National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity

The National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (NPSIB) is an essential part of our response to biodiversity decline in Aotearoa.

It provides direction to councils to protect, maintain and restore indigenous biodiversity requiring at least no further reduction nationally.

Official title

National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity 2023

Under the

Resource Management Act

Lead agency

Ministry for the Environment with support from the Department of Conservation

Last updated:

On this page

Why it is needed
What it does
Material incorporated by reference
How it was developed
Reports
Guidance and factsheets

Full text

National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (as amended in October 2024)

In force from

4 August 2023

Notice of gazettal [NZ Gazette website]

Replaces

 National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity 2023 (as published in the Gazette July 2023)

Why it is needed

Many of New Zealand’s native species are facing extinction or are at risk of being threatened with extinction.  

For more information on the current state of New Zealand's biodiversity see Environment Aotearoa 2022 - our national environment report.

What it does

  • Provides direction to councils on how to identify significant natural areas and manage the adverse effects of new activities on them. 
  • Requires councils to work in partnership with tangata whenua.
  • Provides for activities that are important for social, economic and cultural wellbeing. 
  • Provides for established activities to continue at the same level.
  • Provides for new important or locationally constrained activities. 
  • Requires councils to promote the restoration of indigenous biodiversity and indigenous vegetation cover.
  • Requires all regional councils to have a regional biodiversity strategy setting out their native biodiversity priorities. 
  • Requires councils to monitor our native species.

Changes from October 2024 

The Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2024 came into force in October 2024.  

The Act amends the Resource Management Act 1991, and several pieces of national direction, including the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity 2023 (NPSIB).  

The Act: 

  • Suspends councils’ requirements to identify and notify new significant natural areas (SNAs) using the NPSIB assessment criteria and principles until October 2027.
  • Amends NPSIB implementation timelines to facilitate the three-year suspension.  
  • Aligns the consent pathway for coal mines with other extractive industries and removes the sunset clause for existing thermal coal mines. 

The suspension does not affect NPSIB obligations on councils for SNAs already existing in policy statements, proposed policy statements, plans, proposed plans or changes before commencement of the Amendment Act. 
npsib 2023 infographic

Let’s work together to look after and protect our native plants and animals

A new national direction: The National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (NPSIB)

Our native plants and animals (indigenous biodiversity) are unique, and essential to supporting healthy ecosystems, communities and wellbeing. Yet thousands of our native species are endangered, or face extinction.

The NPSIB will help New Zealanders protect, maintain and restore our unique environment.

Images of indigenous biodiversity including some of our much-loved native plants and animals such as kākā, kiwi, kawakawa and harakeke The image also has pine forest, a marae, papakianga housing, people shaking hands, a cityscape including houses and tall buildings, farmland, and people planting.

A small circle with the words: The NPSIB recognizes the mana of tangata whenua as kaitiaki, and communities and landowners as stewards of biodiversity.

Central diagram with ‘Maintain our Indigenous Biodiversity’ at the center. Around the central circle are five more circles that have arrows pointing towards the center.

These five circle contain the following words:

  • Identify
  • Protect
  • Restore
  • Partner
  • Monitor

To the sides of the central diagram are three signposts that say:

  • Existing activities in significant natural areas can continue if there are no increases in scale, intensity, or degradation.
  • Stronger protection through regulation and support measures.
  • Clear direction for local authorities to identify and protect indigenous biodiversity.
  • Greater clarity and consistency for landowners and communities.
npsib 2023 infographic

Let’s work together to look after and protect our native plants and animals

A new national direction: The National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (NPSIB)

Our native plants and animals (indigenous biodiversity) are unique, and essential to supporting healthy ecosystems, communities and wellbeing. Yet thousands of our native species are endangered, or face extinction.

The NPSIB will help New Zealanders protect, maintain and restore our unique environment.

