Conservation starts at work – and tourism can lead the way

By Penny Nelson, Director-General, Department of Conservation

New Zealand's tourism industry is one of the most powerful conservation forces in the country. No other sector puts more people in direct contact with our landscapes, wildlife, and stories, day in, day out. That's not just an opportunity. It's a responsibility, and increasingly, it's what visitors expect.

Conservation Week (20–26 April 2026) is the moment to act on it.

This year, we're directing our focus toward 18 to 34-year-olds in the workplace: a generation that is motivated, values-driven, and looking for ways to make their work mean something. For tourism operators, engaging this cohort isn't just good for conservation. It's good for your people, your culture, and your brand.

Turn everyday work habits into actions for nature

This year's theme is simple: small actions, taken consistently, add up. We're encouraging workplaces to get involved through six practical "naturing" activities that fit naturally into the working week. There's no expectation to do all six; the idea is to start wherever feels right:

• Join a local conservation group, such as a weeding or restoration project
• Download iNaturalist and record the species you encounter
• Donate to support conservation efforts
• Watch a species cam and learn more about our native wildlife
• Organise a beach clean-up with your team
• Get involved in predator trapping initiatives

These actions are designed to be accessible, social, and meaningful, whether you're a small operator or a large tourism business.

A broader programme of industry engagement

Tourism engagement is a central focus for DOC this year. From May, we're launching a series of short films featuring six tourism businesses from around the country, each of which has placed nature and nature storytelling at the heart of what they do.

These films will be shared across the sector and at key industry moments, including TRENZ, to demonstrate what's possible and inspire others to follow.

Our nature storytelling training module is also well underway. Developed in partnership with TIA, it launches over winter on the Akiaki platform and will be available to experience at TRENZ. It gives operators and frontline staff practical, confidence-building guidance on sharing authentic stories about nature and conservation with visitors.

Two ways to get involved during Conservation Week

We're asking two things of operators this Conservation Week.

First, share what your teams are doing. Post your naturing actions on social media using #AlwaysBeNaturing and tag @docgovtnz between 20–26 April. Visibility matters; your stories show visitors and the wider sector that New Zealand tourism is serious about protecting what makes this place extraordinary.

Second, if you're a TIA member receiving this, we'd value your help amplifying these messages across your networks. The more operators who engage, the stronger the signal we send together about what sustainable tourism in Aotearoa looks like.

TIA has been an outstanding partner in this work. We're looking forward to building on that this year, and to showing, at TRENZ and beyond, that conservation and world-class tourism go hand in hand.