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You are here: The issues Contains: Biodiversity Contains: Initiatives to protect New Zealand's biodiversity Contains:

Biodiversity on private land

The Ministry for the Environment works with the Department of Conservation, Local Government New Zealand, councils and other agencies to encourage protection of land and freshwater indigenous biodiversity outside public conservation lands.

There are a number of initiatives underway:

  1. The Biodiversity Condition Fund and the Biodiversity Advisory Service Funds – funding for projects on private land aimed at improving or maintaining the condition of indigenous vegetation, species and habitats.
  2. A biodiversity on private land guidance work programme being undertaken by the Ministry for the Environment and the Department of Conservation, including the issuing of a Statement of National Priorities for protecting rare and threatened native biodiversity on private land
  3. Ongoing funding for formal voluntary protection of biodiversity on private lands (for example, covenants):
    • Queen Elizabeth II Trust – to protect “open space” and indigenous habitat on private land
    • Nga Whenua Rahui – to help tangata whenua to protect Maori land and the full range of ecosystems that were once found in New Zealand
    • Nature Heritage Fund – to protect the full range of ecosystems that were once found in New Zealand
  4. Action Bio-Community is a website to help local government and communities build their skills, knowledge, contacts and experience for looking after biodiversity

Background to initiatives

In August 2000, the final report of a Ministerial Advisory Committee on Biodiversity and Private Land provided recommendations to the Government about what a package to address management of biodiversity on private land might look like. This came after public consultation and submissions on the Committee’s preliminary report, Bio-what?, which set out different management options.

Since December 2000, the Government has been implementing a number of initiatives to address management of biodiversity on private land.  There is continuing additional funding for access to biodiversity advice, improving the condition of biodiversity and for voluntary protection of biodiversity on private land. 

In 2003, an amendment giving councils explicit responsibilities for maintaining indigenous biodiversity was made to the Resource Management Act. This ensures a more integrated and comprehensive approach to the management of indigenous biodiversity through the Resource Management Act. 

A tax incentive programme that allows farmers to claim tax incentives for environmental expenditure is also in place.

The biodiversity on private land guidance work programme supersedes earlier work towards a National Policy Statement on indigenous biodiversity under the Resource Management Act.