Accessibility
We strive to make our website as accessible as possible.
Web standards
Environment Southland has designed this website to be as accessible as possible for everyone, regardless of ability.
The site aims to comply as far as is practicable with the following standards and guidelines:
- New Zealand Government Web Standards - version 2.0
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) - version 2.0
This website should display correctly in all common browsers, operating systems and page resolutions; with and without scripting, images and stylesheets; on a PC or Mac; on a desktop computer, laptop or mobile phone, and for both dial-up and broadband connections.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have trouble using any part of the site or discover any accessibility issues that we can assist with.
Adjust the size of the text
You can adjust the size of the text to make it more readable, without adjusting your screen resolution. Check your browser Help file for instructions; for some browsers, pressing CTRL and + will increase text size, while CTRL and - will decrease text size.
Help with downloads
If you're having difficulty accessing or navigating any content on this website, please contact us for assistance.
Help with PDFs
This site provides publications and documents in 'portable document file' (PDF) format. PDF files can be:
- Downloaded to your computer: To save a PDF file, right-click on the document link and choose 'Save target as' from the menu that appears.
- Viewed online in your web browser: Click on the link to open and read the document online.
- Printed: Right-click on the document link and choose 'Print target as' from the menu that appears.
You need a PDF reader to view a PDF file online. There are a number of PDF readers you can use: a common one is Adobe Reader, which is available free of charge from the Adobe website.
When you open a PDF, you'll see options on the toolbar and menu that enable you to use the document more efficiently. In Adobe Reader, these include:
- Search for keywords: Press the 'F' key while holding down Ctrl. A panel will open to enable you to search the document for a keyword.
- Scroll quickly through the pages: Click the arrow symbols on the toolbar to move back and forth through the pages.
- Change the text size: Press your + or - keys to enlarge or reduce the text size. Alternatively, change the zoom percentage (eg, from 75% to 100%).
- Copy text to paste into another document: Click on the Select Tool (arrow icon) on the toolbar - or find it in the Tools menu if it's not displayed on the toolbar. This changes the cursor to a vertical line. You'll then be able to copy and paste text from the PDF into a word processing document. Note: Please be aware of our copyright notice before copying our text for use elsewhere.
The latest versions of Adobe Reader include features that make it easier for people with disabilities to read PDF files. To set these up, go to Edit > Accessibility > Set up.
Troubleshooting
- PDF fails to open: If you click on a PDF and see a blank page instead of it opening correctly, it's likely to be because you're using an older web browser that's incompatible with the PDF. To get around this problem, save the file to your computer then double-click on the saved file. It should now open correctly. (To save a PDF file, right-click on the document link and choose 'Save target as' from the menu that appears.)
- PDF takes a long time to open: PDF file sizes (eg, '342 kb') are given as part of download links, so you can estimate how long a file may take to download. File sizes in megabytes (MB) are large and will take longer to download, especially if you have slow internet.
- All other problems: If you're using Adobe Reader, search the Adobe Reader Support Centre for a solution. If you're still stuck, contact us. Make sure you include the link to the page that has the PDF you're having problems with (copy and paste it from your web browser Address bar).
Help with other file types
Some of the documents on this website have been created in Microsoft Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx) or PowerPoint (.pptx). If you don't have this software, you can view them using Open Office - a free open-source office software suite.