One hand on his hip and another around a dying pohutukawa tree branch, Jim Henry was in no doubt of the job ahead of him and his team of Department of Conservation staff.

Three dead whales have washed up on West Coast beaches in as many days.

A pelican - one of only 20 believed to be in the country - has been found shot dead on the banks of the Waikato River.

The heli-hunting season on Department of Conservation land ends in late July and it is quite likely to be the last.

Some of the Department of Conservation's most valued staff have become endangered species under the state agency's radical reorganisation to combat lack of money.

At Rotoiti in Nelson Lakes National Park, thriving beech forest alive with birdsong and well-used tracks point to the kind of conservation partnership the Department of Conservation hopes can take root throughout its vast estate.

A restructure and the loss of more than 70 full-time roles from DoC will have a negative impact on the environment, conservation advocates say.

We are looking for partners so that we can grow the overall resource that is committed to conservation, writes Al Morrison, director general of the Department of Conservation.

A national appeal to help a cash strapped government department will get underway today.

A tourist industry group is worried about the impact of cuts at the Department of Conservation while another organisation says more charging for visitors is inevitable.

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.

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.

Officials are investigating a proposal which could lead to the Pike River mine being turned into an opencast coal pit stretching into a national park.

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.