Publication Search
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February 2021The New Zealand wastewater sector report documents the challenges facing the wastewater sector in New Zealand. It describes the wastewater’s regulatory and service delivery elements, and examines issues affecting the sector. Read more -
August 2020The New Zealand Threat Classification System provides a tool for assigning a threat status to candidate taxa. Read more -
July 2020New Directions for Resource Management in New Zealand is a comprehensive review of our resource management system. The review process was an opportunity to design a new system for resource management that delivers better outcomes for our environment, society, economy, and culture. Read more -
June 2002Information for lake managers on on native and exotic fish populations in substantial lakes and reservoirs. Read more -
August 2008In 2004, the Government decided to review flood risk management to ensure the framework was robust. The Ministry for the Environment led the review, and a Steering Group provided direction and guidance. This report presents the review's findings. Read more -
July 2008This leaflet provides an overview of the proposed National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. The NES came into effect on 1 July 2011. Read more -
July 2011This environment snapshot has been superseded by the October 2012 Recreational water quality in New Zealand indicator update and the 2013 Suitability for swimming indicator update. Read more -
August 2020This guidance document sets out recommended practice for the design of instream infrastructure to provide for fish passage and to set the foundation for the improvement of fish passage management in New Zealand. Read more -
August 2018These guidelines provide water managers with tools and guidance to assess, manage and monitor the water quality. They complement the existing National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (Freshwater NPS) which is the main direction to local government about how to manage fresh water in New Zealand. Read more -
December 2009These guidelines provide advice on how public health risk associated with cyanobacteria in recreational waters can be managed. Read more -
March 2000This protocol specifies a cost-effective method to determine the trophic levels of lakes, and changes in these levels over time. Read more -
December 2006This document provides a step-by-step protocol for the collection of groundwater samples in New Zealand. Read more -
February 2017This report reviews the original report, 'Strategic assessment of New Zealand’s freshwaters for recreational use: a human health perspective'. Read more -
April 2018The Ministry for the Environment, Department of Conservation, and the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge co-funded research to look at contemporary losses of wetland extent in New Zealand. This report provides recommendations and a suggested path forward to improve our ability to monitor and report on national wetland extent. Read more -
July 2020This summary outlines the principal reasons which led to the review of the resource management system and the Resource Management Review Panel’s main recommendations in their report. Read more -
April 2020In 2018, the Ministry asked Deloitte to consider the extent of water bottling in Aotearoa New Zealand NZ and the economic value of water bottling for water bottlers and communities. This report presents their findings. Read more -
December 2019This guide provides information for people who import, manufacture, or sell products covered by New Zealand’s Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS). Read more -
November 2006This 2006 discussion paper draws together the measures that make up New Zealand’s contaminated land policy framework, and evaluates them to identify any gaps and possible solutions/improvements to the existing framework. Read more -
April 2004This document provides interim guidance on ‘functional’ indicators of ecosystem processes, such as ecosystem metabolism Read more -
September 2007This report contains a summary of the submissions received on the discussion paper Working Towards a Comprehensive Policy Framework for Managing Contaminated Land in New Zealand – Discussion paper. Read more -
April 2011This guideline has been developed through a partnership between the Ministry for the Environment, regional councils and unitary authorities to ensure consistency in the reporting on contaminated sites. Read more -
July 2001This publication provides background information about the sources, causes and processes involved with the deterioration of streams in farmed catchments and the consequences of that deterioration. Read more -
September 2016This draft revised guideline has been released to assist understanding of the proposed amendments to the National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health. The final revised guideline will be gazetted in early 2017. Read more -
September 2020An evaluation report and compilation spreadsheet of available tools, databases and resources relating to the distribution of threatened freshwater species and their habitats in New Zealand. Read more -
November 2003The Ministry and local government developed these guidelines to ensure the consistent selection and application of the environmental guideline values most commonly used in contaminated site assessments in New Zealand. Read more -
December 2018Ministry for the Environment, in partnership with Bay of Plenty Regional Council, commissioned a literature review to get an accessible summary of relevant research carried out in New Zealand on methods to manage sediment and their economic assessment. Read more -
May 2018This report outlines the establishment of reference conditions and trigger values. Reference conditions are defined as the chemical, physical or biological conditions that can be expected in streams and rivers with minimal or no anthropogenic influence. Read more -
June 2020This factsheet provides a high-level overview of the new freshwater planning process (FPP) introduced by the Resource Management Amendment Act 2020. Read more -
September 2020This document provides detailed technical guidance about the new freshwater planning process (FPP) introduced by the Resource Management Amendment Act 2020. Read more -
October 2018This document captures areas of shared interest in water quality and ecosystem health improvements and defines how the Crown and Māori will work together to make improvements to New Zealand’s freshwater. Read more -
September 2001This document summaries submissions received on the revised and new ambient air quality guidelines. Read more -
December 2004This discussion document outlines the different ways in which New Zealanders value and use freshwater. It also looks at how New Zealand’s water is managed and the pressures and challenges facing our water management system. Read more -
June 2002Information for lake managers on pest fish and weeds in New Zealand lakes. Read more -
June 2001The Soil Conservation Handbook is a comprehensive collection of information about soil conservation in New Zealand. Part A covers the forms and processes of the main types of erosion in New Zealand while Part B describes the control techniques. Read more -
January 2010This environmental snapshot provides information on the pressures on New Zealand’s environment from land use. Read more -
July 2013The latest indicator update providing information on the biophysical condition of New Zealand's rivers. Read more
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April 2006In early 2005, the Government held meetings throughout New Zealand to discuss problems facing water management , and to identify possible solutions. This document summarises what we found out, and what we believe needs to be done to improve freshwater management in New Zealand. Read more -
October 2018This document sets out the Government’s plan to restore and protect freshwater in New Zealand. Read more -
November 2001This protocol identifies and describes standardised protocols for use by agencies throughout New Zealand for macroinvertebrate biomonitoring. Read more -
May 2017This report assesses the structure and format of regional rules, and how they vary around New Zealand. Read more -
May 2017This report examines the use of spatial planning tools across New Zealand and identifies commonalities and differences. Read more -
October 2018This document describes a framework for assessing the biophysical ecosystem health of fresh water in Aotearoa New Zealand. Read more -
February 2016This consultation document sets out the Government’s proposals to improve the management of fresh water in New Zealand. Read more -
July 2014This leaflet explains what New Zealanders need to know about improving the way we manage our fresh water. Read more -
October 2010This discussion document presents options for improving New Zealand’s resource management regulations and processes. Submissions closed 17 December 2010. Read more -
March 2013This paper sets out the Government’s approach to reforming New Zealand’s freshwater management system. Comments closed on 8 April 2013. Read more -
April 2018This report provides an analysis of New Zealand’s wetland loss for the period summer 2001/2 through to summer 2015/2016. Read more -
May 2017This 2013 report identified practice and trends in the structure, format and electronic delivery of RMA plans in New Zealand. Read more -
November 2009This information sheet presents the key findings from data collected from over 900 groundwater sites throughout New Zealand between 1995 and 2008. Read more -
July 2013The latest indicator update providing information on some of the values associated with New Zealand’s fresh and marine waters, measuring recreational water quality. Read more