#native nz

Co-author of New Zealand's Native Trees, Rob Lucas, says 100,000 four-wheel-drive kilometres, 2300 photographs and countless hours' grovelling in dense bush didn't deter him from his love of trees.

"I talk to them. They're the only things that are nice to me, the only things that understand me. I should have married a tree," says the horticulturalist.

The Press reflects on how much emphasis is put into how important it is that we save the Kiwi, while there are many other native animals that could be extinct without us even knowing they were there to begin with.

Dolphins, fish, sharks, eels, as well as many birds species, and my favourite - the peka peka (or long tailed bat) - could be gone before we even know to protect them.

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But really, look how cute he is:

In light of DOC's announcement to make staff cuts, Conservation advocate with the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of NZ Nicola Vallance writes about how the decision will impact on future finances and effect our 'clean + green' environment.

"We love you, New Zealand - it just seems that the Government doesn't want to pay for you," she writes.

A new comprehensive book detailing New Zealand's native fauna, has been officially launched in Wellington tonight.

"New Zealand's Native Trees is a significant book covering in great detail more than 320 species, subspecies and varieties of native trees and has a stunning collection of over 2000 photos," says Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson.

"We are lucky to live in one of the world's biodiversity hotspots and this book will help our students to learn about and identify our native trees.

"I'm sure it will end up being a well-used resource in school libraries," she says.

Auckland Zoo has opened a new exhibit to showcase sixty native NZ animal species.

The Living Realm portrays six different native NZ environments to cater for the different speicies needs, and to let visitors experience a piece of real NZ.