MOMENTOUS MUSIC NZ ` the largest land mass above sea level of a vast continent that broke away from Gondwanaland. 23 million years after the landscape emerged from the ocean depths, it's still as diverse as it is unique. Remote corners of this world have seldom been seen. Isolated and rugged, unique plants and creatures have evolved that are found nowhere else on Earth. Since the arrival of human life, this wilderness and many species have been under threat, some lost forever. But today almost a third of this dynamic country is being protected. 14 national parks have been established to preserve this diverse landscape and the multitude of life that live here. Gus Roxburgh is an environmental specialist and adventure guide who's heading out to explore the country's wilderness and discover the often unseen backcountry world of these national parks. 125 years after the first national park was created, he wants to capture a sense of what these ever-evolving conservation parks have become through the people who work and play and preserve the wilderness that is our national parks. And I think you'll find it's quite possibly the best backyard in the world. Copyright TVNZ Access Services 2013 The national parks of NZ ` iconic and stunning. The early parks were often mountainous, remote and rugged. But for the past 30 years, there's been a shift. More diverse landscapes have developed into safe havens for our native species. Some parks have evolved to allow people to live and work in them, though all activity is strictly controlled. But there's a new park concept that's emerging and challenging all the traditional rules. The Hauraki Gulf, home to NZ's unofficial national park of the sea ` the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. 1.2 million hectares of open ocean, hundreds of kilometres of coastline, and over 50 islands large and small ` all preserved by its own Act of Parliament in the year 2000. What's equally unique is that people live, work and play here. This is a park that's taking baby steps to balance conservation, commerce and recreation, where many of its inhabitants don't even realise it exists. With a population of 1.5 million, Auckland City lives on the doorstep of this national park. But years of shipping, fishing, tourism and recreation have seen it overfished and polluted. Throughout the Gulf, passionate people have been fighting to restore the Gulf to its former glory. Filled with a range of protection types, from zero-fishing reserves to managed zones for recreational fishing, this is an attempt to create a sustainable park that can serve its community and retain its unique qualities. Pockets are starting to teem with underwater life. Some of the islands are beginning to flourish with native species. But the future of this model of park is still very much unknown. Only the window of time will reveal if it's to be a success or not. INTRIGUING MUSIC On the farthest reaches of this park, 100km from Auckland City, lie the Mokohinau Islands group. Remote and seldom visited, they're some of the most solitary and desolate islands in the Gulf. In the 1880s, one of the first lighthouse keepers here was driven insane by the isolation. But that same seclusion has been a saving grace for the marine life, allowing the underwater environment to remain intact. There are no sanctions on its use, yet it's had minimal impact from city life. OK, you go first, Gus. Off that side, I think. OK. OK. And then, um, I'll jump in straight after. I'm here with Pete Crabb, a marine scientist who's fighting to restore the marine environment in this park to its former glory. SPLASH! ENIGMATIC MUSIC It's amazing. It's a different world down there. Like, it's pretty drab and grey up top, uh, when you're on the surface, but as soon as you get down there, it's just a rainbow. I'm used to it, and it's nice to hear you're being surprised and impressed by that. It's great. Yeah. You've got a bunch of invertebrate communities. You've got ascidians, soft corals, kelp, sponges. Was that why you were giving me the old underarm scrub? The sponge? Yeah, so you knew it was a sponge. Cos it's black and sits on the rock, and you don't really know it's a sponge. Like the national parks up and down the country, where you can't remove any vegetation or wildlife, this is a conservation park that's also seeking to preserve and rebuild the native habitat. What I'm struggling with, however, is the idea that you can also fish for native species. It's not a traditional park, like, you've been used to on land that` you know, where you do your skiing and your climbing. It's an area of ocean that's been set aside, and the values of it have been realised as being important. But what is similar to the parks on land are the marine reserves that form part of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. Great places for recreation, but you can't take anything. So it's more like` what we're used to on land. So it seems there are areas where fishing is allowed and reserves where nothing can be removed, and while that makes sense, what doesn't is that I've known Pete since we were kids, and back then he was a keen hunter-gatherer and right into fishing. So I'm surprised by this move towards the cause of conservation. It dawned on me after