Latest news with #IVL
Scoop
03-07-2025
- Scoop
$22 Million To Enhance Wildlife Visitor Experiences
Minister of Conservation Toitū te marae a Tāne-Mahuta me Hineahuone, Toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, Toitū te tangata. Significant investment into supporting native species and tackling invasive pests in national parks has been announced by Conservation Minister Tama Potaka. Mr Potaka visited the Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust facility near Christchurch today, where he announced $22 million from the International Visitor Levy will go to restoring unique wildlife in national parks, islands and other popular visitor sites over the next three years. Last year, nearly three-quarters of international visitors said they did a hike, walk or tramp while in Aotearoa New Zealand, and around half visited a national park. 'Conservation-related tourism is worth around $3.4 billion a year,' says Mr Potaka. 'By backing conservation and sustainable tourism, the government also boosts our economy. This funding is strategically split between supporting our native species and tackling invasive pests—giving birds, bush, marine life and landscapes respite to recover. 'We're putting $4.15 million into expanding predator control, plus $11.5 million on the recovery of highly threatened species, including tara iti, at national parks and popular sites so visitors can enjoy thriving natural areas where their funds have contributed. 'Almost $7 million will target feral goats which remove the forest undergrowth and prevent regeneration. 'People fly here with the dream of enjoying our world-class environment and we want to make that experience even better for them. It's about generations of whānau camping out and struggling to sleep because of noisy kiwi calling outside; later waking to find only precious footprints. 'I'm delighted $1.7 million of this will go towards protecting critically endangered Canterbury locals—kakī/black stilts and kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeets. 'There are only about 400 of these parakeets in the world. They nest in trees, cared for by both parents – but parent birds are no match for rats and stoats. If these invasive predators are around, eggs and chicks are quickly wiped out. 'We want to protect and grow rare species like these so more people can enjoy them at places closer to home like at The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary near Nelson. 'Budget 2025 allocates $55 million per annum to DOC for new investments from money raised under the new $100 IVL rate. 'New Zealand attracts visitors who care about nature and every cent that goes into conservation is an investment in our environment and our economy.' Additional information on the IVL projects: Expanding landscape scale predator control ($4.15m over 26/27 and 27/28). Additional work in National Parks and priority sites, to grow populations of iconic bird species. The IVL funding will allow DOC to boost predator control operations in 2 or potentially 3 priority areas in response to the beech mast forecast for 2026. Potential locations (triggered by monitoring and need for urgent beechmast response) include: Fiordland, Mt Aspiring, Arthur's Pass, and Kahurangi National Parks in 26/27. IVL funding will also enable the government to maintain the gains of philanthropic projects, maximising predator control outcomes from the NEXT Foundation investment: e.g. in Abel Tasman, Taranaki Mounga and Predator Free South Westland. Goat management in National Parks and popular visitor areas ($6.9m over 3 years from 25/26) where damage results in visitors experiencing forests with limited understory. Priority locations for focus: Whanganui and Kahurangi National Parks Iconic landscapes of Marlborough. In some places it is viable to eradicate (totally remove) goats, creating huge cost efficiencies over the long-term, and reducing the impact of goats on forests. Priority locations include: Westland Tai Poutini National Park Kaimai Forest Park Nelson Lakes National Park Increasing populations of threatened species in national parks, islands and popular sites ($11.5m over 3 years). While increased weed and predator control will help many threatened species, there are targeted actions needed to ensure recovery of our most threatened and iconic species. Initial focus of the IVL funding will be on the recovery of priority, highly threatened species that occur in national parks and high visitation sites, so that visitors can enjoy thriving natural areas where their funds have contributed. 2025/26 IVL funded species include: Fauna: Southern NZ dotterel, kakī, Tara iti, kākāriki karaka, Paparoa giant wētā, Canterbury knobbled weevil, Awakopaka skink, Kakarakau skink, Oligosoma St Arnaud lowland skink. Threatened plants: e.g., Brachyglottis rotundifolia, Solenogyne christensenii, Cardamine mutabilis, Carmichaelia carmichaeliae, Craspedia (Fyfe River). Enhancing biodiversity on islands in popular visitor areas and ensuring appropriate protection is in place for biosecurity on high priority islands. For 2025/26, funding is allocated to the Hauraki Gulf, Marlborough Sounds, Kapiti and Fiordland islands.
Newsroom
30-06-2025
- Business
- Newsroom
DoC and Treasury arm wrestle over visitor levy funds and ‘high-value' investments
The Department of Conservation and Treasury have butted heads over a $32 million 'shortfall' in the department's funding and a difference in opinion of what constitutes a high-value project. A Treasury report on International Visitor Levy investments for the Department of Conservation outlines for and seeks action from Finance Minister Nicola Willis on approval of the department's 2025/26 visitor levy investment envelope along with Treasury's treatment of a '$32 million shortfall from DoC's IVL allocation'.
