This is a timeline of environmental history of New Zealand. It includes notable events affecting the natural environment of New Zealand as a result of human activity.

Pre 1700s 14th century Arrival of Māori who brought with them the kiore rat.

16th century Final extinction of all eleven species of moa.

1642 Tasman is first European to reach New Zealand.

1760s 1769 New Zealand mapped by James Cook, and the Norway rat believed to have arrived in New Zealand aboard his ship, the Endeavour.Introduced Animals , Christchurch Library. Feral pigs – called "Captain Cookers" in New Zealand – possibly arrived with Cook in the course of visits to New Zealand (1773–1774) during his second voyage (1772–1775).

1790s European sealers and whalers arrive.

1800s Gorse introduced as hedging plant. Rabbits introduced.Rabbits Christchurch Library. Sheep and cattle introduced.

1830s 1837 Australian brush-tailed possum introduced.

1840s 1840 Treaty of Waitangi

1860s Ship rat spreads throughout North Island.

1860 Australian magpie introduced.

1861 The Protection of Certain Animals Act passed - legislated that: "No Deer of any kind, Hare, Swan, Partridge, English Plover, Rook, Starling, Thrush or Blackbird" could be shot for the rest of the decade.

1864 Wild Birds Protection Act - legislated that: "No Wild Duck, Paradise Duck, or Pigeon indigenous in the colony shall be hunted, taken, or killed except during the months of April, May, June, and July in any year".

1867 Trout and Salmon Protection Act passed - made provision for "the preservation and propagation of Salmon and Trout in this Colony".

1870s Ship rat spreads throughout the South Island. Rook introduced from Europe

1870 Hedgehogs, which devour large quantities of insects, are introduced.

1875 Seal hunting restricted to a short annual season.

1876 Rabbit Nuisance Act passed.

1879 Ferrets introduced to control rabbits even after warnings were made of their effects on bird life.

1880s 1882 Small Birds Nuisance Act passed.

1884 One hundred stoat and weasel were caught in Lincolnshire, England, for shipment to New Zealand. The passage is expected to take 45 days and 1,500 live pigeons were also shipped for their consumption.

1885 Stoats and weasels are liberated as a misguided attempt to control rabbits.

1887 23 September — Te Heuheu Tūkino IV gifts Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe to people of New Zealand.

1890s 1890 An area of land, that will become the Trounson Kauri Park, is set aside by the Government.

1893 Rainbow trout successfully introduced by the Auckland Acclimatisation Society.

1894 Protection of fur seal population due to declining numbers. Lyall's wren becomes extinct, killed by cats. Tongariro National Park Act passed.

1897 Kapiti Island is designated as an island reserve.

1900s 1900 Egmont National Park established

1901 Noxious Weeds Act passed

1903 Scenery Preservation Act passed.

1904 Scenery Preservation Commission appointed.

1907 Tongariro National Park is formally gazetted. Last known huia sighted and then shot.

1907 Human population reached one million.

1920s 1921 Herbert Guthrie-Smiths Tutira: The Story of a New Zealand Sheep Station is published. Animals Protection and Game Act 1921–22

1923 The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand is formed.

1929 Attempt made to protect bush in an area near what will be the Abel Tasman National Park.

1930s 1936 Protection removed from mustelids.

1940s 1941 Soil and Rivers Control Act was enforced. This was the first piece of coordinated environmental legislation in New Zealand.

1942 Abel Tasman National Park established.

1946 Possums no longer protected.

1948 Takahē rediscovered in the Murchison Mountains in Fiordland.

1949 Forests Act 1949 is passed.

1950s 1952 Waipoua Forest Sanctuary formed. Fiordland National Park established. Population reaches two million.

1953 Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park established. The Wildlife Act 1953 is passed.

1954 Trials on usage on 1080 in New Zealand begin. 28 July — Te Urewera National Park gazetted. Additions made later.

1960s 1964 Mount Aspiring National Park established.

1965 Hydro dam proposed at Tuapeka River mouth is opposed by local residents.

1967 Rudd is illegally introduced into New Zealand.Rudd facts DOC website, retrieved 16 September 2007.

1967 Water and Soil Conservation Act was enforced. Save Manapouri Campaign gains nationwide headlines.

1970s 1970 264,907 New Zealanders, almost 10 percent of the population, sign the Save Manapouri petition. Environmental Defence Society is formed.History of EDS EDS web site.

1971 CoEnCo is formed.About ECO ECO website. The Marine Reserves Act 1971 is passed.

1972 The Values Party is formed at Victoria University of Wellington. The Clean Air Act 1972 is passed.

1973 Government decides to put South Island beech forests up for tender for chipping. Population reaches three million.

1974 Greenpeace New Zealand is formed. The Save Aramoana Campaign is formed. Project Jonah is established.

1975 4 July — The Maruia Declaration, calling for protection of native forests, is signed. It attracted 341,160 signatures by the time it was presented to Parliament in 1977. An import ban on all whale products is announced by government. Friends of the Earth New Zealand is formed. The Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 is passed in Government and the Waitangi Tribunal is established.

1976 CoEnCo renamed as ECO. NZ rejoins the International Whaling Commission.

1977 The "Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zone Act" is passed. Queen Elizabeth II National Trust Act set up to encourage the protection of private land from development. 20 July — The Maruia Declaration with a 341,159 signature petition is presented to Government. 23 December — The Reserves Act is passed (includes provision for Wilderness Areas). 23 December — The Wild Animal Control Act is passed.

