Te Mana o te Taiao – Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy
Introduction
Te Mana o te Taiao, the Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy, will guide the way all of Aotearoa works to protect and restore nature.Te Mana o te Taiao (launched in August 2020) sets out a strategic framework for the protection, restoration and sustainable use of biodiversity, particularly indigenous biodiversity, in Aotearoa New Zealand from 2020 to 2050.
If we all work together, we can make the biggest possible difference for biodiversity. Collaboration and partnerships are a key focus in Te Mana o te Taiao.
Read the summary of Te Mana o te Taiao that explains the strategy, framework, and report.
Video
Download the strategy
Te Mana o te Taiao in English (PDF, 2,885K)
Te Mana o te Taiao in te reo Māori (PDF, 2,665K)
Note these documents were updated on 11 August 2020 to fix an error on page 54.
About the strategy
What is biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the variety of all living things and ecosystems. It includes plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms as well as the ecosystems (on land or in water) where they live. Biodiversity can be of any scale – it could be a patch in your backyard or the whole planet. Biodiversity is the web of life.
Why we need to protect it
Native biodiversity in Aotearoa is rich and unique. Many of our plants, birds, bats, insects, fungi, reptiles and fish aren’t found anywhere else in the world. We’re lucky enough to have ancient rainforests, tussock grasslands and braided rivers on our doorstep.
Many of us feel a strong connection to our native plants and wildlife. Our nature gives us enjoyment when we’re outdoors, supports our economy and is part of our culture and way of life.
We have a responsibility to safeguard our biodiversity for present and future generations.
Biodiversity faces a global crisis and Aotearoa is not immune. Despite some conservation success stories, the overall picture in Aotearoa is one of continued depletion in the face of the main pressures from:
- invasive species
- land and sea use change
- direct exploitation
- climate change
- pollution.
Te Mana o te Taiao seeks to address the decline in biodiversity and provides direction for the protection, restoration and sustainable use of biodiversity over the next 30 years.
Implementing Te Mana o te Taiao
The Minister of Conservation, Hon Kiritapu Allen, launched the implementation plan for Te Mana o te Taiao on 20 April 2022.
The implementation plan sets out a pathway for achieving the outcomes of the strategy over the next 30 years, with an immediate focus on establishing systems that will stimulate and sustain nationwide action.
Te Ara Ki Mua Framework for adaptive management of wild animals
Te Ara Ki Mua is an adaptive framework to manage wild goats, deer, and other wild animals (pigs, tahr, and chamois).
The framework supports a key action in the implementation plan for Te Mana o te Taiao.
Read more about Te Ara Ki Mua Framework.
Previous strategy and action plan
New Zealand published its original Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan in February 2000 with the intention of 'turning the tide' of our biodiversity decline.
New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy 2000-2020 (PDF, 3,148 K)
The Action Plan published in 2016 was a targeted update of the original Strategy.
New Zealand Biodiversity Action Plan 2016-2020 (PDF, 7,348K)
Biodiversity in Aotearoa report and factsheets
The report Biodiversity in Aotearoa – an overview of state, trends and pressures, accompanies and provides an evidence base for Te Mana o te Taiao.
The report provides a stocktake of the biodiversity crisis in Aotearoa New Zealand by describing the state, trends and pressures on indigenous biodiversity across the marine, freshwater and land domains. It identifies information gaps that prevent the ability to form a complete picture of our biodiversity, as well as some inadequacies in the way biodiversity is currently managed and measured.
Biodiversity in Aotearoa was developed by DOC with input from other agencies and external experts. It is a compilation of existing data and published information on indigenous biodiversity, supplemented by examples from a mātauranga Māori perspective.
In addition to the report, summary factsheets have been developed using information from the report to highlight the main messages for each of the land, freshwater and marine domains. There is also a combined factsheet across all domains.
Biodiversity in Aotearoa New Zealand report (PDF, 5,940K)
Factsheets:
