The collective of New Zealand’s 16 regional and unitary councils has today welcomed the gazettal of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (NPSIB) as a significant milestone in our country's biodiversity management journey.

Regional Sector Mayors and Chairs Biodiversity Spokesperson and Taranaki Regional Council Chair Charlotte Littlewood said the NPSIB, set to come into effect on 4 August 2023, will guide efforts to identify and safeguard biodiversity hotspots across the regions.

“Supporting biodiversity is integral to preserving the uniqueness of Aotearoa – our indigenous trees, plants, birds, animals, insects, and their habitats. These living treasures define us as New Zealanders. We must continue efforts to stop the decline of these precious taonga.

"Te Uru Kahika is committed to enhancing indigenous biodiversity," said Chair Littlewood. “We are encouraged to see aspects of our submission on the NPSIB exposure draft reflected in the final policy.

“Yet we recognise the challenges posed by the capacity constraints of communities, iwi/hapū, and councils remain, emphasising the need for sufficient support for NPSIB implementation and sustained funding for biodiversity supporting mahi,” said Chair Littlewood.

Alongside today’s gazettal of the NPSIB, Ministry for the Environment and Department of Conservation have released a discussion document on how a biodiversity credit system could be set up in New Zealand and what role the Government should play in it. Submissions are invited from now until 3 November 2023.

“We see potential in a biodiversity credit system to help incentivise longer-term protection and restoration of native wildlife and their habitats. We look forward to discussions on the details of this over the coming months," said Chair Littlewood.

Biodiversity management is complex and relentless. Regional and unitary councils have increased their capacity in biodiversity management over recent years through initiatives including the Jobs for Nature programme and Predator Free 2050.

Speaking on behalf of Te Uru Kahika Bio-Managers Group, Convenor Chris Ingle said regional and unitary councils care deeply about indigenous biodiversity and work together and with partners on biodiversity and biosecurity initiatives.

“We have long recognised the need for a step change to halt the decline of our biodiversity.

“Through our Te Uru Kahika Bio-managers Special Interest Group, I’m fortunate to collaborate with some amazing people and we’re well equipped to work through what the new NPSIB will mean for our individual regions and opportunities to keep working togther for the benefit of New Zealand's flora and fauna.

“Our native birds, bats, lizards, fish, and other wildlife aren’t found anywhere else on Earth. They also can't live on paved streets, it's up to us to protect and enhance habitats for them.

“The NPSIB will give us broad consistency on how New Zealand will do this going forward and as regional and unitary councils, we will maintain our individual focus on local solutions and habitats, while participating in the broader national effort,” said Mr Ingle.

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