User tools
Timeline
Javascript must be enabled to view this Flash content.
Note: You will need the Adobe Flash Player to view the timeline above.
An interactive look at some of the historical aspects of Enviro-imprints. Slide the time bar to see key dates relating to Enviro-imprints.
Non-flash version
13th century
Māori arrive in New Zealand
Polynesian (who were to become the Māori) settle in New Zealand. They bring with them the kiore (pacific rat) and kurī (dog), which was to mark the beginning of a series of species extinctions. Burn-offs by Māori lead to the loss of 30 percent of New Zealand forests.
1840
Treaty of Waitangi signed
50 percent of New Zealand covered by forest. The European settlers cleared the forest for farmland, logged those that were unsuitable for farming and drained wetlands, making the land vulnerable to erosion.
1858
Population over 100,000
Human population of New Zealand is 115,462.
1880s
Mustelids, weasels, stoats and ferrets introduced
Mustelids, weasels, stoats and ferrets are introduced to control rabbits. Unfortunately, they end up killing New Zealand birds instead.
1898
First car in NZ
First car imported into New Zealand.
1901
Population reaches 815,862
Transport is dominated by steam, including steamships, trains and trams. Steam is produced by burning wood and coal.
1930
Widespread deforestation
Large scale erosion and degradation of soils due to deforestation.
1950
Car numbers growing
400,518 licensed motor vehicles on the road in New Zealand.
1951
Population nears 2 million
Population of New Zealand reaches 1,939,472.
1960
Manukau Sewage Purification Works open in Auckland
Wastewater is now treated in large oxidation ponds. Previously, 25 million litres of trade waste and 675,000 litres of raw sewage were discharged into the estuary every day.
1975
1.5 million cars on the road
1,589,827 licensed motor vehicles on the road in New Zealand.
1987
Unleaded petrol arrives
Unleaded petrol introduced into New Zealand, made mandatory in 1996.
1985
Hole in the ozone
Announcement of discovery of a hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica.
1987
Montreal Protocol
New Zealand signs the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out CFCs.
1988
Pesticide bans
The manufacture of the pesticide 2,4,5-T is stopped. The use of pentachlorophenol, a pesticide used to treat timber, is banned.
1994
PCBs banned
The use of polychlorinated biphenols is stopped.
1997
Kyoto Protocol
Concern that global warming is caused by human emission of greenhouse gases leads to the creation of the Kyoto Protocol designed to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases.
2001
Dioxin levels lowered
Research conducted by the Ministry for the Environment reports that New Zealand’s levels of the toxin dioxin in our food are among the lowest recorded in the world. Steps are being undertaken to reduce this level even further.
2003
Energy demand increases
Household energy demand increases by 40 percent in the previous 5 years. CO2 emissions increase by 60 percent. The demand for fossil fuel increases by 17 percent.
2003
Canterbury Clean Heat project launched
The project is designed to encourage people to install insulation and less polluting heat sources into their homes.
2006
Forest coverage declining
Only 30 percent (8 million hectares) of New Zealand is now covered by forests.
11 December 2007
4 million and counting
Population of New Zealand is estimated to be 4,249,278. For a running total, see http://www.stats.govt.nz/populationclock.htm.