Proposed national policy statement for indigenous biodiversity

Under development
This regulation is not finalised or in effect.

The Government is proposing a National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity. This builds on a draft created by the Biodiversity Collaborative Group.

Would be under the

Resource Management Act

Lead agency

MfE with support from the Department of Conservation

Last updated:

Update and next steps

Public consultation on the proposed National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (NPSIB) took place between November 2019 and January 2020.

We are continuing work on addressing the issues raised in submissions and hui during consultation. This is to ensure that the NPSIB promotes the maintenance and protection of indigenous biodiversity while also providing for the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of communities.

Decisions on the release of an exposure draft of the NPSIB will now be made in the first half of 2022. The exposure draft responds to feedback from submissions and hui and will help test the workability of updated proposals.

This timing will enable further work on support measures to sit alongside the national direction to ensure that iwi/Māori, landowners, councils and other stakeholders are assisted to protect our indigenous biodiversity.

About the proposed National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity

In Aotearoa New Zealand we have many native plants, birds and animals that are unique to our country. Some of these, along with their ecosystems, are under threat of extinction. The Government is proposing a National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity. This builds on a draft created by the Biodiversity Collaborative Group. It has been developed by the Ministry for the Environment and the Department of Conservation.

What you told us during the public consultation

In 2019 and 2020 we held a public consultation on the proposed National Policy Statement on Indigenous Biodiversity.

Proposed National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (2019)

Discussion document on the proposed national policy statement (2019)

More than 7000 individual submissions were received including form submissions from members of Forest and Bird, Te Reo o Te Taiao. 

Summary of submissions

Spreadsheet of individual submissions [Excel, 1.3 MB]

For submissions by email see What you told us on the 2019 consultation page

Forest and Bird form submission [PDF, 70 KB]

Forest and Bird submission comments [Excel, 372 KB]