Have your say on the next implementation plan for New Zealand’s Biodiversity Strategy. Submissions close at 5 pm on 30 June 2025.
Date: 5th May 2025
The Department of Conservation is developing the next implementation plan for New Zealand’s Biodiversity Strategy (Te Mana o te Taiao – Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy 2020). The plan will guide action for nature at a national, regional and local level.
Nature in New Zealand is unique and special. Most of it is only found here. Once our species are gone from here, they’re gone from everywhere.
Our nature is also among the world’s most vulnerable and is a critical economic asset, with ecosystems contributing 27% or $57 billion of GDP. We need to protect it.
DOC is proposing 13 critical actions that central and regional government can take to make a difference for nature and empower all New Zealanders to take action.
Wilding pines are a significant threat to our biodiversity. Significant amounts of wilding pines are on the DOC estate but DOC has constant demands for extremely limited funding. We need to get more funding for DOC to undertake control and be able to sustain it and allow land to regenerate in natives or fund revegetation programmes.
Discussion document
The discussion document seeks public feedback on the proposed critical actions for the next implementation plan for the Biodiversity Strategy.
The proposed actions sit within four themes:
- Agreed biodiversity priorities are driving investment and action
What this means: DOC wants to identify and agree on priority species and habitats. This is so we can focus our efforts and determine how best to work together to protect and restore them, regionally and nationally. - Increased external funding, revenue and support is delivering more work on biodiversity priorities
What this means: DOC wants to attract investors and generate revenue for nature, and we want to make it easier for people to access government support. - An evidence- and knowledge-based approach is driving improvements in practice and decision making for biodiversity
What this means: DOC wants to improve the data, knowledge and lessons from successful partnerships to drive good decision making and measure the difference we make for nature. - Increased capability and support enables New Zealand to address the state of our biodiversity
What this means: DOC wants to develop the right skills and encourage people to work together to look after nature, including in the biosecurity space.
These actions would be the main focus of the implementation plan and the work completed by central and regional government between now and 2030.
How you can be involved
- Download the discussion document and have a good read: https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/conservation/biodiversity/implementing-nz-biodiversity-strategy-2025-to-2030-discussion-document.pdf.
2. If you would like to know more and/or have some questions to ask DOC is holding 2 public webinars:
Webinar 1 – Tuesday 20 May 2025, 6.30 – 7.30 pm
Webinar 2 – Monday 26 May 2025, 4 – 5 pm
You can register for either of the above by clicking on this link: https://www.doc.govt.nz/get-involved/have-your-say/all-consultations/2025-consultations/give-your-feedback-on-two-important-plans-for-nature/implementation-plan-for-aotearoa-new-zealand-biodiversity-strategy/
3. Consider making a submission or you can email any thoughts to jo@wildingpinenetwork.org.nz as we will send a submission in. Consider how much DOC land is in your area, whether there are wilding pines on it, whether they are being managed and/or contribute to spread risk and how they are risking biodiversity. Submissions are due by 5pm on Monday 30th June 2025. If you would like to send comments through WPN we would need comments from you by 16th June as we need to put our submission through our committee prior to submission. If you wish to do your own submission you can email one to biodiversitystrategy@doc.govt.nz or you can fill out an online form available on the above link or you can post a submission to DOC (refer above link).
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