Since New Zealand was first settled its unique biodiversity has been in retreat, from the destruction of habitat, harvest by humans, and successive waves of pests, weeds and diseases. Extinctions have been rapid and the threats to our indigenous biodiversity, although changing form, have continued unabated. Today, some 1000 native animal, plant and fungi species are under threat. The warning of the State of New Zealand’s Environment report in 1997 that indigenous biodiversity decline is our “most pervasive environmental issue”, is even more valid today. New Zealand first pledged to play its part in halting the decline in global biodiversity at the Rio Earth Conference in 1992. There, we affirmed that biodiversity is vital to sustain life, and offers us a unique basis for our culture and sense of national identity. The New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy now charts the way forward.

The Strategy establishes national goals to “turn the tide” on the decline of our biodiversity, and to maintain and restore a full range of our remaining natural habitats and ecosystems and viable populations of all native species.  The Strategy sets out a comprehensive range of actions, that we need to initiate or improve progress on, to achieve these goals.

Biodiversity is everyone’s business. It extends into all our backyards and neighbourhoods and is affected
by nearly all our activities. Nearly two-thirds of our land area, and over 99% of our vast marine environment, lies outside protected areas. We need to manage our working landscapes well and look after the scarce ecosystems in those areas. Similarly, we need to put our marine fisheries on an ecologically sustainable basis and protect more of the dazzling array of habitats and marine
communities in our oceans.

As mutual beneficiaries of New Zealand’s biodiversity, we can all play a part in implementing the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy; by working in partnerships with and alongside management agencies, businesses, community groups and landowners — sharing information and ideas, setting priorities, coordinating activities, supporting funding mechanisms, and learning from our successes and mistakes. I hope you can be part of our efforts to protect and enhance New Zealand’s native species and natural habitats and ecosystems for everyone’s sake, and for generations to come.

Rt Hon Helen Clark
Prime Minister of New Zealand