Innes Discussion Document.pdf

Hutt City Council
Indigenous Biodiversity
Discussion Document

Draft Visions:
Ko te hiahia kia piripono kia Papatūānuku – Nature as part of everyday lives.
Ko te noho mārie me te taiao, ā, ka matakiteatia hei te tau 2030 kua wāriutia, kua
whāomotia te kanorau koiora taketake, ā, kua whakarauora anō te toitūtanga
hapori kia pai ai te whāngai rawa ki ngā tāngata katoa, ahakoa ko wai, ahakoa
nō hea – Living in harmony with nature where, by 2030, indigenous biodiversity is
valued, conserved, and restored sustaining communities and delivering benefits
for al  people.
Biodiversity is often cal ed the “web of life” because it shows how al  the species
work together to support life and ecological balance on Earth.
Indigenous Biodiversity – The diverse flora and fauna that is from and belongs
within Hutt City – biodiversity that is ‘local’.
An indigenous biodiversity strategy vision should be ambitious, holistic, and
grounded in a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of al  living things
and the importance of biodiversity to the health and wel -being of the planet
and its inhabitants. Te Taiao is the environment that contains and surrounds us,
and we al  have a role to play in nurturing Te Taiao back to the life sustaining
force that existed before human habitation.
Biophilic Cities (an organisation that facilitates a network of cities to improve
their biodiversity) describe it this way: “We need nature in our lives more than
ever today, and as more of us are living in cities it must be urban nature.
Biophilic Cities (spaces and places) are cities that contain abundant nature;
they are cities that care about, seek to protect, restore, and grow this nature, and
that strive to foster deep connections and daily contact with the natural world.
Nature is not something optional, but essential to living a happy, healthy, and
meaningful life.”
Imagine Hutt City as a Biodiverse-City (a BiodiverCity) where we are positively
acting beyond protection and targeted enhancement to ensure al  ecosystem
functions are restored, maintained, and managed. Imagine developing and
embedding partnership approaches with iwi, community groups, and other
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organisations to manage and enhance biodiversity and to provide greater
connection and access opportunities to the natural environment and our
waterways.
Keeping nature healthy, greening our cities, local communities and maintaining
the enormous diversity of life on our planet and in our neighbourhoods are
essential for our future. By valuing nature, we can understand the ful
implications of the choices we make as individuals. As a community we should
deliberately monitor and protect natural characteristics and health, enhance the
health of urban ecological cycles (water, nutrient, energy), and to develop local y
relevant reserves and an open space network.
Ka mu – ka muri: to understand what healthy indigenous biodiversity is, we need
to understand what healthy indigenous biodiversity was (what did it contain,
what did it look like, how did it sound and how did it create healthy ecosystems).
Mana Whenua are central to this understanding, through oral history and
through generational lived experience and this is why this discussion document
in partnership with Mana Whenua is important.

About this discussion document:
Council endorse the reality that healthy and abundant Indigenous Biodiversity is
crucial to the very survival of life and environment (te taiao) and that
environmental health is crucial to human health.
This discussion document has been developed through conversations with
Mana Whenua, key stakeholders and the broader community and we are now
checking back in to ensure we are on the right track, ahead of the development
of the draft Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy.
The discussion document outlines a draft strategic framework for Hutt City
Council’s Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy including a draft vision, goals and
focus areas. The Strategy wil  be a high-level ‘signal of intent’ which wil  be
fol owed by an Action and Implementation Plan.
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Hutt City Council takes its role of facilitator, coordinator, supporter, and guardian
of public lands seriously and is committed to col aborative development of the
Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy.
Hutt City Council invites you to submit your feedback on this preliminary
discussion paper and thoughts on indigenous biodiversity at ‘Have your say -
Hutt City Council’.
For further questions, please email [email address]

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Draft Strategic Framework
Draft Vision
Ko te hiahia kia piripono kia Papatūānuku.
Nature as part of everyday lives.
Ko te noho mārie me te taiao, ā, ka matakiteatia hei te tau 2030 kua
wāriutia, kua whāomotia te kanorau koiora taketake, ā, kua whakarauora
anō te toitūtanga hapori kia pai ai te whāngai rawa ki ngā tāngata katoa,
ahakoa ko wai, ahakoa nō hea.
Living in harmony with nature where, by 2030, indigenous biodiversity is
valued, conserved, and restored sustaining communities and delivering
benefits for al .
Draft Goals
Indigenous
Mana Whenua’s
Our community
Knowledge,
species and their  role as Rangatira
is connected
awareness, and
habitats in Te
and Kaitiaki is
with al  of nature,  management of
Awa Kairangi ki
recognised,
values it and
indigenous
Tai (Hutt City)
mātauranga
actively
biodiversity are
are protected
Māori is
contributes to its  improved through
and restored so
acknowledged
protection and
effective
they can thrive.    and customary
restoration.
monitoring
practices
systems.
supported.
Draft Focus areas
Partnership with
Enabling Community to
Responding to the
Mana Whenua.
connect and participate in
impact of Climate
environmental activities.
Change.
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Safeguarding
Managing pest
Maintaining and   Improving public
ecosystems,
plants and
improving Water
health through
species, and
animals and
and Air quality
sustainable
diversity.
disease.
and adapting
biodiversity.
land use.





Draft Vision and Goals
Draft Vision:
Our draft col aborative vision speaks for the return of health to the natural world
in a way that we can measure, manage, protect, and restore to encourage
interconnectedness with nature. Central to this vision is the recognition that
people are a part of nature, and that we can only thrive when nature thrives.
Good human health is a result of good environmental health and abundant
biodiversity in the right ecosystem or climate envelope.
Living in harmony with nature where, by 2030, indigenous biodiversity is valued,
conserved, and restored sustaining communities and delivering benefits for al
people.
Draft Goals:
The draft goals outlined above align with both the Department of Conservation
(DOC) and Greater Wel ington Regional Council’s biodiversity principles and the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. As a country, Aotearoa New
Zealand has made a commitment to take ownership and establish a framework
to achieve these goals[1]. Hutt City Council support these national and regional
goals when defining our indigenous biodiversity goals and principles at a

1 Te Mana o te Taiao – Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy 2020

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community level and the proposed indigenous biodiversity strategy gives
volume to Council’s intent[2].

