Datasets
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Frost days, state,1972-2022
Ministry for the EnvironmentThis indicator measures the number of frost days for 30 sites across Aotearoa New Zealand from at least 1972 to 2022. The number of frost days changes from year to year in response to variable weather patterns, and their occurrence is also influenced by climate change. Climate models project we may experience fewer cold and more warm extremes in the...Created 1 February 2024 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
Estimated forest carbon stocks - Forest carbon stocks, 1990–2012
Ministry for the EnvironmentNew Zealand’s indigenous and exotic forests absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. As forests grow, the carbon stored in them increases. These carbon stocks help offset greenhouse gas emissions from sources such as agriculture, energy production, and transport. Column headings: type = vegetation type of forest vol_tC = volume...Created 2 February 2020 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
Most common habitat type in coastal waters (2011)
Ministry for the EnvironmentNew Zealand has a diverse coastline, which spans 15,000 km. Reporting on our coastal seabed (benthic) habitats provides important contextual information on the state of the marine domain. This dataset relates to the "Coastal habitats" measure on the Environmental Indicators, Te taiao Aotearoa website.Created 2 February 2020 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
National temperature, state, 1909 - 2022
Ministry for the EnvironmentWe provide temperature and anomaly data alongside Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) global land temperature anomalies against the 1961 to 1990, and 1991 to 2020 baseline periods. Global average temperatures have increased by around 1 degree Celsius in the last century, almost certainly a result of high levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases...Created 1 February 2024 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
Coastal and estuarine water quality, trends, 2006-2020
Ministry for the EnvironmentThis data set reports on trends for 15 coastal and estuarine water quality measures, grouped below by type, monitored at sites across Aotearoa New Zealand between 2006 and 2020: nutrient – ammoniacal nitrogen, nitrate-nitrite nitrogen, total nitrogen (unfiltered), dissolved reactive phosphorus, and total phosphorus (unfiltered) microbiological – faecal...Created 1 December 2022 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
Extreme rainfall, trends, 1960 - 2022
Ministry for the EnvironmentThis dataset measures extreme rainfall at 30 sites across Aotearoa New Zealand from 1960 to 2022. We measure the maximum amount of rainfall in a single day (‘maximum precipitationl’), the number of very wet days (‘very wet days’), and the percentage of annual rainfall from very wet days (‘very wet day precipitation percent’). We present trends against the...Created 1 February 2024 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
Annual and seasonal temperatures at 30 sites, trends, 1972-2022
Ministry for the EnvironmentTemperature at 30 sites around the country from at least 1972 to 2022. We report annual and seasonal trends for the period 1972 to 2022 as well as rate of temperature change per decade. We provide data on average, minimum, and maximum for daily, annual, and seasonal temperatures. Trends are reported for annual and seasonal statistics. Temperature change...Created 1 February 2024 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
Soil quality, state, 1996 - 2018
Ministry for the EnvironmentDATA SOURCE: Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research; regional and district councils [Technical report available at https://environment.govt.nz/publications/soil-quality-data-for-land-2021 and https://environment.govt.nz/publications/soil-quality-and-trace-element-dataset-trend-analysis] Adapted by Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand to...Created 2 May 2021 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
Lake water quality, state, 2016 - 2020
Ministry for the EnvironmentAdapted by Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand to provide for environmental reporting transparency. Dataset used to develop the "Lake water quality" indicator (available at https://www.stats.govt.nz/indicators/lake-water-quality). We report on eight biological, chemical, and physical lake water quality attributes based on measurements...Created 1 September 2022 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
River water quality: Escherichia coli, trends, 1991 - 2020
Ministry for the EnvironmentAdapted by Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand to provide for environmental reporting transparency. Dataset used to develop the "River water quality: Escherichia coli" indicator (available at https://www.stats.govt.nz/indicators/river-water-quality-escherichia-coli). This dataset contains one parameter of water quality based on...Created 1 September 2022 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
River Environment Classification Watershed Otago (2010) (DEPRECATED)
Ministry for the EnvironmentThe New Zealand River Environment Classification (REC) organises information about the physical characteristics of New Zealand's rivers. Individual river sections are mapped according to physical factors such as climate, source of flow for the river water, topography, and geology, and catchment land cover eg, forest, pasture or urban. Sections of river...Created 2 September 2021 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
Indigenous vegetation cover remaining and protection 2001–2012
Ministry for the Environment"New Zealand’s land area has been divided into 500 land environments, each defined by their unique climate, topography, and soils. The extent to which indigenous vegetation is represented in these different land environments, and how that vegetation is formally protected, is described by ‘threatened environment’ categories. These categories can be...Created 2 February 2020 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
River water quality, raw data by site, 1975-2013
Ministry for the EnvironmentRiver water quality water is valued for many reasons including ecological function and habitat, recreational value, its role in supporting people and industry, and its cultural significance. Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are essential for plant growth, however too much in rivers can lead to ‘nuisance’ growths of river algae and aquatic plants,...Created 2 February 2020 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
LUCAS NZ Forest Clearing 2008 2022 v022
Ministry for the EnvironmentAreas of LUCAS LUM forests that have been cleared between 2008 and 2022 inclusive. Forest clearing is detected using mosaics of satellite imagery captured over a range of dates; therefore the year of clearing provided is nominal.Created 3 June 2024 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
Lightning recorders
Ministry for the EnvironmentLightning is the discharge of electricity from thunderstorms. Ground strikes can cause significant damage to property and infrastructure, and injure or kill people and livestock. Lightning is often associated with other severe weather events, such as strong wind gusts. Thunderstorms may increase in frequency and intensity with climate change. This dataset...Created 2 February 2020 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
Annual growing degree days
Ministry for the EnvironmentGrowing degree days (GDD) is the measure of how much warmth is available for plant and insect growth during a growing season. GDD information helps horticulturists and farmers predict plant growth and stock development. The GDD value changes in response to climate variations, such as El Niño. Long-term changes in GDD are a measure of changing climate...Created 2 February 2020 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
Lightning strikes, 2001–2016
Ministry for the EnvironmentLightning is the discharge of electricity from thunderstorms and can occur within a cloud, between clouds, or between a cloud and the ground. By international standards, lightning does not occur frequently around New Zealand. However, ground strikes can injure or kill people and livestock, damage property and infrastructure, and, although rarely in New...Created 2 February 2020 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
SPOT5 2008 Footprints
Ministry for the EnvironmentNote: Metadata relates to the mosaicked imagery. This layer has been provided to enable users to explore coverage and capture dates of the imagery. To enquire about ordering the imagery, please e-mail lucas[at]mfe.govt.nz. This imagery is 10m, four-band multispectral, cloud-minimised mosaics of SPOT 5 satellite scenes over most of mainland New Zealand...Created 2 February 2020 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
Livestock numbers, clean, 1971 - 2019
Ministry for the EnvironmentDATA SOURCE: Statistics New Zealand Agricultural Production Survey (APS) Adapted by Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand to provide for environmental reporting transparency Dataset used to develop the "livestock numbers" indicator [available at https://www.stats.govt.nz/indicators/livestock-numbers] This indicator measures the numbers...Created 2 May 2021 • Updated 3 May 2025 -
Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation, 1871–2016
Ministry for the EnvironmentThe Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO) is a long-term oscillation of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean that can last from 20 to 30 years. Its positive and negative phases affect the strength and frequency of El Niño and La Niña. In New Zealand, the positive phase is linked to stronger west to southwest winds and more rain in the west. This...Created 2 February 2020 • Updated 3 May 2025