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Biodiversity Native land cover By LENZ class
Native land cover by LENZ class, 2002
The map shows New Zealand in 20 land environments in different colours as classified by Land Environments New Zealand showing their general location across the country, based on climatic, geographic and geological variables.
Native land cover in 2002 by Land Environments of New Zealand (LENZ) class
| Land environment | Total area (hectares) of land environment |
Area (hectares) of land environment with native land cover |
Percentage of land environment with native land cover (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A – Northern lowlands | 1,849,768 |
337,759 |
18.3 |
| B – Central dry lowlands | 691,023 |
70,437 |
10.2 |
| C – Western and southern North Island lowlands | 636,039 |
27,014 |
4.2 |
| D – Northern hill country | 2,100,703 |
927,561 |
44.2 |
| E – Central dry foothills | 1,323,134 |
591,154 |
44.7 |
| F – Central hill country and Volcanic Plateau | 5,241,257 |
1,901,125 |
36.3 |
| G – Northern recent soils | 336,969 |
56,205 |
16.7 |
| H – Central sandy recent soils | 135,305 |
47,804 |
35.3 |
| I – Central poorly drained soils | 120,999 |
6,159 |
5.1 |
| J – Central well-drained recent soils | 292,689 |
20,779 |
7.1 |
| K – Central upland recent soils | 160,758 |
63,831 |
39.7 |
| L – Southern lowlands | 801,869 |
104,945 |
13.1 |
| M – Western South Island recent soils | 220,444 |
121,532 |
55.1 |
| N – Eastern South Island plains | 2,044,301 |
163,565 |
8.0 |
| O – Western South Island foothills and Stewart Island | 1,412,650 |
1,279,893 |
90.6 |
| P – Central mountains | 3,247,880 |
3,029,280 |
93.3 |
| Q – Southeastern hill country and mountains | 3,276,038 |
1,780,287 |
54.3 |
| R – Southern Alps | 1,929,739 |
1,927,944 |
99.9 |
| S – Ultramafic soils | 33,485 |
32,513 |
97.1 |
| T – Permanent snow and ice | 157,144 |
157,128 |
100.0 |
| Unspecified | 211,114 |
116,986 |
55.4 |
| Total | 26,223,310 |
12,763,904 |
48.7 |
Data source: Landcare Research
Notes: This report uses a total land area for New Zealand derived from the Land Environments of New Zealand classification tool. It results in a smaller total land area than that derived by other means. Ultramafic soils are derived from molten rock (magma) rich in iron and magnesium with a low silica content. Percentages have been rounded to one decimal place.
This information has come from the latest national state of the environment report Environment New Zealand 2007.
Return to native land cover by LENZ class page.
Last updated: December 2008