Focus Areas
Partnership with Mana Whenua:
•  Give effect to shared Māori viewpoints of sustainability in Council
decision-making to facilitate broad biodiversity benefits across
environmental, cultural, spiritual, and economic domains.
•  Enable Mana Whenua to establish priorities and lead action plans and
programmes under the umbrel a of the Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy.
•  Undertake actions to restore māhinga kai and customary practices such
as gathering kaimoana and edible plants and harvesting harakeke (flax).
•  To enable and support the vitality of Te Awa Kairangi and its tributaries, as
recommended in Te Mahere Wai, a Mana Whenua Whaitua
Implementation Programme for Te Whanganui-a-Tara and its companion
document, Whaitua Te Whanganui-a-Tara Implementation Programme
(WIP).
•  Through the District Plan, create contemporary rules and policies to reflect
Mana Whenua priorities for protecting, conserving, and enhancing
indigenous biodiversity.

Enabling Community to connect and participate:
•  Work with community and other key stakeholders to achieve the greatest
col ective impact to create, support and maintain healthy environments.

2 International science advisors state, “there is compel ing evidence that global biodiversity is rapidly
declining.” At the December 2022 U.N. Biodiversity Conference in Montreal, Canada (COP15), governments
across the globe (190 countries) reached an historic agreement to collectively commit to conserving at least
30 percent of lands and waters by 2030. A global commitment to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030
and to protect 30% of land and oceans by the same date.
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•  Continue to support existing community partnerships and proactively
foster new relationships to enable people to contribute to the protection
and restoration of healthy biodiversity.
•  Establish easily accessible ways for people to connect with nature.
•  Promote the value and importance of biodiversity through community
connections and participation.
•  Through the District Plan, increase the ability of the community to deal with
change, through resilient practices and innovative techniques.

Responding to the impact of Climate Change:
•  Continue to prioritise nature-based solutions to adapt to the impacts of
climate change with a priority focus on flood risk management and water
quality.
•  Protect, expand, and manage vegetation in the city to both address the
impact of climate change and support community wel being.
•  Through the District Plan address implications of significant global issues
like climate change resilience (particularly flood risk management)
species loss, declining water quality and ecological connection.

Safeguarding ecosystems, species, and genetic
diversity:
•  As guardians of significant landscapes, demonstrate management
approaches that value, protect, and restore indigenous biodiversity.
•  Identify high native biodiversity valued areas, endemic species, and the
condition of indigenous forests, for protection, management, restoration,
or other intervention.
•  Prevent decline and further loss of species and habitats by improving
fragmented landscapes and removing threats.
•  Stronger biosecurity management, including the monitoring of species
that compromise the integrity of significant natural ecosystems or
threaten native species (including utilisation of new tools or techniques
(e.g.: eDNA sampling)
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•  Identify or develop effective monitoring systems to support the mahi
mentioned above.

Invasive pests, plants, disease, and animals
•  In col aboration with other agencies, communities and
landowners/managers develop and implement pest plant and animal
control programmes that effectively reduce threats.
•  Strive to enable shifting from a ‘control’ to ‘elimination’ programme for the
most threatening pests on a landscape scale.
•  Enrol broader community in efforts to remove pests through education
and provision of resources.

Water and Air quality and adapting Land Use
•  Acknowledge and promote the mauri of waterbodies (awa) and the Mana
Whenua concept of putting water first – te Mana o te Wai and adopting
mechanisms to reduce human and industrial waste contaminating local
waterways.
•  Improve the quality of water by planting, protecting, and maintaining
native plants to reduce erosion and sedimentation.
•  Protect wetlands so they can purify water and help prevent flooding and
drought.
•  Plant and protect vegetation which enables gaseous exchange and plant-
based carbon sequestration.
•  Understand how and where land use has changed in the city to better
understand the complexities of environmental degradation.
•  Through the District Plan, protect areas of significant indigenous
vegetation and significant habitats and indigenous species.
•  Protect and maintain indigenous ecosystems through resource consenting
process and associated compliance.

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Improving public health through healthy biodiversity
•  Support a diverse, resilient, and healthy ecosystem that contributes to the
health and wel being of our community.
•  Support and advocate for the application of mātauranga Māori and
healthy built environment principles throughout al  stages of urban and
rural planning and development.
•  Embed in al  Council policies and plans the principle that healthy built
environments are places that support equity, and where the wel being of
people, land, water, air and living species are at the forefront of decisions.
As part of the discussive nature of this document, we invite thoughts on whether
there needs to be a priority list attached to the Focus Areas or whether they are
treated with equal eminence.
The draft focus areas are a response to community feedback. This col aborative
spirit is already part of several initiatives, including Predator Free 2050, an
ambitious predator management programme. It has the goal to rid Aotearoa
New Zealand of major introduced predators, the most significant of which are
rats, stoats, and possums, by 2050. Other major initiatives include the War on
Weeds, an initiative aiming to rid Aotearoa New Zealand of wilding conifers and
twelve other problem weeds, and the Battle for our Birds, Aotearoa New Zealand’s
largest predator control operations to date in 2014 and 2016, in response to
heavy beech tree seeding.

The process
The intention of this discussion document on the future Indigenous Biodiversity
Strategy is to address Council, Mana Whenua, and stakeholder aspirations,
planning and decision-making at a strategic level. The strategy wil  influence the
District Plan (DP) and influence Council’s Spatial Planning and Carbon Reduction
and Climate Resilience Plans as they are renewed. The Indigenous Biodiversity
Strategy wil  be a companion document to the Urban Forest Plan.
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This discussion document sets a framework to guide, protect, identify, measure,
and manage biodiversity. It is the product of a col aborative process, developed
with information, ideas and advice provided by Mana Whenua, local
environmental groups, several stakeholders, partners, interest groups and the
broader community. Once adopted the Hutt City Council Indigenous Biodiversity
Strategy wil  provide a foundation for other Council work and influence the
reserves and assets which are managed by Parks and Reserves. The Indigenous
Biodiversity Strategy wil  also provide a foundation for other landowners.
To date there has been a three-stage consultation process that informed the
content of this discussion document. A ful  day wānanga was held on 7
November 2022. Forty-two people attended, and   284 responses were col ated
from the participants. The wānanga was fol owed by a mail-out of the col ated
feedback, to ensure what we heard was a true indication of the attendees’
priorities and vision. This feedback provides both the scope and direction for the
strategy. Figure 1 shows a photo of guest speaker, Kaumātua Te Rira (Teri)
Puketapu sharing his knowledge.

Figure 1:  Wānanga guest speaker, Kaumātua Te Rira (Teri) Puketapu sharing his knowledge.
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Four public presentations were scheduled during February and March to provide
an opportunity for al interested parties - volunteer groups, individuals, and
businesses - to attend and ask questions.
The process for creating this discussion document and then the draft Indigenous
Biodiversity Strategy is outlined below.