being lucky enough to dive in the world's greatest marine-protected areas and see that the big individuals and great numbers of fish you can only find in marine-protected areas now, because we have really put a lot of stress on the marine environment through fishing. NZ's still a diver's paradise, so yeah, as long as that continues and if we can get more marine reserves, that's great. One of the biggest buzzes I get is taking kids into the marine reserve at Goat Island and seeing their faces when they see big snapper. Everywhere else, they're like mythical beasts. You know, you don't see them any more. Why do you think there's a double standard between looking after the ocean and looking after land? I guess Kiwis are a bit obsessed with fishing, and we've got that tradition of fishing, and it's a bit, like, out of sight, out of mind. So, you know, we've got this great respect for native birds, but we don't really see the same relationship with the sea. What I'd like to see is the stop of fishing competitions, where people are just going out catching things for the sake of it all; for prizes. < Right. < Right. Cos they're our native fish. If you set up a competition to go out and shoot tuis or kiwi, people would think you're nuts. But they don't make the distinction that snapper and blue cod an-and even tarakihi and gurnard are our native fish. They should have the same status, surely. So it would seem a marine reserve rather than a marine park is the aquatic equivalent of our terrestrial national parks, but it's also clear we've got a bit of a double standard going when it comes to marine conservation. Across the country, over 30% of NZ's wilderness is safeguarded in some form of conservation park, but only 1% of the coastline has the same level of protection. The establishment of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is a bold attempt to send home the message that our oceans need as much protection as our forests and mountains. Looking out here, it's easy to look at the ocean as being endless and full of fish. But once you get underwater, you get a perspective on just how fragile it really is. The problem is, though, that most of us never get that perspective. While fishing is permitted in most of the park, there are smaller areas of marine reserve in which taking anything from the sea or beach has been outlawed altogether. Cape Rodney to Okakari Point is a marine reserve in the park, known by locals as Goat Island. It's been a no-fishing zone for the past 27 years. WHALE EXHALES INTRIGUING MUSIC This is what makes the Hauraki Gulf such an incredible place. Right out here, Southern right whales surfacing just off the shore. I mean, this is just unbelievable, and if you ever needed a reason to look after the sea, this is it right here. We're right in Goat Island. It's the first marine reserve in NZ, and when you look after the place, these things come back. Just stunning. The Southern right whale population is thought to be down to just 10,000 worldwide. They're slowly coming back from the brink since they ceased being targeted by whaling. It's only been in the last few decades that they've been seen back along this coast, usually when they come into the sheltered waters to breed. BOOM! Huge pods of whales once swam in the Gulf, but two centuries of whaling saw them decimated. Commercial whalers were still hunting humpback whales in these waters until 1962, and it wasn't for another 16 years that all marine mammals became legally protected. Today more than 20 species of dolphin and whale have been spotted in the waters of this park, and these Delphinus delphus are the most commonly sighted. The largest member of the dolphin family, orca, are often spotted in the shallows, hunting stingray and eagle rays. ORCA WHALES GIBBER INTRIGUING MUSIC There are thought to be only a few hundred orca living in NZ waters. The hope is that increased protection of our coastal waters will lead to a rise in the local population. While fishing is permitted in the majority of this park, there are areas of marine reserve in which taking anything from the sea or beach has been outlawed altogether. There are six marine reserves within this park, and Tawharanui Reserve is the most recently established. An hour and a half north of Auckland City, the Tawharanui Peninsula is a popular destination on summer weekends and an area of ocean that has been preserved for over 30 years. Tawharanui Reserve, I've been involved with since way back in, uh, early 1970's and, uh, I sort of feel as if, in a way, it's my backyard, and it's lovely to see it protected, and the amount of crayfish and snapper and other fish and kelp forest out here, it's just... just a sort of warm, fuzzy feeling to know that I had something to do with getting it that way. Roger Grace is a conservationist and underwater photographer who fought long and hard to have this area designated a marine reserve. I see places like Tawharanui and Goat island as real gems. So, uh, I'd like to see more marine reserves ` not just in the Gulf but all around the country ` and looking at it from the point of view of having representative examples of all the different types of marine habitats in protected areas. Does a lot of effort have to go into restoring these marine