Much of New Zealand is utilized for farming and forestry, and land constantly swallowed up by urban sprawl, so what remains of pre-colonized New Zealand is under increased pressure.

Although not enough was done, as early as the 1880s it was realized that humans were having a detrimental effect on the land and that measures needed to be taken to preserve the environment. Pressure was exerted by the eco warriors of the time to conserve the forest, wetlands and volcanic areas by gazetting them as national parks . In this way, native flora and fauna could be preserved, encouraging regeneration and restocking. In 1887 Te Heuheu Tukino IV (Horonuku) set the ball rolling by giving the nucleus of the Tongariro National Park to the nation, in order to preserve the integrity of a venerated tribal area. The newest national park is the Kahurangi, formed in 1996 to ensure the preservation of an area of great natural beauty at the northwestern tip of the South Island.

A further effort to take back land and alleviate pressure on the national parks has seen the creation of small scenic reserves or managed areas, zones given over to preserving or regenerating native bush. There are hundreds of them dotted around the country, each concerned with regenerating a particular aspect of the local environment so that it can sustain native fauna. The process requires great vigilance as the stands grow slowly and are constantly under threat from development and introduced animals. It takes at least a hundred years for the bush to grow to maturity.

In another positive step, the Department of Conservation has made efforts to clear pests from offshore islands , in order to trans-locate endangered native species and ensure their survival. The creation of these environmental sanctuaries/havens saves many animals and plants from extinction and provides an opportunity to build up numbers of species on the brink of oblivion. Once the native birds become familiar with their new environment they become less fearful and allow their curiosity full rein, inspecting visitors at close quarters - just as they would have done when Maori first arrived over a thousand years ago.