Figure 2: Proposed process to develop the strategy (Note, green squares have been completed
and blue squares are future tasks).
The proposed Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy wil be developed in partnership
with Mana Whenua and other community groups. Mana Whenua have a
significant interest in biodiversity and contributing to a thriving ‘te taiao’ that
serves generations to come[3]. Council’s role may vary from regulator to

3 https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/biodiversity/aotearoa-new-zealand-biodiversity-
strategy/te-Mana-o-te-taiao-summary/
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deliverer, facilitator to supporter and in some instances the best role Council can
play is ‘to get out of the way’, enabling others to innovate and lead action.

Background
Indigenous Biodiversity – what is it?
Biodiversity is a term used to describe the range of species in a place, and the
range of communities or 'ecosystems' in which they live i.e., the diversity among
and within plant and animal species in an environment[4]. Indigenous
Biodiversity attempts to describe as closely as possible, the ‘local’ flora and
fauna that exist in a catchment area.
Aotearoa New Zealand’s biodiversity is characterised by the high percentage of
endemic species (those found nowhere else on Earth), including the dominance
of unique birds, epitomised by the iconic flightless kiwi. Biodiversity is often used
as an indicator to measure health of biological systems. While biodiversity itself
is not a function of an ecosystem, it does affect the resilience and function of
these ecosystem services. Ecosystems provide many of the basic services that
make life possible for people. Plants clean air and filter water, bacteria
decompose wastes, insects pol inate flowers, and tree roots hold soil in place to
prevent erosion.
Indigenous biodiversity is of greatest concern due to increased threats and risks
to these species.  For eighty mil ion years Aotearoa New Zealand evolved in
relative isolation, resulting in biodiversity hotspots. Aotearoa New Zealand is the
last remaining landmass of Gondwana (an ancient supercontinent), making the
long white cloud a special place.  On land, more than 80% of Aotearoa’s vascular
plants and 90% of our insects are endemic, including the presence of gigantism

4 1916 – The term biological diversity was used first by J. Arthur Harris in "The Variable
Desert," Scientific American: "The bare statement that the region contains a flora rich in
genera and species and of diverse geographic origin or affinity is entirely inadequate as
a description of its real biological diversity."
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in many of these species, such as the Giant weta and Kauri snails.  We have
unique reptiles such as the tuatara, and our only native terrestrial mammals are
several species of bats/Pekapeka.
But what is ‘indigenous’ to Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai, what plants, insects, fungi and
other are local to where we live here at the bottom of Te Ika-a-Māui, what was
our water quality like and how did the ecosystems work?

Why do we need to protect our biodiversity?
First, and as recognised by al  parties – it is the right and necessary thing to do.
Secondly, Aotearoa New Zealand ’s first National Adaptation Plan[5] 2022 (NAP)
for the natural environment requires that al  Councils address significant risks
from climate change. A healthy, diverse, and functioning biodiverse network wil
help to withstand climate change impacts and continue to provision the
cleaning of our air and quality of our waterways.
We can protect and conserve biodiversity by reducing human-induced
pressures, habitat loss, predator, and browser activities, and restoring
ecosystems and retaining vegetation to minimise erosion. Our economic, social,
and cultural wel -being can be boosted through healthy ecosystems.
In addition, the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) and National Policy
Statements (NPS) provide national direction and objectives for sustainable
management purposes to protect our environment. The NPS for Indigenous
Biodiversity (NPS-IB) is the primary document driving biodiversity protection
under central legislation.
An ecosystem describes the interrelationships between living organisms and the
non-living environment. A lack of biodiversity may act as an indicator to the
health of an ecosystem, including the lack of ecosystem services that occur
natural y. A healthy ecosystem contains a variety of native species, that would

5 https://environment.govt.nz/publications/aotearoa-new-zealands-first-national-
adaptation-plan/natural-environment/
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occur natural y that setting (e.g., river, forest, wetland, dunes). Healthy forests
need healthy soil, with robust pest plant and animal management.
As societies emerge from the Covid-19 crisis, increasing urban resilience and
improving the lives and wel -being of urban dwel ers wil  be critical to boosting
economic and resident confidence. According to the World Economic
Forum’s Future of Nature and Business Report, a nature-positive pathway in the
infrastructure and built environment could create over $3 tril ion in business
opportunities and create 117 mil ion jobs by 2030[6].
Long-term studies have shown that people thrive both physical y and
psychological y when engaged with nature and a healthy environment.
Biodiversity has an impact on our survival and quality of life. Our commitment to
Indigenous Biodiversity wil  have a knock-on effect (positive and negative) for
future generations of human and non-human species.

What are the benefits of a healthy indigenous
biodiversity?
Biodiversity provides the life supporting systems that enable al  organisms,
including humans, to survive2. 7. Indigenous forests provide carbon sinks and
purify the air we breathe. They also provide recreation opportunities and amenity
values2. Alongside reducing carbon, cleaning our air and water, indigenous
ecosystems also provide:
•  Protection for our taonga and strengthening our cultural values.
•  Climate regulation.
•  Nutrient storage and recycling.
•  Soil formation and sediment control.
•  Proliferation of native species e.g., more birds in urban areas.

6 https://environment.govt.nz/publications/aotearoa-new-zealands-first-national-
adaptation-plan/natural-environment/
7 https://environment.govt.nz/facts-and-science/biodiversity/why-biodiversity-matters/
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• Healthy and sustainable food.

