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Biodiversity on private land guidance work programme

The Ministry for the Environment is working with the Department of Conservation on a broad programme of guidance about biodiversity protection on private land, including information sharing, building awareness and mechanisms available to achieve protection.

Statement of National Priorities

On 26 April 2007, the Minister of Conservation and Minister for the Environment issued a Statement of National Priorities for protecting rare and threatened native biodiversity on private land.

This statement provides local authorities, communities and private landowners with information about the types of ecosystems and habitats on private land that from a national perspective are most threatened and in need of protection.  The information about the national priorities can be used by local and central government agencies and landowners to co-ordinate their decisions and on-the-ground actions in relation to biodiversity.

A brochure that gives a summary of the national priorities is available:

More detailed information about the national priorities is also available:

Maps of National Priority 1

National Priority 1 is - To protect indigenous vegetation associated with land environments, (defined by Land Environments of New Zealand at Level lV), that have 20 percent or less remaining in indigenous cover.

Maps are available here that show the areas that fall within this priority.

Other work

Publicising and increasing knowledge about the national priorities is the short term focus of the work programme.  Information about what the national priorities mean at a regional level will be progressively produced.  Other guidance material that builds on what councils are already doing and fills important gaps in information will be scoped and produced in conjunction with local government.  Information will be added here about this work as it becomes available.

Last updated: 7 January 2008