New Zealand - Country Profile

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Status and Trends of Biodiversity

Overview

New Zealand is a Pacific island country composed of two main islands and many small islands. Its relative isolation from continental landmasses has led to a high level of endemic biodiversity. New Zealand’s animal biodiversity is unique in that it comprises predominantly bird species that evolved with no terrestrial mammals filling the predator niche. This has made its native species extremely vulnerable to predation by introduced mammals. New Zealand hosts a very large number of invasive alien species which have thrived in its relatively predator free environment. New Zealand was one of the last places on earth to be settled by humans and the impact of colonization on its indigenous biodiversity has been both dramatic and well recorded.

In the last 700-800 years, 32% of New Zealand’s indigenous land and freshwater birds have become extinct, along with 18% of seabirds, at least 12 invertebrates and possibly 11 plants. The most recent inventory identified 2,061 threatened species. However, the last 20 years has seen a reduction in the rate of ecosystem condition decline. The main cause of ecosystem condition decline is associated with the impact of alien species on indigenous species.

New Zealand has one of the world’s largest protected area networks with approximately 29% of its land area under legal protection and management for conservation purposes. New Zealand also has the fourth largest exclusive economic zone in the world and has a network of 32 marine protected areas covering 1.27 million hectares within its coastal zone.

Number and Extent of Protected Areas

National Parks (14): 3,104,868 ha. Conservation Parks/Areas: 4,861,262 ha. Reserves: 822,894 ha. Wildlife Areas: 21,093 ha. Protected Private Lands: 97,291 ha. Total: 8,916,646 ha.

Marine Protected Areas under conservation management (32 sites): 1,276,388 ha.

Percentage of Forest Cover

Indigenous forest: 6,483,228 ha; 75.89% of total forest cover; 24.19% of land area. Exotic forest: 2,059,194 ha; 24.1% of total forest cover; 7.68% of land area. Grand Total: 8,542,422 ha; 100% of total forest cover; 31.87% of land area.

National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan

Major features of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

The strategy revolves around four main themes, which are (i) community and individual action, responsibility and benefits, (ii) the Treaty of Waitangi, protecting Iwi and Hapu interests and building partnerships between Government and Maori, (iii) halting the decline of indigenous biodiversity, and (iv) the genetic resources of introduced species important for economic, biological and cultural reasons. The objectives and actions are then grouped into ten topic areas such as freshwater biodiversity, biosecurity and biodiversity, governance, and Maori and biodiversity.

Implementation of the Convention

Measures Taken to Achieve the 2010 Target

The government’s primary focus is on indigenous biodiversity, particularly endemic species, and for conservation work in-situ rather than ex-situ. A current conservation programme priority is work to protect marine and freshwater ecosystems.

The first priority of current conservation work in New Zealand is to prevent, where possible, the development of new threats. This includes a comprehensive biosecurity system to prevent further incursions by alien species, preventing the spread of existing alien species, and preventing further habitat loss.

Legislation provides for the legal protection of all groups of native species, either through the protection of sites, the protection of the species itself, or through controls on fishing for marine species. Legislation concerning biodiversity conservation includes the Native Plants Protection Act 1934, the Wildlife Act 1953, the Marine Reserves Act 1971, the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978, the National Parks Act 1980, the Conservation Act 1987, and the Resource Management Act 1991.

Initiatives in Protected Areas

New Zealand’s protected area network currently covers 29% of its land area. This area continues to increase, with specific efforts to protect sub-alpine grasslands through review of agricultural tenure, and incentives and encouragement for private landowners to protect areas of ecological significance. The protected area network includes most areas of high or unique biological diversity. Areas outside the protected area network have some degree of protection through legislation protecting native species, and the inclusion of biodiversity considerations in New Zealand’s overarching resource management legislation (the Resource Management Act 1991). Marine protected areas are being created to address the threats of human activities on marine habitats, and the government has committed itself to protecting 10% of its marine habitats by 2010.

Initiatives for Article 8(j)

New Zealand’s indigenous people, the Maori, are an integral part of New Zealand society, and play an important role in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in New Zealand. Programmes are in place to support Maori initiatives in relation to biodiversity, and Maori are active participants in government conservation activities. Specific provisions exist in New Zealand’s resource management legislation (the Resource Management Act 1992) which recognize the importance of sites of cultural significance to Maori.

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