Māori values
"Recognising the importance of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi to ensure Māori values
and perspectives are reflected in Council processes. Governance in partnership
with Mana Whenua promotes leadership and inclusivity and ensures that the
environment is at the forefront of decision-making."[8]
The very nature of this discussion document is to put on paper what Council
understand and have learnt from mahi to date, including the November
wananga, subsequent korero, feedback and local research.
‘Kaupapa Māori’ is a term that can be used to explain the key concepts of te ao
Māori (the Māori worldview) which extends to the natural environment. Māori
belief dictates that both people and the environment (including al flora and
fauna) are descended from atua Māori (supernatural personifications of
environmental domains) with the primordial parents being Ranginui and
Papatūānuku. Therefore, the relationship between people and the environment is
one of whakapapa (genealogical connection) and this is enacted in the
everyday ways we connect to te taiao (our natural environment). Whakapapa
binds he tāngata (the people) and te taiao together making them united, and
with this unity is a sense of duty to look after the environment.
Māori have developed tikanga (guiding principles) over generations with regards
to the health of the environment, and these are premised on maintaining a
sense of balance. Kaitiakitanga (stewardship and protection), chal enges the
western concept that people are ascendant over Papatūānuku, and instead that
we are descended from her. It promotes a relationship of reciprocity, whereby
people do not ‘own’ the earth’s resources but instead have ‘user rights’ and a
duty of care to not extract natural resources beyond the point where they are no
longer able to regenerate themselves.
For tāngata whenua the wel ness of te taiao is of additional importance in being
able to practice Manaakitanga (caring for others). For example, the growing and
harvesting of local foods from the forest and other traditional māhinga kai sites
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facilitates being a good host and enables traditional raranga (textiles) and
rongoā (medicinal) practices.
To restore the vitality of Te Awa Kairangi and its tributaries, as recommended in
Te Mahere Wai, a Mana Whenua Whaitua Implementation Programme for Te
Whanganui-a-Tara and its companion document, Whaitua Te Whanganui-a-
Tara Implementation Programme (WIP), these two programmes wil  form part of
the draft Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy.
(a) Māhinga kai – Mana Whenua are supported and resourced to develop and
implement a measurement framework for māhinga kai (a compulsory value in
the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020) by 2025 and
Mana Whenua work with territorial authorities to identify (also by 2025) and
restore (by 2035) the spawning habitats of indigenous fish and māhinga kai
species (e.g., inanga) in their rohe.
(b) Mana Whenua as decision makers – projects provide for the establishment of
(with appropriate operational funding provisions) a Mana Whenua endorsed
kaitiaki monitoring and management programme like Ngā Māngai Waiora
(ambassadors for water).
In Hutt City, Mana Whenua wil  hold these relationships with several agencies to
deliver these two programmes.

Community Involvement
The proposed Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy provides an opportunity to create
a new and innovative approach to co-operatively manage indigenous
biodiversity throughout the district. It’s a big picture framework delivering
col ective impact across groups such as Mana Whenua, community groups,
environmental organisations, private individuals, community conservation and
recreation groups, and landowners, developers, and managers. This provides a
promising prospect to connect with others, working cumulatively and
investigating tools to achieve common indigenous biodiversity goals.
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Individuals make a significant contribution to protecting Aotearoa New Zealand
’s biodiversity through trapping introduced predators in their own backyards,
contributing to citizen science projects, planting indigenous species, and
removing invasive plants. Other examples of good mahi from community and
conservation groups include monitoring waterways, sharing knowledge and best
practice, and maintaining riparian buffers. It is important to involve and engage
the community and volunteer groups to enable them to influence decisions
about the environment.
Ecological restoration is needed to address significant indigenous biodiversity
and habitat loss within our city caused by anthropogenic deforestation, pest
introduction, changing land use and urban intensification.
Improving biodiversity on highly productive land (land suitable for growing food
or livestock) and in catchment areas (basin shaped land that catches surface
water) can have benefits for both indigenous species, horticulture and the
growing science and business of aquaculture. For example, planting indigenous
trees as a shelterbelt provides habitat and food for indigenous birds and insects,
while also providing shade or warmth for livestock and preventing soil erosion.

Both the Resource Management Act Section 6 and the NPS-IB requires that areas
of significant biodiversity value to be protected. Authorities are guided by a
variety of means (e.g., ecological guidance, scientific expertise, legislation, and
case law), and implement their responsibilities to varying degrees and with
inconsistent success. The protection of indigenous biodiversity on private land
has been a chal enging and contentious issue local y.

How do we identify, manage, and monitor our
biodiversity?
Currently Hutt City Council carries out the fol owing activities to help identify,
monitor, and reduce impacts on biodiversity:
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•  The management of 349 reserves, with a total of over 2,871 hectares. The
Regional Council and Department of Conservation (DOC) manage 16,000
hectares within Lower Hutt.
•  Utilisation of Reserves Act 1977 to aid in protection of green space.
•  Purchase of private land for recreational or ecological connectivity.
•  Working closely with Regional Council, neighbouring Councils, and other
relevant stakeholders to share sustainable processes.
•  Actively engage with community activities and encouraging community
connection with the environment.
•  Reserve land management, including the fit for purpose, use, disposal and
acquisition in accordance HCC strategies and policies.
•  Developing strategic plans and policies that focus on the protection and
conservation of land.
•  The Urban Forest Plan sets out strategies for trees in natural areas, parks,
and reserves and in our streets.
•  Provide a Biodiversity Fund (2020-2023) to assist Lower Hutt landowners
who want to protect, enhance, and manage indigenous biodiversity on
their properties.
•  Revegetation and riparian planting projects.
•  Pest plant control, including the anthropomorphic distribution of invasive
plants (e.g., green waste dumping and/or sel ing of invasive plants).
•  Pest animal control.
•  Water quality monitoring, fish surveys and fish barrier identification.
•  Identifying wetlands and other key native ecosystems.
•  Dune restoration.
•  School educational field trips.
This discussion document highlights the role that those other than Council can
and do play in a healthy biodiverse city – it may be that Council’s best role is to
provide the local regulatory environment that actively aids the wider community
to develop and activate the solutions.

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Where are our biodiversity hotspots?
To understand where biodiversity is, we need to continue to carry out work to
identify and verify anecdotal evidence and citizen science findings. We need to
answer the previously posed question “what was the indigenous biodiversity,
where was it and how did the interconnections of that ecosystem work”. Robust
monitoring and the establishment of a Biodiversity Index wil  increase our
knowledge of hotspots.  A Biodiversity Index would natural y need to be aligned
with an Environmental Health Index – where have we been, what is the current
state of our biodiversity and how wil  we know if we are making any difference?
Hotspots are locations with an abundance of biodiversity. Through historical
document reviews, GIS mapping, eBird database, Lizard monitoring and
iNaturalist observations we can gather actionable information that can help
determine where our biodiversity hotspots are. According to the eBird and
iNaturalist databases which record public observations and in the two deeds of
treaty settlement: The Port Nicholson Block (Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te
Ika) Claims Settlement Act 2009 and the Ngāti Toa Rangatira Claims Settlement
Act 2014 (e.g., As statutory acknowledgement sites), hotspots may include these
areas.
1.  Wel ington Harbour
2.  Matiu/Somes Island
3.  Lakes Kohangapiripiri and Kohangatera
4.  Wainuiomata Coast
5.  Hutt River estuary (near Petone)
In addition, Percy Scenic Reserve is recognised for the intensive col ection of
Aotearoa New Zealand native plant species. Percy Scenic Reserve is involved in
the propagation and recovery of threatened plant species in col aboration with
Ōtari-Wilton's, Department of Conservation Te Papa, and Landcare, locally and
nationwide.

