealand Government in 1977.

Fun Activities and Partnerships

Since 2005, Forest & Bird has held an annual "Bird of the Year" poll. The public gets to vote for their favourite native bird. Past winners include the kākāpō, the tūī, and the New Zealand long-tailed bat.

In 2021, the famous singer Lorde donated all the money from her music EP called Te Ao Mārama to Forest & Bird and another charity. In April 2022, Nicola Toki became the new Chief Executive of Forest & Bird.

Important Campaigns

Forest & Bird has been involved in many important campaigns to protect New Zealand's environment:

• 1970s – Lake Manapouri: A big effort to stop the lake from being raised for a power project.
• 1980s – 1990s Native forest conservation: Working to protect New Zealand's precious native forests from being cut down.
• 2006 – Protecting the New Zealand sea lion: A petition to give more protection to these special marine mammals.
• Living Rivers: Campaigns to keep New Zealand's rivers healthy and clean.
• South Island High Country: Efforts to protect the unique landscapes and ecosystems of the South Island's high country.
• Dawn Chorus (Terrestrial Biodiversity): Working to bring back the sounds of native birds by protecting their habitats.
• 2004 Marine Conservation – the Best Fish Guide: Since 2004, Forest & Bird has published a guide called Best Fish Guide. This guide rates different types of fish caught for food based on how healthy their populations are and how fishing affects the ocean. The first guide in 2004 suggested that no fish species were completely safe to catch and eat from an environmental point of view.
• 2009 – 2010: Stopping large irrigation plans in the Mackenzie Basin: Working to prevent big water projects that could harm the unique environment of the Mackenzie Basin.
• 2009 – Saving conservation areas from mining: A campaign to protect New Zealand's special conservation lands from being mined.
• 2009 – Saving iconic rivers from being dammed: A campaign to stop dams from being built on important New Zealand rivers.
• 2011 – 2012 Opposing the Escarpment Mine Project on the Denniston Plateau: Working against a mining project that would have damaged the Denniston Plateau.
• 2008 – 2012 Successfully stopping the damming of the Mōkihinui River: A successful campaign to prevent a dam from being built on the Mōkihinui River.

What Forest & Bird Aims For

Forest & Bird has clear goals for what they want to achieve:

• To do everything they can to protect New Zealand's native plants, animals, and natural places. This is for the benefit of everyone, including future generations.
• To help people learn about and appreciate New Zealand's native plants and animals. They want people to understand their beauty, scientific value, cultural importance, and how we can enjoy them.
• To teach people of all ages why it's so important and urgent to protect these natural resources.
• To make sure our environment stays clean and free from pollution.
• To speak up for the protection of native species, their homes, and their natural systems.
• To support the creation and protection of natural areas, reserves, and National Parks that are owned or controlled by the public.
• To create and manage special reserves and safe places to protect New Zealand's native ecosystems.
• To support getting rid of introduced animals and plants that harm New Zealand's native flora and fauna.

Public Views on Forest & Bird

People have different ideas about Forest & Bird. It is one of the most well-known environmental groups in New Zealand.

In 2010, there was a big discussion when Forest & Bird warned that a government report might suggest allowing mining in important conservation areas. These areas included parts of Paparoa National Park, Great Barrier Island, and the Coromandel Peninsula.

A week later, the government did release a plan that suggested opening up 7,058 hectares of protected conservation land for mining. This land was protected under "Schedule Four" of the Crown Minerals Act 1991, which normally stops mining.

However, many people disagreed with this plan. About 40,000 people marched in Auckland to protest. Also, most of the 37,552 public comments received were against the idea. Because of this strong public opposition, the government announced that no conservation land would be removed from Schedule 4 for mining. This showed the power of public action in protecting New Zealand's natural places.

Images for kids

• 

  Logo in use until November 2009

• 

  Former National Office building in Wellington, now at 205 Victoria Street