reserves? Well, no. Uh, it's very easy to make a marine reserve in that you just stop fishing, and everything will come back. If you compare that with the effort ` hundreds of thousands of man-hours ` that go into restoring places like Tiritiri Island and Motuora and, uh, but in the sea, all you got to do is just stop fishing. And it all comes back? And it all comes back? And it all comes back. The fight to preserve the Hauraki Gulf marine habitat has been a long-fought battle. The development of no-fishing reserves has taken years, and today fish have returned to pockets of the park, with some stocks spilling out of the reserves. But the declining health of this remarkable body of water has been charted by scientists for years. Their reports continue to conclude that the state of this Gulf is dire. With a growing city on the doorstep and generations of Kiwis who see fishing as a God-given birthright, the fight is far from over. With 1.5 million people living on the doorstep, the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park faces some major challenges. Auckland has more registered boats per head of population than any other city in the world ` one in three Auckland households own a boat. Hundreds of thousands of people use these waters for boating and fishing every year. This population pressure makes managing this environment a huge challenge, with strict controls on recreational fishing now in place. Oh yeah. Look at that. That's going to feed the family, isn't it? Well, you're always supposed to chuck back the first one of the day. Well, you're always supposed to chuck back the first one of the day. Absolutely. It just so helps our cause that the first one of the day is a... It just so helps our cause that the first one of the day is a... ...tiny one. Clarke Gayford is a broadcaster and fishing enthusiast. This harbour is famous for its snapper, and this is one of the biggest snapper breeding grounds in the world. You can come out here and, you know, we've got Auckland City there. We're 10 minutes from a boat ramp. There's boats all around us ` hundreds of boats ` and yet I can catch my dinner every single time. I heard they fished it all out back in the day. > Yeah, before the regulations and the, um, quota management came in '86, it was, uh, yeah, a bit of free-for-all and, uh, this place got cleaned out. I-It's still bouncing back now. I mean, it's nowhere near the stocks that it was. What controls are in place at the moment for you? Well, there's obviously a daily limit, which is nine snapper per person. I think that's possibly a little bit high. You know, I don't need nine snapper a day. I don't catch my limit. I don't` I don't think it's a target, you know? There's a saying, 'You should limit your catch and not catch your limit.' And I come out here, and I have a policy of just not freezing the fish an-and storing. I just want to catch some for a barbeque tonight, and I'm happy with five or six for the boat. That's a great day. It's brilliant out here. Why jeopardise that? And how embarrassing having our kids growing up and asking what it was like and what happened and why we couldn't get together and police it better... better for them. What you got? What you got? I don't think I've got a bait on here. I don't think you have either. I don't think you have either. No. The pressure on native fish species, and what has been recognised as one of the most globally significant ecosystems in the world, is increasing. The Auckland region is in a dramatic stage of growth, with the population expected to increase by a third to almost 2 million over the next 20 years. The city spread is also impacting on the once pristine coast, with a new world of holiday homes on the city fringe. But a remnant of the old style of holiday living still exists in the park. Kawau Island is privately owned and accessible only by boat. There's around 70 permanent residents, but the population swells to hundreds over weekends and holidays. Just 48km from downtown Auckland, Kawau is a step back in time. The holiday homes here are a far cry from the million-dollar pads on the mainland. I think these are much more my style. How's life different on an island? How's life different on an island? Slows down. No television, no radio. You live by the` the sunset an-and the sunrise. Dave Morton and his family have been savouring the charm of this island for years. This beach has changed very little. All the old baches have remained the same. Oh, the kids love it. I mean, you've got the beach, the bush, the sea. You've got` You've got everything. What more could you want? Fresh air. When the boaties come in, there's no rubbish in the water. There's never rubbish left on the beach. It's kept clean and stays clean. Everybody watches what they bring on to the island now. Everything comes on, goes off. And, even with plants, people are very careful what they bring on. But it never used to be like that. Until 1992, it was considered hopeless to reverse the ecological damage caused by introduced animal and plant species, including possums and wallabies. 