Why Mother Nature is important to New Zealand

Without a doubt, we can say that mother nature is important to New Zealand. It has some of the most diverse and awe-inspiring natural treasures in the world, all found in two tiny slivers of land.

After all, there’s a reason why people accuse New Zealand of dyeing lakes with artificial colours because they are so unbelievably vibrant. Or why the landscapes across the Land of the Long White Cloud are used in movies like Lord of the Rings because they are just so fantastical.

But these places are very real and incredibly unique — it’s simply pure New Zealand. And that is exactly why Mother Nature is so important to us.

Mother Nature provides EVERYTHING

Let’s just say she’s our everything, and more. We cannot thrive or survive without Mother Nature, and honestly, life would be a whole lot less beautiful. This is why mother nature is so important to New Zealand. We take protecting our lands and these natural monuments very seriously.

The rivers, glaciers, rain, and aquifers give us the water needed to stay alive. The land provides area and nutrients for us to grow the tasty food we eat or those coffee beans for all of the flat whites we drink.

And we know how we get if we don’t have that morning cuppa…

It’s an understatement to say that Mother Nature just provides life, Mother Nature provides us with life, and a whole lot of wondrous things to gawk at here in New Zealand.

Have you ever stood at the edge of Cape Reinga listening to the roar of the ocean and sea clashing hundreds of meters below whilst feeling the salt spray on your face? What about exploring the misty Milford Sound watching waterfalls cascade from the clouds and dolphins leaping from the obsidian-like water? New Zealand is next-level nature and keeps us alive and healthy.

New Zealand has it all

From the windswept coastlines, dramatic sand dunes, and spectacular beaches of the North Island. To the wild and ethereal landscapes of the South Island continually leaving you picking your jaw up off the ground.

You’ll understand why mother nature is so important to New Zealand as you gaze at the valleys of vineyards that provide us with a refreshing sauvignon blanc on a summer day.

Somehow in this vast universe we, by chance, scored a pretty awesome place to call home chock full of wonders and adrenaline-pumping escapes. Surfing, skiing, trekking, skydiving, abseiling, bungy jumping, and countless more are all surrounded by unimaginable scenery.

Sweet as…

But can you imagine a New Zealand without Fox and Franz Josef glaciers or the ancient kauri forests? Without the mystical and otherworldly treks like the Tongariro Crossing filled with ancient Māori stories or the pristine stretches of beaches lining the coastlines?

Nope, we can’t.

Which is why it’s so important to experience nature in a responsible way, and appreciate it more when we aren’t out in the wild. To get out there and feel the unspoiled and epic nature on display and truly connect with it.

Mother Nature is a mood booster

Forest bathing, have you heard of it? If not it’s pretty amazing, and makes you feel amazing. It’s simply the act of walking through a forest and spending time surrounded by trees and it’s a proven mood booster. How about the feeling you get when you are close to the sea or chilling at the beach – super relaxing right? It’s because Mother Nature doesn’t just keep us alive, she also brings us way more happiness than can be found on the couch binging a TV series.

Yes, even more than a Flight of the Conchords binge.

Mother nature is so important to New Zealand as being outdoors naturally boosts your vitamin D, serotonin, and dopamine levels (the feel good chemicals) to tickle the neurotransmitters of the brain. This then electrifies your body with good vibes and an injection of pure happiness.

Surrounding yourself in some pure and profoundly magnificent organic scenery can alleviate depression, make you more productive, boost the immune system, and increase mindfulness.

Nature keeps you physically healthy too

Getting out in nature is a huge benefit to our physical health. A stroll through the woods gets the body and joints moving. Hiking a mountain to a literally breathtaking view gets the lungs pumping and blood flowing. Sea kayaking in Abel Tasman puts fire in the muscles and leaves you ripped. Okay, maybe that last one is a stretch but it’s a helluva workout around some of the most astonishing coastlines. #WorthIt.

Get our gist? New Zealand doesn’t grace the Most Beautiful Country in the World lists for no reason.

It is the crème de la crème of nature travel, all thanks to Mother Nature, and we are lucky enough to call it home. Mother Nature is important to New Zealand as it gives us all of these wonderful things, so the least we can do is take care of her and try to keep it around for other generations to come.

Mother Nature is woven into New Zealand’s history

New Zealand, known in Māori as Aotearoa (Land of the Long White Cloud), is itself interwoven with nature. Mother nature is important to New Zealand as this has been the most important aspect of the country throughout its history.

Meet Papatūānuku, the Earth Mother

Well before tree-hugging became a trend or the existence of Scouts dragging kids out of the house, nature was ingrained in Māori culture and an integral part of everyday life. The Māori know that everything they have and everything that existed was because of Papatūānuku, or the Earth Mother.

All things come from Papatūānuku

Papatūānuku is Mother Earth to the Māori, the giver of life and creator of all things. She is seen as the beginning and end of all living things – from which everything comes into existence and where everything returns to after life ends.

Papatūānuku connects us to everything

Every sunrise a person’s emotional, intellectual, and spiritual selves are born again and directly connected to the Earth Mother. It is the foundation and connection of every living being. We wake every day and live off of the land, the land or Papatūānuku provides for us sustains our lives.

Mother Nature Helps You Find Your Foundation

All of these ideas and beliefs around Papatūānuku create the concept of tūrangawaewae, which means a place to stand. And this is a concept we are totally behind and one that can be adopted by us all.

Have you ever felt drawn to a certain part of nature? In these Māori beliefs, the purpose of one’s life is to find their foundation and standing in the world throughout life and forms our relationship with nature itself. This can also be why some of us are beach lovers and some are mountain lovers. Things that call to us, natural things that touch our souls, things that can’t be found scrolling through an Insta feed.

But no matter how you look at it and what kind of nature you love, we have an inherent responsibility to use our foundations in life to take care of nature. New Zealand is like no other country thanks to Mother Nature, so let’s get outside and love her a bit more.

If you want to see the very best of Mother Nature, then the best way to do it is on a Wild Kiwi Tour!