Key Native Ecosystem (KNE) sites are recognised as High Biodiversity Valued
Hotspots by GWRC criteria:
•  The number of total species (species richness).
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• The number of unique species (endemism).
• The number of species at risk (threat of extinction).
The map below shows the Key Native Ecosystems within the HCC Territorial Local
Authority boundary. Note, HCC provides some funding for the ecological weed
control of the KNE sites (in red) as part of the Biodiversity Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU)between GWRC and HCC. Without col aborative
management of KNE sites, many of our native species would not survive in them.
By protecting these areas, we are investing in the future of the region’s unique
and vulnerable ecosystems.

Figure 3: Key Native Ecosystems within HCC boundary
Why is soil biodiversity so important?
One of the greatest impacts we can have on the planet is to restore healthy,
biodiverse soil. Soil biodiversity represents the variety of life below ground and
Indigenous Biodiversity – Discussion Paper / 26 April 2023 / Version 01
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plays a vital role in mitigating climate change, storing and purifying water,
nutrient flow and preventing erosion. The wel -being of al  plants and land-based
animals depends on the complex processes that take place in our soil. Table 1
shows the opportunities and obstacles of soil biodiversity.
Table 1: Positives and negatives of soil biodiversity
Opportunities
Obstacles
Soil provides vital habitats for micro- Without a vibrant soil community, the
organisms such as bacteria, fungi, as  soil becomes poor in structure and
wel  as insects and other organisms.  water run-off increases, leading to
erosion and flooding.
They contain at least one quarter to
If the soil’s ability to absorb, cleanse
one-third of al  living organisms on
and store water is compromised,
the planet, yet little is known about
groundwater wil  be impaired, and
them.
more water treatment facilities wil
be required.
Soil biodiversity can reduce threats
Maintaining the soil’s ability to
to ecosystem services e.g., soils
process and cleanse water wil  save
without earthworms can be 90% less  money and safeguard health and
effective at soaking up water.
wel -being.
Only 1% of soil micro-organism
There may be a lack of resourcing to
species have been identified.
continue to identify vital soil micro-
organisms

Figure 4 (below) shows the current Lower Hutt soil classifications. This soil
classification diagram outlines the soil types influencing the range of species
that wil  grow in these locations. This is important when we consider planting
large- leafed species for carbon sequestration benefits. We need the right
species, in the right place, with the right soil condition. It should be kept in mind
to investigate and consider:
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•  light availability, intensity, and duration (ful  sun to deep shade).
•  water availability, both quantity and quality.
•  exposure to wind, salt, and temperature extremes.
•  soil type, drainage, compaction.
•  hardiness zone.
•  competition from existing vegetation.

Figure 4: Lower Hutt Soil Classifications (data from Landcare Research, October 2020).
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What are the pressures and their impacts on
Biodiversity?
In Aotearoa New Zealand, biodiversity has continued to decline despite the
protection of large areas of vegetation and habitat. This progressive loss of
native fauna is primarily caused by increased numbers of introduced predators,
some of which (stoats and cats for example) thrive in habitats, kil ing native
creatures or browsing on native plant seedlings and saplings. 32 per cent of land
and freshwater bird species, 18 per cent of sea bird species, and a range of frog,
invertebrate, fish, bat, reptile, and plant species are now extinct from historical
records. Tracking losses and declines in biodiversity at local levels helps us
understand risk better, however data col ection processes are insufficient to
provide a comprehensive scope.
Both DOC and Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) state, ‘invasive alien species
remain an important threat to Aotearoa New Zealand's biodiversity’. Examples
included Kauri dieback (a disease that kil s Kauri trees of al  ages), and Myrtle
rust (fungal disease that affects plants in the myrtle family such as kanuka and
manuka).
According to the Environment Foundation (Green and Clarkson (2005) the
primary threats to indigenous biodiversity are from impacts of degraded water
and habitat, land use change, mismanagement or lack or response to climate
change. The Department of Conservation have identified five similar main
threats:
•  Invasive pest plants, disease, and animals.
•  Climate change.
•  Water Quality.
•  Change in land use.
•  Waste Pol ution.
•
The Mana Whenua concept is to put water first – te Mana o te Wai.
•  Ka ora te wai – If the water is cared for.
•  Ka ora te Whenua – The land wil  be nourished.
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•  Ka ora te Whenua – If the land is nourished.
•  Ka ora te tāngata – The people wil  prosper.
Upholding these values wil  guide the mahi to restore and protect our waters,
which in turn protect human, plant and animal life. The tables below outline the
impact of some of the key pressures:
Pest plants  Out-compete native plant species and alter the composition
of habitats and in turn the ecology. Greater Wel ington data
shows we are not winning the fight to control and reduce our
pest plants in the district. We partner with GWRC and the
Ministry for Primary Industries) to manage targeted pest plants
in specific areas and report back on new incursions or the
sales of prohibited species. These pest plants cause serious
harm to our environment and threaten species and forest
ecosystems. New threats are also on the horizon, like, aquatic
weeds, and a growing number of terrestrial weed species.
Stronger biosecurity and alignment with the National Pest
Plant Accord (NPPA), National Interest Pest Responses (NIPR),
and the Plant Pass and the Plant Buyers’ Accord wil  need to be
utilised more, including the monitoring of physical and online
sales of invasive exotic plants. Sharing biosecurity information
with adjacent councils wil  also be critical to improve
knowledge and local data.
Diseases
Can bring in unwanted organisms (UO) such as pathogens
that need control ing, managing or eradicating should they
arrive in the country[8]. Biodiversity conservation is integral in
the fight against wildlife and plant life disease spread. The
biosecurity system prevents mitigates and manages risks from
harmful organisms to help protect Aotearoa New Zealand’s

8 https://www.mpi.govt.nz/biosecurity/about-biosecurity-in-new-zealand/biosecurity-
2025/
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economy, environment, human health, and a range of social
and cultural values (Biodiversity Act 1993).
Pest
Introduced animals, like ungulates (hooved animals) can
animals
cause damage by eating saplings and young trees), barking
mature trees, damaging tracks, and causing erosion. These
species harm native forest regeneration, compete for food
resources and prey on native birds, lizards, and invertebrates.
Possums, stoats, and rats are the main predators of our
indigenous plants and animals. Progressive loss of native
fauna is caused by development (like land clearance and
conversion to forestry etc) introduced predators, some of
which thrive in habitats kil ing native species and preying on
bird eggs or eating neonate (baby) lizards from nesting sites.
Climate
Effect is widespread, from the distribution of species to
change
disease, wildfires, and storm/flood events[9]. This causes harm
to habitat and species survival. Climate change is a primary
driver of biodiversity loss and depends on indigenous
biodiversity as part of the solution (UN Secretary 2022). Many
of the impacts of climate change[10] are interlinked and create
compounding problems. For example, Geoffroy Lamarche
Chief Science Advisor for the Parliamentary Commissioner
states, “sea level rise impacts coastal communities, sites of
cultural and ecological significance, and marine life, including
sedimentation and pol ution affecting water quality, which can
threaten biodiversity and public health.”