20 years on, after island inhabitants banded together to eradicate these pests, signs of the old island life are returning. The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is home to a number of island sanctuaries for endangered species. Just south of Kawau Island is Motuora, a managed recreation reserve. There are no conservation controls on the island, but it has remained free of predators despite the island's long history of occupation and farming. It's a long distance from the mainland for rats and stoats to swim, which has made it a safe haven for native wildlife. North Island brown kiwi have undergone a dramatic decline since the arrival of introduced predators, so I've come to see what's been done to protect our national icon. Good boy. Good boy. What will he actually do when he finds a kiwi? Um, he'll slow right down. So he'll` he'll find that wind, < and he'll work up on that bird until he knows where it's hiding. And then he'll stop when he thinks he's close enough th-that` in case that bird flushes. He doesn't want to scare it away. DOC's Peter Graham and his dog, Rua, have travelled to Motuora Island to retrieve Northland brown kiwi chicks that have grown to maturity. Once a year, Pete leads an expedition to catch the 10-month-old kiwi and take them back to the mainland to rebuild the population. Show me. What's that there? Kiwi feather? What's that there? Kiwi feather? That's a little shed feather there. What's that there? Kiwi feather? That's a little shed feather there. Beautiful, isn't it? Very. > Very. > Little way off from a, uh... ...the real thing. It's still not your first bird. ...the real thing. It's still not your first bird. But, uh, we're getting closer. Show me boy. Walk up. Show me. > In you go. In you go. Find him. Pete's aim is to catch up to 20 kiwi here over the next three days. It'd be a real bonus if we came up with one on our first outing. Find him. Find him. No luck this time. During daytime, the kiwis are well hidden. I guess, at this time of the day, that scent that's been laid down the previous night's had a fair bit of time to burn off, so it's harder for them to find ground scent. What do you think our chances are tonight? We should get lucky. There's plenty of birds moving around at night, and when they're on the surface, the odds go up. Shall we put some money on that? Shall we put some money on that? Sure, sure. Yeah. Done deal. Done deal. That's a week's wages. (CHUCKLES) KIWI BIRD WHISTLES You've got to be pretty quiet here cos the kiwi are out here, moving around. < We just heard them before. The male's got a really high-pitched, kind of bizarre sound. < But, uh, they're out here. < But, uh, they're out here. Find him. KIWI BIRD WHISTLES KIWI BIRD WHISTLES < Come, boy. Come up here, boy. Find. That's one there. Can you hear him whistling? That's one there. Can you hear him whistling? WHISPERS: Yeah. > Do you want to get in behind that? > Do you want to get in behind that? > Muz, Paul, he's in here somewhere. He's right here. Coming towards you, straight off me. Still, yeah, still right close to me. Find. Right here. Yep, yep. Here. < Settle down. Settle, boy. Settle, boy. Settle, boy. Settle, boy. Find. You got one, Pete? You got one, Pete? (CHUCKLES) Looks like a girl to me. Looks like a big girl. Hey. She's beautiful, huh? Look at those claws. Looks like they'd, uh, do a little damage. Hey, sweetheart. > These tiny little wings there. These tiny little wings there. Yeah, that's a wing there, with a claw on the end. Beautiful feathers. Yeah, tiny little claw. That's it. This is my first kiwi. My first ever kiwi. She's got to be at least 2 years old, I'd say, with that size. Oh, yeah. She's 2.6. So she's... a kilo` a kilo and a bit over the... So she's... a kilo` a kilo and a bit over the... 2.6 kilos. > This kiwi has grown sufficiently to be able to defend itself back on the mainland. The hope is she'll not only go on to survive but breed. Kiwis are prolific breeders, but around 90% of kiwi chicks born in the wild die within their first six months ` 70% of them killed by stoats and cats. This bird is off to Tutukaka Coast tomorrow. There's an existing population they're gonna supplement. They're doing a lot of pest-control work. Excellent. Let's go spend that tenner. (CHUCKLES) Well earned, mate. You did great. Nice job too, Rua. SOARING MUSIC The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park's offshore islands are pivotal in the fight to preserve native species. But there's also coastal fringes like the Tawharanui Peninsula that have become a virtual fortress in the fight to eradicate predators. This sanctuary is cut off from the mainland by a 2.5km predator-proof fence. Built by volunteer labour and donations, this open sanctuary exists alongside a working farm and 160,000 recreational visitors every year. It's one of the most staggering success stories in the Gulf, and it's at the front line of the fight to save more of our endangered birds. Saddlebacks have been extinct on the mainland for 100 years, but now they're being brought back from the brink. Today a select group have been invited to bear witness to an historic event. They're flying in style. A helicopter has collected them from an island far out in the Gulf and is delivering them to the mainland with their anxious minder. Kevin Parker is a Massey University researcher, and he has 30 birds in his care. This is, uh, precious cargo. I honestly don't think you could put a