This document discusses the importance of conservation for New Zealand's future. It notes that urbanization is resulting in loss of habitat for wildlife. While New Zealand has conserved large areas of land, many native species are still endangered due to introduced predators like cats, stoats, and rats. Conservation efforts aim to protect unique species like the flightless kakapo parrot from extinction. The document prompts students to consider New Zealand's relationship with other countries and role as a conservation model.

1. The Future of New Zealand – Conservation. Lesson Aims: To consider the future of New Zealand in a world that is rapidly changing. Explain the importance of conservation for New Zealand’s future. Do Now: List some reasons that can cause animals to become endangered. Brain Teaser: More than half of the world’s population now live in urban areas. What percentage of the Earth’s land area do these 3.3 billion people live on?

2. Answer: 3.3 billion of the Earth’s people live on about 3 percent of the Earth’s land

3. Term Outline Enquiry Questions Where did NZ come from? Where did NZers come from? Why is NZ unique? Who are the Kiwis? Role models and national identity What is NZ’s relationship with the world? What is the future of New Zealand? Lesson Key Questions What is New Zealand’s relationship with the Pacific Islands, Asia and Russia? What is New Zealand’s relationship with the UK and the USA? A conservation model? An economic miracle? A moral world leader? A Republic, a state

4. Lesson Objectives Explain why conservation is important for for New Zealand’s future. Describe the challenges of conservation that face New Zealand. Most All Create Argument

5. Life Support The global process of urbanisation (where populations drift towards cities) affects more than just the immediate area of the city. Large amounts of land are required to support urban centres. In pairs write a list of ways that areas of land can be used to support the demands of cities. For example: tree plantations for wood, paper, and heating.

6. Last Chance to See ... Copy the following paragraph into your books: As the process of urbanisation continues worldwide, more and more land is required to support the growing cities. As increasing amounts of land are taken up to run cities, less land is available as habitat for wild animals. Loss of habitat is one of the leading causes of extinction among plant and animal species.

7. So far, New Zealand has been able to conserve large areas of land as habitat for native species. In spite of this we do have many endangered animals, most of which are native species of birds. The introduction of carnivores such as cats, weasels, rats, stoats, and ferrets has put many of NZ’s birds at risk because they do not have any natural defences against these predators. Summarise this information in your books. New Zealand as a conservation model

8. New Zealand as a conservation model – The Kakapo. The ancient, flightless Kakapo is the world's rarest and strangest parrot. It the only flightless and nocturnal parrot, as well as being the heaviest in the world, weighing up to 3.5 kilograms (8 lbs). In the absence of any carnivorous predators it developed the habit of nesting, rearing and feeding its young on the ground, which made its eggs and chicks easy prey to introduced mammalian predators, especially cats. There are currently only 62 Kakapo left in the world and all of these are kept on remote islands of New Zealand that are free of any predators. The Department of Conservation (DoC) has established a breeding and rearing plan that has had some success, but the Kakapo is a very slow breeder, with females only laying one egg every two years. Without the intervention of dedicated conservationists, these amazing and unique animals would certainly now be extinct. Write a structured paragraph in your books that explains why conservation is important for New Zealand’s future.

9. HOMEWORK; New Zealand’s Endangered Choose one of the species listed below and write a paragraph (like the one on the previous slide) that describes its current situation and what is being done to protect it. You will have to do some research online. A good place to begin is the DoC website: www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/ Chatham Island black robin Chatham Island pigeon/parea North Island kōkako New Zealand pigeon/kererū North Island saddleback Stitchbird Takahē Tuatara