9 https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/conservation/biodiversity/anzbs-
2020.pdf
10
https://hccpublicdocs.azurewebsites.net/api/download/f8028985e98f4a5691a005cbc89
7fea7/_CM9-WE/426f5c51376fddd4507ba656b90fac85822
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Participants at the November wānanga answered the question ‘what does
climate change mean’ in the fol owing ways:
What does climate
change mean to
you?
More
Physical &
Increased
frequent
Destruction
Unreliable
Decreased
Extreme
More
mental
Insect
conflict over
Humans
Sea level
Global
Widespread
extreme
of
farming
access to
drought
wildfires
health
outbreaks
natural
struggling
rise & floods
warming
hunger
weather
infrstructure
yields
clean water
impacts
resources
events

Poor water  Can have negative impacts on humans and natural
quality
ecosystems. Recreational water spots in Lower Hutt city are
only suitable for swimming between 30% and 50% of the time
due to contamination. Water is considered taonga and is of
huge importance to iwi. Water is linked to whakapapa
(identity), used for recreation, gathering food and other
natural substances. Poor water quality can also lead to
eutrophication, where a water body has an excess of nutrients
which leads to harmful algae blooms, kil ing both plant and
animal life.

Land use
Reduces forests, streams, wetlands, shrublands and
change
indigenous grasslands. Historical clearing of forests was
carried out by Māori fol owed by European colonists. The
further clearance of indigenous forests remained legal on
public land up until 1987. Stricter controls on forest clearance
on private land were imposed in 1991 through the Resource
Management Act. Levels of erosion, sedimentation and
eutrophication have increased because of land use changes,
each of which affects the quality of water and the health of the
species that live in aquatic environments.
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Changes in the hydrological regimes of freshwater
ecosystems is a pervasive issue. The al ocation of surface and
groundwater for irrigation has the most widespread influence
on seasonal flows and water levels, while engineering works,
such as flood protection works and gravel extraction, can alter
or destroy habitats.
Waste
Is pol uting the air, land, lakes, rivers, coasts, and oceans, and
contributes 5% of Aotearoa New Zealand’s greenhouse gas
emissions. Despite increased awareness of the negative
impacts of waste on our environment, our disposal to
municipal landfil s increased by 48% in the last decade (Mfe
2019, reducing waste). DOC has identified forms of pol ution
that affect Aotearoa New Zealand’s biodiversity, such as liquid
and solid wastes, light and noise pol ution, chemicals, and
sediment[11]. Sediment and run-off from intensive agricultural
and urban activities can damage the quality of freshwater and
marine habitats (including estuaries). The 2019 Colmar
Brunton survey found that the build-up of plastic in our
environment is the biggest concern for Aotearoa New
Zealanders (72%).

The factors outlined above show how fragile and interlinked these impacts are
on biodiversity in our city. To address these, we wil need to continue to partner
with Mana Whenua, communities, groups, and individuals to find nature-based
solutions as a col ective to create resilient, and sustainable communities which
may require a multi-generational effort.

11 https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/conservation/biodiversity/anzbs-
2020.pdf
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How does the regulatory
framework manage biodiversity?
Legal protection on public conservation land and marine reserves is an
important tool for managing some of the pressures on biodiversity.
A NPS can require regional, local, district or unitary Councils (territorial
authorities) across the country to add or change their required District Plans to
meet this national direction and must be given effect to, as soon as reasonably
practicable.
The purpose of district plans is to assist territorial authorities in conducting their
functions to achieve the sustainable management purpose of the Resource
Management Act. District Plans must give effect to national policy statements
and regional policy statements and must not be inconsistent with regional plans
and any applicable water conservation orders.
Council is waiting on the release of the second draft of the National Policy
Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (NPS-IB) from Central Government which is
due for adoption in early 2023. The NPS-IB wil provide guidelines which influence
the District Plan rules and policies relating to indigenous biodiversity.
The NPS-FW and GWRC require HCC to identify fish passage barriers, and to
remediate and manage them. Many of Aotearoa New Zealand's freshwater fish
species need to move between habitats to support their different life stages and
ecological needs (e.g., for spawning, rearing young, feeding, and finding refuge).
Some species, like inanga (whitebait-juvenile species of native galaxi dae) and
tuna (eels) also move between fresh and salt water. Fish need physical
connections between and within waterways during various life stages to
reproduce, feed, and contribute to their ecosystems by recycling the nutrients
they take in.

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Summary
Hutt City Council takes the role of facilitator, coordinator, supporter, and
guardian of public lands seriously and is committed to a col aborative
development of an Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy, of which this preliminary
paper is a start. Indigenous Biodiversity is crucial to the survival of life and the
fundamentals of te taiao and environmental health is crucial to human health.
The content of this strategy signals that we have a col ective responsibility for
identifying, protecting, managing, and enhancing biodiversity is something that
needs many players. We have an obligation and a responsibility to act on behalf
of the environment.
This discussion document is ‘deliberately’ brief, as we are asking our partners if
we are on the right track as we approach development of the strategy. Council
can only do so much, and similar to a Health in Al  Policies (HiAP) approach[12],
biodiversity restoration sits with al  of us, and not just those with regulatory
platforms.
Hutt City Council invites you to submit your feedback on this preliminary paper
and thoughts on indigenous biodiversity at Have your say - Hutt City Council.
Public consultation wil  run in July 2023.
For further questions, please email [email address].