1978 Tree top protest in Pureora Forest to halt the logging of native forest. 1 April — The Reserves Act 1977 comes into force.

1979 Five black robins left but saved from extinction by Don Merton and team. The Litter Act 1979 is passed. 1 January — Marine Mammals Protection Act came into force.

1980s 1980 Protests over a proposed aluminium smelter at Aramoana (See also: Independent State of Aramoana) Clyde Dam protests. Native Forest Restoration Trust established to purchase and protect native forests. The National Parks Act 1980 was enforced.

1982 The approval of the water rights necessary for the high Clyde Dam is overturned on appeal in Gilmore v. National Water and Soil Conservation Authority (1982).Wheen, N. (2002) A history of New Zealand environmental law. pp 261-274, In Environmental histories of New Zealand, edited by Pawson, E. and Brooking, T. Oxford University Press, Melbourne, page 268. The National Government enacts the Clutha Development (Clyde Dam Empowering) Act 1982 to overturn the High Court case refusing water rights.

1983 Friends of the Earth NZ joins Friends of the Earth International. 1 October — Fisheries Act comes into force (establishes a fishing quota system).

1984 New Zealand's nuclear-free zone declared by the Labour Government.

1985 10 July — Bombing of Rainbow Warrior by French secret agents.

1986 The Environment Act is passed, establishing the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) and the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE). Quota Management System (QMS) introduced to conserve fish stocks within the Exclusive Economic Zone. Kea are given full protection. West Coast Accord signed for the protection of portions of native forest from logging.

1987 Paparoa National Park established. 1 January — Environment Act comes into force. 1 April — Conservation Act 1987 comes into force (establishes the Department of Conservation and Fish & Game).

1989 The Tasman Accord is signed between Tasman Forestry Ltd environmental groups and the Government. 1 June — Trade in Endangered Species Act 1989 comes into force (CITES).

1990s 1990 Banning of wood chip exports. Creation of Tongariro National Park World Heritage site. Creation of Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is formed. Establishment of the Forest Heritage Fund (later renamed "Nature Heritage Fund"). Ministry for the Environment Green Ribbon Award established.

1991 Protests over the mining of ilmenite on the West Coast. Resource Management Act 1991 passed into law. Crown Minerals Act 1991 is passed.

1993 Biosecurity Act 1993 is passed. Forests Act 1949 is amended. Forest and Bird develop the Forest Friendly Awards to classify invasive garden plants. The Government launches the Environment 2010 Strategy 9 June — New Zealand Post issues a set of stamps on conservation. 1 July — Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 comes into effect. 15 November — A West Coast environmentalist claims his house was the target of arson due to his anti-mining stance.The Press. 24 August 2004

1994 Rats eradicated from Kapiti Island. Resource consent given to mine sand in Mangawhai Harbour. Basel Convention comes into force in New Zealand.

1996 Environment Court, formerly called the Planning Tribunal, is constituted by the Resource Management Amendment Act 1996 with upgraded powers.NZ Justice Department Kahurangi National Park gazetted. Fisheries Act 1996 is passed (though parts of it come into force only spasmodically over the next few years). Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 is passed. Ozone Protection Layer Act 1996 is passed.

1997 Native Forest Action commences lobbying to save West Coast forests. Wild Greens group formed. Zerowaste Trust established.

1998 Creation of New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands World Heritage site. 22 May — New Zealand signs the Kyoto Protocol.

1999 Labour/Alliance coalition Government gains power paving the way for protection of West Coast native forests. DOC publishes "Karst Management Guidelines" to assist with cave and karst protection. Karori Wildlife Sanctuary construction completed, limited public access available. Proposed West Coast ilmenite mine project is abandoned. (The Press — 6 February 1999)

2000s 2000 The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2000 is passed, establishing the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority as a Crown agent. A gondola is proposed from Lake Wakatipu area to the Milford Sound road. Varroa bee mite discovered in New Zealand.Varroa FAQ at Biosecurity New Zealand West Coast loop road through conservation land is promoted by group of South Island mayors. 15 June — Biotech lobby group Life Sciences Network web site goes live. Forests (West Coast Accord) Act 2000 passed

2001 Moratorium on new marine farming applications, initially for two years. Forest restoration on the Kāpiti Coast. National Pest Plant Accord is developed to prevent the spread of invasive plants. German tourist fined for smuggling a gecko. 30 May — Government announces transfer of all Timberlands managed forests to DOC. 18 August — Macraes mine extension turned down by Sandra Lee-Vercoe, the Minister of Conservation. 21 October — The Waigani Convention came into force.

2002 Rakiura National Park established. Labour led government abolishes logging of native trees on public land. Waste Strategy released by the Ministry for the Environment. Ferrets no longer able to be legally bred, sold or distributed. The Climate Change Response Act 2002 is passed. 25 January — New Zealand Environment magazine launched. 22 December — New Zealand ratifies the Kyoto Protocol.

2003 Govt3, a sustainability programme for government department, is established YHA NZ started a Young Environmentalist programme. The WWF Living Planet report ranks New Zealand as having the fourteenth largest ecological footprint per capita. 24 April — New Zealand population is estimated to top 4,000,000. 26 May — Campbell Island declared rat free.