price on this if you tried. It's five endangered saddlebacks, and they're coming back here today for the first time. So this is a pretty big deal. Some visionary thinking by conservationists 50 years ago would see the North Island saddleback become one of the first birds in the world to be saved from extinction by human intervention. Makes you feel quite nervous carrying around a box of endangered birds. Lot of care and love has gone into bringing these things back, and this is going to be their new home. For Kevin, this is the moment of truth. Despite his care and attention, there's a very real chance that some of the birds may have become stressed during the hour-long helicopter flight, and at worst, some may have died. Ooh. Oh, beautiful. Ooh. Oh, beautiful. BIRDS SING SERENE MUSIC Oh. One more. (CHUCKLES) Well done, guys. It's a great start for those who've put years of work into eradicating predators from this area to make it safe for these birds to return. It's a huge relief. I mean, from the time that we first capture the birds, through holding them in the aviaries, loading them up in boxes and then physically moving them, you worry about them the whole time. What they've just been through is this is sort of avian equivalent of alien abduction and, um, they manage it quite well, so... Without the anal probe, I'm guessing. Actually, no, they got an anal probe as well. So blood sample. Swab up the butt. Yeah. People often comment that the NZ forest is really quiet. The Tawharanui forest is not quiet. You know, there's lots of bellbirds and lots tui here, and now there's saddleback back in here as well. It's almost like an act of redemption. I mean, humans have had a massive impact on the NZ landscape, and to be able to, sort of, rebuild ecosystems in places like Tawharanui and our offshore islands an-and lots of our mainland sites as well, I mean, that's, yeah, for me, it's a... it's a really big deal, you know? We're, kind of, bringing back what we once destroyed. I've always been into the outdoors, but to be totally honest, I've never been that into birds, and when I was as a kid, I guess I used to feel like places like Africa got all the good animals, and we kind of got stuck with a bunch of birds, and half them couldn't even fly any more, and I think I've felt like people who were really into birds were... were pretty nerdy. Today I've changed my mind a bit. What these guys are doing is fantastic, and sitting here, listening to this birdsong, you just can't argue with it. It's about a lot more than just bringing back a few birds to the mainland from a predator-free island out in the Gulf. It's... It's about bringing all of this back. This whole ecosystem, well, it's going to be gone if we're not careful, > an-and these guys are doing something about it, and I think that's pretty awesome. Auckland City is expected to grow by a third over the next 20 years. Its sheer size will challenge the ability for this ecosystem to survive. But as small outposts begin to show signs of rejuvenation, more of these islands could begin to flourish with native species alongside a growing population. Until those signs of life increase, there's still a need to lock away some of the islands in this park. Te Hauturu-o-Toi, or Little Barrier Island, is 80km north of Auckland. It's an island fortress for many of our threatened species. It's like a time capsule of the way NZ used to be. Before us lot arrived, that is. These days, it's home to more endangered birds and reptiles than any other island in NZ. And, DOC, well, they're pretty serious about keeping it that way. So, before I head out there, I've got a few hoops to jump through. The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park has had an incredible transformation over the past century. Crayfish and snapper levels have fallen dramatically. Native bird species like saddlebacks and kiwi are struggling, while shellfish stocks are being decimated. If innovative steps towards sustainability are taken, a large number of these species and habitats could be brought back. If not, as Auckland City expands, many of the Gulf's natural assets could be lost forever. While the city searches for a solution, 80km north, Little Barrier Island continues its work as a safe haven for many of our threatened species. Hey, Vic. Hey, Vic. Morning. No one can venture out to Little Barrier without a DOC permit and stringent biosecurity checks. Every inch of my kit is inspected for pest animals, seeds and insects. Only 20 people are allowed ashore on any given day, and they're usually researchers or DOC personnel. All my gear will remain in sealed containers until I get to the island. HELICOPTER ROTORS WHIR REFLECTIVE MUSIC Little Barrier Island is one of the last vestiges of primeval NZ ` an eroded volcanic cone formed around 1.5 million years ago and largely untouched by humans. The dense bush is the only large forested area left in NZ undisturbed by browsing mammals. The island was established as a nature reserve in 1895, and a caretaker or ranger has lived here continuously for over 100 years. You can see this little rip, um, down the side there. Those little marks down the side here. They are actually their fat deposits. DOC rangers Richard, Leigh and their two children, Mahina and