12 https://www.cph.co.nz/your-health/health-in-al -policies/
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Glossary of terms – English
technical terms
IB strategy
Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy
Anthropogenic
Is one of the great crises of our time. To better
deforestation
understand the dimensions of this problem, several
studies have sought to quantify the extent and rate
of tropical forest loss.
Biodiversity
Is the range and status of species and ecological
systems in a place.
Biophilic Cities
Biophilia refers to the idea that humans are
inextricably bound and drawn to nature; that we
need that connection to other living things to
function properly. A biophilic city is one that
integrates natural features into its designs.
https://www.biophiliccities.org/our-vision
Citizen science
Citizen scientists are volunteers who contribute to
scientific projects, usual y by col ecting or analysing
data.
Conserve
The practice of protecting and preserving the wealth
biodiversity
and variety of species, habitats, ecosystems, and
genetic diversity on the planet.
District Plan (DP)
District Plan, a document that sets the framework for
Managing land use and development within our city.
It contains objectives, policies, and rules to address
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resource management issues such as the effects of
land use and subdivision, noise, and traffic
Ecology
The study between the relationships of living
organisms, including humans, and their physical
environment.
Ecological integrity
The ability of an ecological system to support and
maintain a community of organisms that has
species composition, diversity, and functional
organization comparable to those of natural
habitats within a region.
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystems provide many of the basic services that
(ES)
make life possible for people. Plants clean air and
filter water, bacteria decompose wastes, bees
pol inate flowers, and tree roots hold soil in place to
prevent erosion.
Flora
The plants of a particular region, habitat, or
geological period.
Fauna
An animal or animals of a species indigenous to
Aotearoa New Zealand.
Habitat
The natural home or environment of an animal,
plant, or other organism.
HCC
Hutt City Council or ‘Council’.
Hotspot
An area that is exceptional y rich in species, and
priority targets for nature conservation, al owing
unique flora and fauna to develop.
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Indigenous
Originating or occurring natural y in a particular
place; native.

Land use
Simply describes human use of land.
Multi-generational
Consisting of or relating to more than one
generation
New Zealand
The New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy (NZBS) reflects
Biodiversity
Aotearoa New Zealand ’s commitment to the United
Strategy (2000)
Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. It sets out
national goals and principles for Managing Aotearoa
New Zealand ’s biodiversity.
NPS or NPS-IB
National Policy Statements (NPS) are issued under
the Resource Management Act to provide national
direction for the management of matters of national
significance.
Proliferating
Can be a species that, in each area, becomes
abundant, whether indigenous or non-native.
Riparian
The strip of land beside a waterway is a cal ed the
zone/buffer/area
riparian zone and it is a crucial buffer between land
and water.
River fragmentation Is defined as the interruption of a river's natural flow
by dams, culverts, weirs, or water withdrawal.
RMA – Resource
Section 2 of the RMA provides a definition of
Management Act
‘biological diversity’ - The ‘maintenance’ of
1991
indigenous biological diversity by Councils is to be
undertaken in the context of ss5 to 8 of the RMA.
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These sections use the terms ‘safeguarding the life
supporting capacity’ (of ecosystems); ‘preservation’
(of natural character of the coastal environment,
wetlands, rivers, lakes, and their margins); and
‘protection’ (of significant indigenous vegetation and
significant habitats of indigenous fauna). These s5, 6
and 7 matters contribute to the interpretation of the
term ‘maintenance of indigenous biological
diversity’. Maintenance can include protection,
enhancement, and restoration. Section 8 requires
Councils to take account of the principles of the
Treaty of Waitangi when making plans and any other
RMA decisions.
Regional Policy
The Regional Policy Statement (RPS) for the
Statement (RPS)
Wel ington Region provides an overview of the
resource management issues of the Region and sets
out the policies and methods to achieve integrated
resource management of the natural and physical
resources of the whole region[14].
Strategy
A plan or scheme.
Subdivision
Subdivision is largely a process of dividing a parcel
of land or a building into one or more further parcels
or changing an existing boundary location.
The Singers Forest
Was derived from a combination of the pre-
Classification
settlement, distribution, and extents of forestry
ecosystems. This layer delineates the potential forest
ecosystems for the Wel ington region as mapped by
Nick Singers using the national ecosystem
classification system that he and Geoff Rogers
developed as detailed in the link attached[15].
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Territorial
Classified as a city (local), district, regional or unitary
authorities
Councils.
Urban heat island
"Urban heat islands" occur when cities replace
effect
natural land cover with dense concentrations of
pavement, buildings, and other surfaces that absorb
and retain heat.

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Glossary of terms - Te Reo Māori
definitions
Ahua
The character of Te Ara Tupua is seen, the beauty, the
mystique, the wonder, the wild and rawness – the identity
of Te Ara Tupua endures beyond the present through
capturing and captivating the hearts and minds of the
few and the many.
iwi
A Māori community or people.
kaitiaki
A guardian or trustee, typical y of an environmental area
or resource.
Kaitiakitanga
Is the obligation to nurture and care for the mauri of a
taonga, or the ethic of guardianship or protection.
Kaupapa
Means principles and ideas which act as a base or
foundation for action. A kaupapa is a set of values,
principles, and plans which people have agreed on as a
foundation for their actions.
Mana Whenua
Te Ara Tupua is seen as a living piece of the identity of
Mana Whenua who take pride in this space, taking on the
obligation of care, responsibility and giving life to its
history and story.
Mātauranga
Is the body of knowledge originating from Māori
Māori
ancestors.
This includes the Māori world view and perspectives,
Māori creativity, and cultural practices.
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Mouri
The mouri of Te Ara Tupua, the living relationship between
the ngahere, the cliffs, the water ways, hinemoana and
everything that lives within that environment have their
own individual and interdependent vitality.
Papatūānuku
The mountains, the cliffs, the landforms, the geology,
ngahere, trees, birds – they al need each other to exist.
Ranginui
The connection to the various spiritual realms of the great
and vast heavens, the source of light and understanding,
growth and ultimate link to the celestial family.
Taonga
Refers to a treasure or something that is prized.
The term can be applied to anything that is of value,
including social y or cultural y valuable objects, resources,
phenomena, ideas, and techniques.
Tātai
The history, the connections, the relationships, and
Whakapapa
friendships – they shape the land and the people.
Te awa Kairangi Māori names describe their location within the val ey.
ki tai
Lower Hutt is Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai (next to the sea)
Upper Hutt is Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta (inland)
Te Mana o te
Is the Mana of the living environment.
Taiao
Te Taiao
Is the environment that contains and surrounds us.
Tikanga
Customs and traditional values, especial y in a Maori
context.
Wānanga
A wananga is characterised by teaching and research
that maintains, advances, and disseminates knowledge
and develops direction.
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Wāhi tapu
A place sacred to Māori in the traditional, spiritual,
religious, ritual, or mythological sense.
Wai Tai, Wai
The connection between the springs, streams, aquifers,
Māori
rivers, and al waterways that bring with them their life,
mouri and Mana which eventual y mingles together with
Hinemoana.
Whānau
The care of manuhiri and people is embedded in the
identity of Te Ara Tupua seeking to ensure a strong sense
of connection imbuing a strong sense of responsibility
towards Te Ara Tupua.

