Planning for a multitude of conservation-themed events around Rotorua is well underway, with rangers anticipating Conservation Week 2019 will reach new peaks.

This year's Conservation Week runs between November 14 and 22 and marks 50 years of the flagship event.

Department of Conservation - DOC- Community Ranger Catherine Noble says planned events include a free BioBlitz event being run by Rainbow Springs and the Kiwi Conservation Club, a digital art exhibition, kiwi aversion training for dogs and a night walk to look at nocturnal creatures.

'Pulling together a multitude of events for Conservation Week has its challenges,” says Catherine, 'but this year there have been a burst of events being run by community organisations, volunteers and local businesses which I'm sure will bring a higher level of community engagement.”

Sudima Hotel staff are running a clean-up event around the Sulphur Bay area, followed by a DOC ranger-led talk on the threatened Black Billed Gulls which are often seen in the area.

'Kiwi aversion training is always a popular Conservation Week activity and very worthwhile for dogs that are in bush areas,” says Catherine.

'Uncontrolled dogs can easily kill kiwi - the training only takes 10 minutes and it's good practice for all hunting dogs to be tested and trained by a qualified facilitator.”

Rotorua Library/Te Aka Mauri will be joining the festivities by hosting guest speakers from the Catfish Killas along with Te Awawa Para Kore representative Harina Rupapera who specialises in whale resource recovery. The library will also be putting a Conservation Week theme to its regular Lego club, with the participants being asked to create an ecosystem. Taxidermy specimens of local species will be on display for visitors to view.

One hundred and eighty-nine images were submitted to the Conservation Week photography competition, and entries are being screening across the Bay of Plenty as part of a digital exhibition. The exhibition can be viewed at Rotorua Library, Toi oho Mai Tauranga, Wahi Isite and Te Aroha Isite. Prizes for the winning entries have been donated by a multitude of local businesses who have shown their support for Conservation Week 2019.

At Okareka, Steve Goodin has planned an event to showcase his biodiversity restoration work to members of the public who have registered to attend.

'I decided to run a Conservation Week event to show that everybody has the potential to make a worthwhile conservation effort no matter the size of the effort they put in,” says Steve.

'For those putting in a small effort by planting a few trees it will just take longer to achieve great things. The good thing about nature is that it is very much like compound interest - when you put a few trees in the ground they will grow while you are away so that when you return the larger trees will provide cover or shade for further plantings,” says Steve.

'The secret is to keep up your efforts over many years and eventually the few trees you first planted have turned into a forest.”

Conservation Week was originally launched in 1969 by the New Zealand Scout Association, with the goal to promote greater interest in the environment and encourage people to take practical actions to look after it.

The Nature Conservation Council then had a turn at running the campaign, while other organisations like the Post Office Savings Bank, Caltex Oil NZ, and The Todd Foundation came to the party with educational resources.

When the Department of Conservation was formed in 1987 it took over the Conservation Week duties, and has since worked with other groups, businesses, councils and agencies to make it all happen.

Further information on Conservation Week 2019 and the events being planned can be found by visiting www.doc.govt.nz.