Liam, are all involved in tuatara preservation work. The breeding programme they run on Little Barrier Island is crucial to the survival of this species ` the only survivor of an ancient group of reptiles that roamed the earth at the same time as dinosaurs. Right. Right. There's one, two. Right. There's one, two. Oh, there he is. Wow. They're like little dinosaurs. Shall we give them a mealworm? What do you do? Just drop one in, Mahina? Yeah, they eat anything that wriggles. How many? Will they keep eating them if you drop them in? Yeah, but there's only... enough for one here. Ah, so they are on a diet, huh? One mealworm a day. > Ah, so they are on a diet, huh? One mealworm a day. > Mm-hm. Each two days. > And it goes back down to a week in winter. Really? Why is that? Really? Why is that? Um, just because they are not moving so much. If you give them too much food, it will ferment in their tummy, and they can actually die. > These tuatara will eventually be released back into the wild here on Hauturu, the latest of several hundred tuatara raised as part of the captive-breeding programme. With over 40 bird species, two bat types and 14 varieties of reptiles, the island has the most diverse range of native wildlife of any island in the country. CLICK! This is one of the most important reserves of its kind in the world. So this is, uh, nightlife out in Hauturu, huh? Leigh's taking me out to a creature that rivals the tuatara for age. At night, it's eerily quiet out here, and the creature I've come to see could have come straight out of a horror film. You see that one there? You see that one there? I can certainly see it. It looks enormous. Gosh, she's huge. She's a beautiful one, actually. So that's a female, and you can tell cos she's got this ovipositor here, out the back. An ovi what? An ovi what? (CHUCKLES) Ovipositor. Ovi's 'egg', and positor ` like, 'to deposit'. That makes sense. Looks like a giant scorpion tail to me, though. But she's actually easy prey for something like a rat or a stoat. > They've got that hard external skeleton on their backs, but underneath, their belly's quite soft, so be a good meal for something like that. It's so amazing. You think about the history of them and how long they've been here for and millions of years. It's incredible, really. Well, she's on the move. Thinking about where to go, I think. OK. OK. There she goes. You ready to go? OK. There she goes. You ready to go? Yeah, yeah. The island sanctuary of Hauturu will continue to harbour our threatened wildlife for years to come. But it's also a paradise that has faced conflict for centuries. The island is situated in the middle of the ancient Maori canoe passages, making it sought after and fought over. Maori lived here until 1895, when the Crown acquired the island through a controversial Act of Parliament. The final two Maori inhabitants were removed in chains. Their struggle continued down through the ages. This is the spot where we, um, we intend to put, uh, our whare up to, uh, basically reinstate and, uh, enhance our cultural footprint back on the island, on Hauturu, the sacred island of ours. Mook Hohneck is the chief negotiator for Ngati Manuhiri, and they've reached a Treaty settlement ` an important part of which was that Hauturu was given back to Ngati Manuhiri. But the iwi immediately gifted the island back to the nation, retaining just 2ha on which to build a marae. This particular place, as you can see over here, where we've got the stone... wall, these stone walls have been here for hundreds of years and, um, it's an important cultural footprint that, not only for our tribe and our generations, but for the past generations too. It's huge. We see our responsibility as the mana whenua of Ngati Manuhiri as to be the... the caretakers, i-if you like, of the island and accept that responsibility on behalf of all of our people and look after the island. Ngati Manuhiri want to have a say on what goes on out here, and that's part of the new reality of conservation efforts here in the Gulf. But safeguarding this region will take a relentless drive from the people that live here, especially those that are part of the fastest growing city in NZ. Great Barrier Island. This tranquil paradise is home to only 1000 people. Nature, in all its rugged beauty, is king. Virtually untouched, this paradise is on the outer reaches of the Gulf, 100km from Auckland City. It's aptly named Great Barrier due to the barrier it forms between the Hauraki Gulf and the open ocean. But its position doesn't protect it from pollution that makes its way from the city every day. Well, that's the thing. You won't see it the first time you look at a beach. When we came in here on the boat, you look at it, and you can't really see the rubbish, and then you start digging through some of this, and what have we got? Fishing line. Yeah, look. Yeah, look. Bottle cap. Yeah, look. Bottle cap. That's amazing. Since early 2008, Sam Judd has successfully motivated almost 20,000 volunteers to remove tons of rubbish from coastlines around NZ and the Pacific, including two big clean-ups out here on the Barrier. The entire coast of Aotea Great Barrier Island that faces Auckland City is covered in this kind of plastic. First year, we picked up 2.8 tons over two