More consistent protection for native wildlife
New biodiversity policies will provide clearer direction on how to identify, manage and protect areas where there is a significant variety of native plants and animals in decline.
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Protection for native biodiversity has been in the Resource Management Act since 1991, but there has been a lack of guidance for councils on how to protect areas of native biodiversity.
This has resulted in councils applying the policies inconsistently, exposing some of them to legal action.
To address this, the Government has made the criteria for identifying and managing these areas the same across the country.
New biodiversity policies will provide clearer direction for councils, landowners, Māori and others on how to identify, manage and protect areas where there is a significant variety of native plants and animals, in decline.
A new layer of protection, which provides clear and consistent standards for identifying, managing, and protecting indigenous biodiversity, will come into force on 4 August 2023.
The National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (NPSIB):
- has one set of criteria for councils to identify significant natural areas to maintain consistency
- requires councils to identify significant natural areas in the next five years
- requires all regional councils to have a regional biodiversity strategy.
Councils will update plans and strategies over the coming years to bring in new requirements in the NPSIB.
The Ministry for the Environment has produced a range of information sheets that explain how the NPSIB will affect:
- farmers and growers
- tangata whenua
- forestry
- infrastructure
- urban developers.
For further information email indigenousbiodiversity@mfe.govt.nz