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Native land cover with legal protection by LENZ class

Percentage of native land cover in 2002 and native land cover with legal protection in 2006 within each Land Environments of New Zealand (LENZ) class

Land environment
Percentage of land environment with native land cover (%)
Area (hectares) of native land cover with legal protection
Percentage of native land cover with legal protection (%)
A – Northern lowlands
18.3
84,754
25.1
B – Central dry lowlands
10.2
6,526
9.3
C – Western and southern North Island lowlands
4.2
5,783
21.4
D – Northern hill country
44.2
469,804
50.6
E – Central dry foothills
44.7
229,675
38.9
F – Central hill country and Volcanic Plateau
36.3
999,483
52.6
G – Northern recent soils
16.7
18,274
32.5
H – Central sandy recent soils
35.3
31,187
65.2
I – Central poorly drained soils
5.1
2,390
38.8
J – Central well-drained recent soils
7.1
3,277
15.8
K – Central upland recent soils
39.7
19,936
31.2
L – Southern lowlands
13.1
59,356
56.6
M – Western South Island recent soils
55.1
98,584
81.1
N – Eastern South Island plains
8.0
8,780
5.4
O – Western South Island foothills and Stewart Island
90.6
1,161,159
90.7
P – Central mountains
93.3
2,313,193
76.4
Q – Southeastern hill country and mountains
54.3
622,273
35.0
R – Southern Alps
99.9
1,816,279
94.2
S – Ultramafic soils
97.1
31,059
95.5
T – Permanent snow and ice
100.0
153,603
97.8
Unspecified
55.4
29,486
25.2
Total
48.7
8,164,862
64.0

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.

 

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Last updated: December 2008