Claire Trevett says when it comes to delivering bad news about the fauna and flora of NZ, the same advice applies as to tramping near fairy tern nesting sites: tread with meticulous care.

A violent criminal will walk out of Mount Eden Prison this week to the frustration of one of his victims who are still suffering from the attack.

Increasing the price of using national parks has been ruled out by the Department of Conservation as a way of making money.

The Department of Conservation will axe 140 jobs and reduce the number of conservancy regions in a department-wide shake-up.

The Department of Conservation is planning to replace the swing bridge on the walking track leading to the Roy Roy glacier in the Mt Aspiring National Park.

There is concern more of New Zealand's endangered species will be lost if job losses go ahead at the Department of Conservation.

Expected job losses at the Department of Conservation are not expected to cut too deep into frontline positions, Prime Minister John Key says.

A shark attacked as Steve Clark was struggling underwater against a kingfish on the end of his spear. He didn't see it coming, but he quickly saw the damage it did.

A DoC worker said it was a "miracle'' no one was injured after a giant rockslide at Aoraki/Mt Cook missed a popular trampers' hut by just 200 metres.

To disguise what it is doing, the Beehive has ordered the Ministry for the Environment to abandon the five-yearly State of the Environment round-up report, writes Neville Peat.

Department of Conservation staff have been told further job losses are possible as it enters another round of restructuring.

A dolphin and its calf which were stranded on a Hawkes Bay reef as they fled from hunting orca have been saved by holidaymakers.

A Civil Aviation Authority report into a helicopter crash which killed two Far North men a year ago will be completed early next year.

The Department of Conservation is taking the unusual step of declaring a total fire ban across its Hawke's Bay regional parks for the first time in 12 years.

A group of children were happily playing in the water at Paihia, cooling off from the hot sun - then someone yelled: "Shark!"