About New Zealand

New Zealand is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, just south of Australia. The country is not part of Australia and has never been (many people make that error), but it has been its own country since the late 19^th century. Before then, the country was actually considered to be part of the United Kingdom, and was under the laws and jurisdiction of the crown. New Zealand is actually a number of smaller islands, with two main islands (the North Island, also called Te Ika-a-Māui by the natives, and the South Island, also called Te Waipounamu) that comprise most of the land area of the country.

Nature

The reason that many people enjoy going to New Zealand is because of its biodiversity. There are a number of plants, animals, and fungi that reside throughout the country, mainly because of the fact that there were no humans on the island until 1250 AD. The Europeans did not even arrive until 1642, well after the Americas and other countries were discovered by them. This isolation allowed nature to thrive much longer than it did on other continents where there was more human influence.

There are literally hundreds of animals that you can find throughout New Zealand that you cannot find anywhere else in the world, especially in terms of birds and marine life (mammals, fish). The only mammals that are native to the country are bats; other animals that you find were brought into the country when people came in and immigrated into the area. The country actually has a number of laws and regulations in place in order to keep the animals in and around the country safe from poaching and other illegal activities. You can find more information about this from the Department of Conservation website.

Why New Zealand

The people in these two levels of government have a number of basic responsibilities, including the following.

Planning ahead, for management of any natural and/or physical resources that the government would have to take care of for the region.
If there is something that the land is going to be changed or used, the regional council will oversee and plan for those changes.
Conservation planning, including soil, water, prevention of natural hazards, etc.
Control and care of coastal marine areas.
Water relocating and changing, including taking, using, and redirecting water (including the development of dams). This can also include preventing flooding.
Controlling contaminants and hazardous resources. Also includes pests.
Civil defense and preservation.
Planning and development of public transportation.