Images of indigenous biodiversity including some of our much-loved native plants and animals such as kākā, kiwi, kawakawa and harakeke The image also has pine forest, a marae, papakianga housing, people shaking hands, a cityscape including houses and tall buildings, farmland, and people planting.

A small circle with the words: The NPSIB recognizes the mana of tangata whenua as kaitiaki, and communities and landowners as stewards of biodiversity.

Central diagram with ‘Maintain our Indigenous Biodiversity’ at the center. Around the central circle are five more circles that have arrows pointing towards the center.

These five circle contain the following words:

  • Identify
  • Protect
  • Restore
  • Partner
  • Monitor

To the sides of the central diagram are three signposts that say:

  • Existing activities in significant natural areas can continue if there are no increases in scale, intensity, or degradation.
  • Stronger protection through regulation and support measures.
  • Clear direction for local authorities to identify and protect indigenous biodiversity.
  • Greater clarity and consistency for landowners and communities.

Material incorporated by reference

Certified copies of documents incorporated by reference into the NPSIB. The documents, or the specified parts of these documents, have the same legal effect as the NPSIB.

The chief executive of the Ministry for the Environment has certified these copies as correct. 

National List of Exotic Pasture Species

Referenced in clause 3.17(3) and presents the full list of exotic pasture species in Aotearoa New Zealand that may be considered under the definition of 'exotic pasture species'.

National list of exotic pasture species

Land Environments of New Zealand (LENZ) Classification System

Referenced in Appendix 6 and is an environmental classification of Aotearoa’s terrestrial environments that is designed to provide a framework for addressing a range of conservation and resource management issues.

LENZ provides tools for assessing depletion of indigenous vegetation or ecosystems. Incorporating electronic tools by reference is allowed under section 1(4) of Schedule 1AA of the RMA.

Land environments of New Zealand classification system

New Zealand Threat Classification System lists

Referenced in Appendix 1 and provides a tool for assigning a threat status to candidate taxa. The classification system has been developed to apply equally to terrestrial, freshwater and marine biota. The list of ‘Threatened and At Risk species’ is used in the key assessment principles in the SNA identification “Rarity and distinctiveness criterion” under Appendix 1. Incorporation of these tools are also covered by section 1(4) of Schedule 1AA of the RMA.

New Zealand threat classification system lists [NZTCS website]

NZTCS exported data [Excel, 3.4 MB]

New Zealand Threat Classification System manual

Provides the methodology for assigning a threat status to candidate taxa, which underpins the New Zealand Threat Classification System lists. The manual is used under clause 1.6 for the definition of “Threatened or At Risk, and Threatened or At Risk (declining)” for indigenous species of flora or fauna. 

New Zealand threat classification system manual

Ecological regions and districts of New Zealand

Divides New Zealand into a series of characteristic landscapes with particular biological communities according to topographical, geological, climatic, soil and other features. The document is referenced under clause 1.6 for the definition of “ecological district” as part of the SNA identification criteria and principles for biodiversity offsetting and compensation under Appendix 1. 

Ecological regions and districts of New Zealand [PDF, 506 KB]

How it was developed

  • 25 October 2024 – Amended by Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2024 
  • 7 July 2023 – gazettal of the NPSIB.
  • 9 June–21 July 2022 — Exposure draft released and targeted consultation.
  • 31 August 2020 — Summary of submissions published.
  • November 2019–March 2020 — Public consultation on the proposed NPSIB. Over 7000 submissions were received. 
  • October 2018 — Government officials continue to develop the Biodiversity Collaborative Group draft NPSIB. 
  • October 2018 — Biodiversity Collaborative Group delivered a draft NPSIB and complementary and supporting measures to the then Associate Minister for the Environment Hon Nanaia Mahuta. 
  • March 2017 — Biodiversity Collaborative Group began the development of a draft NPSIB and complementary and supporting measures.
  • 2010 — First NPSIB proposal developed.

Reports

Guidance and factsheets