National ecosystem typology
The Ministry is working to improve our data on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ecosystems. Discover more about our work on developing national ecosystem typology which will help us consistently describe and name ecosystem types.
We know that Aotearoa contains multitudes of diverse ecosystems. We need consistent names for these ecosystem types so that we can bring together local and regional data to get a better national picture. A national ecosystem typology sets out ecosystem types and names, so that we have a common language. Without a national ecosystem typology it is hard to:
- collate national data on ecosystem types
- assess the vulnerabilities of different ecosystems
- determine which ecosystems have been most reduced.
The Ministry is leading work to develop a nationally standardised typology. We have worked with end-users to collectively identify what makes a good typology, and these principles underpin all of our work.
IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology
We have decided on IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology as an overarching unifying typology. We have funded researchers to develop roadmaps into how New Zealand’s existing typologies could sit under this Global Ecosystem Typology and how they could be improved to meet our principles.
We are continuing work to develop the National Ecosystem Typology, following advice from these roadmaps, alongside input from technical working groups.
We have created a Current Ecosystem Map which maps coarse ecosystems across all domains and is good starting point for future mapping at finer scales. For terrestrial ecosystems we have created an equivalent Past Ecosystem Map which maps coarse ecosystems in pre-human New Zealand.
The terrestrial and wetlands domains are the most advanced. We have been following their roadmaps to integrate existing typologies in Northland and Otago. Work is now underway to expand this out to all of New Zealand to create the national ecosystem typology.