Fibre2Fashion
23-06-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
Textile recycling could cut COâ by 440,000 tonnes a year: Research
Reaching a modest 10 per cent textile-to-textile recycling rate by 2035 could cut CO2 emissions by 440,000 tonnes annually and reduce water scarcity impacts by over 3 per cent—or 8.8 billion m³ world equivalent, according to findings from the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. Despite rising concerns over fast fashion's sustainability, global textile-to-textile recycling remains critically low—at only around 1 per cent. However, advanced recycling technologies could lift that rate to 26 per cent by 2030. The research, which examined five key recycling processes and used Monte Carlo modelling, showed a 92 per cent probability of reducing climate impacts and a nearly 100 per cent chance of bringing water scarcity improvements. The average reduction in climate impact of the new approach, compared to 'business as usual', was 0.5 per cent. With the EU aiming to make all textiles placed on the market durable, repairable, and recyclable by 2030 under its Sustainable and Circular Textiles Strategy, the study underscores the need for policy support to scale fibre-to-fibre recycling. This includes improvements in textile collection and sorting, quality of recycled fibres, and mechanisms such as taxes on virgin materials to shift industry norms. Researchers emphasise that while recycling must increase, the processes themselves also require enhanced efficiency to ensure that recycled fibres can effectively replace virgin counterparts. The findings add weight to calls for coordinated EU action under frameworks like the Energy Efficiency Directive and Circular Economy Action Plan. A 10 per cent textile-to-textile recycling rate by 2035 could cut COâ‚‚ emissions by 440,000 tonnes annually and ease water scarcity by over 3 per cent, said IVL. With current rates at just 1 per cent, advanced recycling could boost it to 26 per cent by 2030. The study has urged EU policy support to improve fibre recycling efficiency and infrastructure. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
Scoop
10-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Hospitality New Zealand Acknowledges Release Of Tourism Roadmap
Press Release – Hospitality NZ Hospitality NZ looks forward to ongoing collaboration across the tourism and hospitality sectors to support the implementation of the roadmap. Hospitality New Zealand is today acknowledging the release of the Government's Tourism Roadmap. Steve Armitage, Chief Executive of Hospitality NZ, says 'We're pleased to see the Government's intent to support the growth of tourism and hospitality, enabling its role in doubling the value of tourism exports. 'We welcome the roadmap's clear alignment with our Hospitality Summit report, particularly regarding its emphasis on growing the number of Kiwis in tourism and hospitality roles. 'More generally we see strong alignment with the Going for Growth focuses on 'developing talent' and 'competitive business settings'. 'We are, however, disappointed to see that International Visitor Levy (IVL) contributions to tourism and conservation projects will be capped in 2025/26, with additional funds being used to subsidise existing government spend in areas such as funding for Tourism New Zealand. 'Our view is the IVL was conceived to generate funds for investment in tourism and conservation, over and above existing budget lines. Particularly when there is a focus on growing tourism arrival numbers, to use IVL funds on what should be taxpayer funded does little to resolve the nationwide tourism funding gap the industry is facing. 'Hospitality NZ looks forward to ongoing collaboration across the tourism and hospitality sectors to support the implementation of the roadmap.'
Scoop
10-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Hospitality New Zealand Acknowledges Release Of Tourism Roadmap
Hospitality New Zealand is today acknowledging the release of the Government's Tourism Roadmap. Steve Armitage, Chief Executive of Hospitality NZ, says 'We're pleased to see the Government's intent to support the growth of tourism and hospitality, enabling its role in doubling the value of tourism exports. 'We welcome the roadmap's clear alignment with our Hospitality Summit report, particularly regarding its emphasis on growing the number of Kiwis in tourism and hospitality roles. 'More generally we see strong alignment with the Going for Growth focuses on 'developing talent' and 'competitive business settings'. 'We are, however, disappointed to see that International Visitor Levy (IVL) contributions to tourism and conservation projects will be capped in 2025/26, with additional funds being used to subsidise existing government spend in areas such as funding for Tourism New Zealand. 'Our view is the IVL was conceived to generate funds for investment in tourism and conservation, over and above existing budget lines. Particularly when there is a focus on growing tourism arrival numbers, to use IVL funds on what should be taxpayer funded does little to resolve the nationwide tourism funding gap the industry is facing. 'Hospitality NZ looks forward to ongoing collaboration across the tourism and hospitality sectors to support the implementation of the roadmap.'