days, and the second year, 3.1 tons. You can't just keep cleaning it up, and it's` it's an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. People have to learn what this stuff is doing... so that it's not turning up here all the time. It just makes sense. We've got to stop dropping plastic into the ocean. That's it. While the island is affected by the city it's part of, Great Barrier is still a world removed from the hustle and bustle of the growing metropolis of Auckland. Its remote and rugged landscape has led its inhabitants to become self-sufficient. Water supply is sourced from the sky. There are no street lights, and power is supplied by personal generators and alternative power systems. Great Barrier Island feels a bit like the wild frontier. I get the feeling that most people back on the mainland don't have good idea of what's out here, and most people on the barrier are happier it stays that way. With only a small population for most of the year, it can swell to thousands in the summer months. Locals do all they can to make the most of the visitor numbers as they strive to support their unique lifestyle. That's a hangover cure and an aphrodisiac in one. If I had a hangover, this is about the last thing I'd be putting in my mouth. (CHUCKLES) But, yeah,... actually, it is pretty good, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. Mm. I'm a convert. Yeah. Mm. I'm a convert. I'm sold. Kim Watts moved here from Perth with his family five years ago and runs a charter-boat operation to fund his new lifestyle. Would you call yourself a greenie, Kim? (SIGHS) I-I would probably now, yeah. We run our generator probably once every two or three weeks normally, so, um.... You got the solar power? You got the solar power? Solar power. Oh, I reckon you guys out here are the original greenies, really. Yeah. Yeah. It's living off the land, isn't it? Sustainably. Sustainably. And the ocean. Yeah, and to look after it, you know, for the next generations. Really, that's our goal, you know, and to share it with, um, tourists coming over. Someone who wants a good feed to come over and catch it themselves, cook it themselves, and go away with a bit of knowledge and think, 'Wow, we could live a bit differently 'than the way we are in Auckland.' It really does feel like a magical place to grow up, and that's why I'm almost not surprised to see a mythical sea creature at play here. Mischa the Mermaid is part of Sam Judd's Sustainable Coastlines crew. Education is a major focus for them, and they find that nothing gets kids interested in the sea like befriending a mermaid. And I can't help but think that education's going to be one of the keys to restoring the Gulf ` getting the next generation to understand how vulnerable these waters and islands really are. But it's early days, and the marine park definitely seems like a good start in trying to redress our bias towards looking after the land better than we do the sea. As I've travelled through our national parks over a few weeks, I've been astounded at what we have in such a small island paradise. Beautiful, huh? Beautiful, huh? It's beautiful, eh. This is what makes the Hauraki Gulf such an incredible place. WHALE EXHALES Right out here, Southern right whales. > And I've been amazed at how little I really knew about the world we have right here on our doorstep ` That ice is 300 years old. That ice is 300 years old. Man, it's beautiful, isn't it? This just shows you how quickly the weather can change around here. ICE RUMBLES ...the sheer scale of some of the landscapes,... Pretty biblical, isn't it? Pretty biblical, isn't it? Absolutely magic. (CHUCKLES) Oh, check it out. This is huge. Oh, check it out. This is huge. Awesome. That's not even the biggest. ...the hidden gems I never knew existed, and the abundance of wildlife, some that are found nowhere else on earth. That's it. This is my first ever kiwi. But what is an absolute eye-opener is the number of passionate people fighting to protect and restore our wildlife... Yeah, very handsome birds, aren't they? ...and the natural environments in many of these parks. Their efforts are often way beyond the call of duty, founded on a simple appreciation for what we have. For me, it's a really big deal. You know, we're kind of bringing back what we once destroyed. That was the mana of Tuwharetoa expressing itself to the world. Every part of me bubbled and fizzed. I loved it. And every one of them hopes that their work will ensure these incredible parks, and the wildlife that inhabit them, remain for generations to come. These 14 National Parks are the jewels in NZ's public-conservation estate. Founded for the preservation of indigenous species, dynamic habitats and each park's dramatic natural features. The delicate balance between the preservation of these unique ecosystems with the rights of all NZers to have access and enjoy them is paramount in the management of these magical landscapes. Environments that live and breathe with their own distinctive characteristics. National parks that are to be preserved and maintained for all time, for all generations. Captions by John Ling. Edited by Jessica Boell. www.tvnz.co.nz/access-services Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright TVNZ Access Services 2013