Hon Tama Potaka
Minister of Conservation

Toitū te taiao – Our environment endures

The Government is consulting on proposals to better protect our precious biodiversity and its economic benefits for future generations, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says.

“Today, the Department of Conservation – Te Papa Atawhai is releasing two discussion documents for public consultation, and I encourage all New Zealanders to read them and share their views.

“Our beloved biodiversity provides a world-class wealth of environmental and economic benefits for Aotearoa New Zealand. However, more than 4,000 of our precious species are threatened or at risk of extinction so we must work harder and smarter to protect biodiversity.”

Proposed actions to progress the Te Mana o te Taiao – Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy 2020 cover four themes:

• Prioritising species and habitats for action;
• Increasing revenue and non-government funding for biodiversity;
• Improving evidence and knowledge for effective decision making; and
• Growing capability by developing the right skills.

“Feedback will help central, regional and local government create and deliver an implementation plan to 2030 that reflects New Zealanders’ aspirations for conservation action,” Mr Potaka says.

“We’re also consulting on next steps toward our ambitious goal of a predator free New Zealand by 2050, which was first launched by National nine years ago.

“Predator Free 2050 is one of the Department of Conservation’s key biodiversity programmes addressing the threat of introduced predators to our unique nature.”

Key areas for public feedback on the Predator Free 2050 strategy are:

• New goals to achieve by 2030; and
• The list of target predators.

“The rapid development of new eradication tools and methods and impressive community trapping efforts across the motu are delivering significant results.

“It’s time to take stock and ensure we are focussed on achieving the right things together for the next five years,” Mr Potaka says.

The discussion documents are available on the Department of Conservation website. Consultation closes on 30 June 2025. www.doc.govt.nz/plans-for-nature.

Note:

Copies of the discussion documents are attached here. 

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