New Zealand has some of the most amazing scenery in the world, and enjoying our spectacular back yard is part of our heritage.

People flock from all around the globe to experience everything from hiking the Franz Josef Glacier to whale watching in Kaikoura. It's vital that these wonders of nature are still around for future generations to enjoy, so we need to understand the environment and risks we pose simply by not being aware of the consequences of our actions. Follow these tips to help ensure you have minimal impact on New Zealand's unique ecology while you enjoy everything it has to offer.

Be fuel efficient

About one-fifth of New Zealand's greenhouse-gas emissions come from transport such as planes or cars, and a significant chunk comes from burning fossil fuels for electricity.

Walk or cycle when possible. It's good exercise, a great way to explore the countryside and, best of all, it's usually free.

Switch off your car engine when you stop to soak up the views.

Buy or hire a fuel-efficient vehicle.

Instead of flying short distances, take a bus or train instead.

When you're not in your hotel room, turn off any lights and all electrical equipment, including the air conditioner.

Conserve H20

Water is in short supply in many parts of the country, especially during a long, dry summer, so conserve water as much as possible.

Take a shower instead of a bath, or don't fill it up as much.

If you're in a hotel, resist the urge to have your towels freshly laundered every day.

Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.

Don't flush used tissues or cotton wool down the toilet. Throw them in the rubbish bin instead.

Know before you ‘go'

Toilet waste carries disease and can easily wash into the waterways, so think carefully about how you're going to dispose of it when you're camping in isolated areas.

If a toilet is available, use it.

If there are no proper facilities you will have to bury your toilet waste. Find somewhere that's at least 50 metres from walking tracks, campsites, public areas and water sources.

Using a trowel or spade, dig a deep hole and bury all toilet waste and paper.

Don't play with fire

It doesn't take a genius to work out that fires can be a huge threat to the environment. If they get out of hand they can wreak havoc, as illustrated in Australia earlier this year.

So whether you're lighting up to cook, for warmth, to create atmosphere or just to toast marshmallows, be aware that fires can also destroy plant and animal life and blemish the landscape with charred black spots.

Use a portable stove for cooking instead of an open fire, and make sure you follow the instructions to operate the stove safely.

It pays to take extra care in the summer months, when vegetation is dry and can catch alight far more easily.

Keep fires as small as possible and use an existing fireplace if one is available.

Use only dead wood. Never chop down living trees to fuel your flames.

Pour water over the fire when you're done to ensure it's completely out.

Never leave a fire unattended.

Extinguish cigarettes carefully. Don't ever just flick them out of the car window when you're finished.

Protect water quality

Our lakes, rivers, beaches and harbours are home to plants, fish and birds. Plus, it's likely that they're a source of drinking water, so it's vital to keep them free of rubbish, chemicals and anything not indigenous to the area.

If you wash your gear in one waterway, make sure it's dry before you introduce it to the next. Otherwise, you'll run the risk of spreading unwanted pests into a new area.

When washing clothes, equipment, utensils or yourself, take the water away from the source so it doesn't wash straight back in. This is especially important when using potentially hazardous soaps and detergents.

Tip your used water into the soil so it gets naturally filtered.

For more information on environmentally sustainable travelling, visit www.doc.govt.nz.

Tip: Helping yourself to a flower or piece of coral or may seem harmless, but the safest way to make sure you're not disturbing the environment is to take
only pictures.

Tip: Visit the local tourism information centre to help you understand the culture, traditions and history of the area, as well as getting free maps.

Trek on the trail Staying on the designated path will help prevent too much damage to plants and trees and limit disruption of animals. Remember, the area you're tramping through is likely to be teeming with many species other than humans. Whether you're hiking through a rainforest, swimming at a beach or having a picnic on remote a mountainside, you're a visitor.

Travel in smaller groups so you're less likely to make enough noise to frighten animals.

Seek permission before you cross private land or an area with restricted access.

Use stiles where they're provided and always follow the golden rule of closing gates.

Move carefully around wildlife and never feed animals human food.

Never damage plant or animal life or remove it from its natural environment.

Make every effort to find a way around plants or trees, rather than bush-bashing your way through.

Waste not, want not

Rubbish is unattractive, smelly, harmful to the environment and can attract vermin, insects and disease. Always dispose of it before you vacate a picnic spot or campsite.

Before you travel, pack your food into reusable containers.

Reuse plastic bags and water bottles.

If there are no bins in the area, take your rubbish with you when you leave.

Recycle any waste paper, glass, plastic containers and aluminium cans at the local recycling centre or carry it with you until you find one.

If you find other people's rubbish, take it away with you as well. Don't make the environment pay for their thoughtlessness when you could help. Take shelter

Camping is cheap, fun and a rite of passage when you live in New Zealand. But whether you're staying in a campervan, tent, hut or bivouac, it's important that you consider where to set up for the night.

Use campsites where they are provided.

Leave the campsite exactly the same way as (or better than) you found it, for the sake of the environment and other visitors.

Keep your site as contained as you can.

If you're using a caravan or motorhome, use only designated sites to help ensure your safety and security.

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