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References
Bal ard, H. L., Phil ips, T. B., & Robinson, L. (2019). Conservation outcomes of citizen
science. Citizen Science, 254–268. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv550cf2.25.
M. Bottero et al. (2014). The application of a Multicriteria Spatial Decision Support
System (MCSDSS) for the assessment of biodiversity conservation in the Province
of Varese (Italy). Land Use Policy (2013)
Col ins K.E. (2011). Evaluating the effectiveness of riparian plantings on water
quality: A case study of lowland streams in the Lake El esmere catchment.
Green W and B Clarkson, 2005, Turning the tide? A review of the first five years of
the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy, The Synthesis Report submitted to the
biodiversity.
Lane, M. B., & McDonald, G. (2005). Community-based environmental planning:
Operational dilemmas, planning principles and possible remedies. Journal of
Environmental Planning and Management, 48(5), 709–731.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09640560500182985.
Peters, M. A., Eames, C., & Hamilton, D. (2015). The use and value of citizen science
data in Aotearoa New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand,
45(3), 151–160. https://doi.org/10.1080/03036758.2015.1051549
R.F. Val e Junior, S.G.P. Varandas, L.F. Sanches Fernandes, F.A.L. Pacheco (2014).
Environmental land use conflicts: A threat to soil conservation, Land Use Policy,
Volume 41, 2014, Pages 172-185, ISSN 0264-
8377,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2014.05.012.
Volunteering New Zealand. (2018). State of Volunteering Report 2018.
HCC Urban Forest Plan 2009 - DOC/10/28169 within DIV/10/722 in PKR65-70-105 of
Hutt City Council
HCC 2022-23 Annual Plan
Indigenous Biodiversity – Discussion Paper / 26 April 2023 / Version 01
P.41

HCC Interim Carbon Reduction and Climate Resilience Plan (2021-2031) for Hutt
City Council
HCC Reserves Strategic Directions 2016-2026
Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019.
https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2019/0061/latest/LMS183736.html
GWRC Regional Pest Management Plan. https://www.gw.govt.nz/your-
region/plans-policies-and-bylaws/plans-and-reports/environmental-
plans/regional-pest-Management-plan/
GWRC: Regional Policy Statements. https://www.gw.govt.nz/your-region/plans-
policies-and-bylaws/updating-our-regional-policy-statement-and-natural-
resources-plan/regional-policy-statement-change-1/
GWRC Whaitua te Whanganui-a-Tara.
https://www.gw.govt.nz/environment/freshwater/protecting-the-waters-of-
your-area/whaitua-te-whanganui-a-tara/
GWRC Review of Riparian Buffer Zone Effectiveness (2005).
https://www.gw.govt.nz/assets/Documents/2022/05/10.1.1.74.742.pdf
MfE 2019 reducing waste – publication number ME1470.
EECA - Public attitudes and action on energy and climate change: April 2022.
https://www.eeca.govt.nz/insights/eeca-insights/public-attitudes-and-
action-on-energy-and-climate-change/
The National Adaptation Plan (NAP):
https://environment.govt.nz/publications/aotearoa-new-zealands-first-
national-adaptation-plan/
The Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP):
https://environment.govt.nz/assets/publications/Files/Aotearoa-New-
Zealands-first-emissions-reduction-plan-Table-of-actions.pdf
The National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA) MPI 2020 - ISBN: 978-1-99-001784-1
(online)
Indigenous Biodiversity – Discussion Paper / 26 April 2023 / Version 01
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Te Mana o te Taiao - Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy 2020 -
https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/conservation/biodiversity/
anzbs-2020.pd
Te Mahere Wai, is prepared by and for Mana Whenua -
https://www.gw.govt.nz/assets/Documents/2021/12/te_mahere_wai_20211028
_v32_DIGI_FINAL.pdf
Te Whaitua te Whanganui-a-Tara Implementation Programme 2021 -
https://www.gw.govt.nz/assets/Documents/2021/12/Te-Whaitua-te-
Whanganui-a-Tara-Implementation-Programme_web.pdf
Cobb, John with Trustees of the Aotearoa New Zealand Native Forests Restoration
Trust. (1992)
Biodiversity in Aotearoa - an overview of state, trends, and pressures
(doc.govt.nz)
Our Marine Environment 2022 -
https://environment.govt.nz/assets/publications/Our-marine-environment-
2022.pdf
Wel ington District Council, Green Network Plan (2021).
https://wellington.govt.nz/-/media/your-Council/plans-policies-and-
bylaws/plans-and-policies/a-to-z/green-network/green-network-plan-
draft.pdf?la=en&hash=B5943E442FFA85499EA7ECCA39CA58A4181CDE47

[1] Te Mana o te Taiao – Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy 2020
[2] International science advisors state, “there is compel ing evidence that global
biodiversity is rapidly declining.” At the December 2022 U.N. Biodiversity
Conference in Montreal, Canada (COP15), governments across the globe (190
countries) reached an historic agreement to col ectively commit to conserving
at least 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030. A global commitment to halt
and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and to protect 30% of land and oceans by
the same date.
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[3] https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/biodiversity/aotearoa-new-zealand-
biodiversity-strategy/te-Mana-o-te-taiao-summary/
[4] 1916 – The term biological diversity was used first by J. Arthur Harris in "The
Variable Desert," Scientific American: "The bare statement that the region
contains a flora rich in genera and species and of diverse geographic origin or
affinity is entirely inadequate as a description of its real biological diversity."
[5] https://environment.govt.nz/publications/aotearoa-new-zealands-first-
national-adaptation-plan/natural-environment/
[6] https://www.weforum.org/communities/biodivercities-by-2030
[7] https://environment.govt.nz/facts-and-science/biodiversity/why-
biodiversity-matters/
[8] Te Mana o te Wai
[9] https://www.mpi.govt.nz/biosecurity/about-biosecurity-in-new-
zealand/biosecurity-2025/
[10]
https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/conservation/biodiversity/
anzbs-2020.pdf
[11]
https://hccpublicdocs.azurewebsites.net/api/download/f8028985e98f4a5691a
005cbc897fea7/_CM9-WE/426f5c51376fddd4507ba656b90fac85822

[12]
https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/conservation/biodiversity/
anzbs-2020.pdf
[13] https://www.cph.co.nz/your-health/health-in-all-policies/
[14] https://www.gw.govt.nz/your-region/plans-policies-and-
bylaws/updating-our-regional-policy-statement-and-natural-resources-
plan/regional-policy-statement-change-1/
Indigenous Biodiversity – Discussion Paper / 26 April 2023 / Version 01
P.44

[15] https://www.doc.govt.nz/documents/science-and-
technical/sfc325entire.pdf.
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