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Introduction: Out on our own
Isolation is a strong theme of New Zealand’s biological and cultural
histories. Evolution through a long period of isolation created unique
flora and fauna. After splitting off from other continents 80 million
years ago, the New Zealand landmass became the stage for the evolution of
plants and animals so distinctive that it has been described as the
closest scientists will get to studying life on another planet1.The long isolation and slow evolution meant these plants and animals
were especially vulnerable to new changes. New Zealand was one of the last
large land areas on earth to be settled by humans. The settlers, and the
exotic species they brought with them, had a dramatic impact on our
indigenous biodiversity.
Isolation has also benefited New Zealanders. Coupled with our low
population density, it has spared us the worst effects of pollution and
helped us to maintain a relatively clean, green and healthy environment.
The challenge facing us now is to sustain the benefits that are provided
by our natural environment, and to halt the decline of our indigenous
biodiversity.
This means managing biodiversity in ways that are of benefit to all. It
requires us to think “over the fence”. We cannot continue to think of protected and productive
places
separately. Natural systems do not recognise human boundaries. As well as protecting our most
important
places for indigenous biodiversity, we have to manage this biodiversity as best we can in
farming and forestry environments and alongside marine industries, while ensuring a sustainable return from
these activities.
Sustaining New Zealand’s biodiversity will benefit the whole community,
through the clean air and water and biological productivity that come from healthy
ecosystems, the
pride and profit we get from New Zealand’s distinctive biological and green branding, and the
enjoyment and sense of identity we derive from our natural world.
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Biological diversity, or “biodiversity” for short, describes the
variety of all biological life —
plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms — the genes they contain and
the ecosystems on
land or in water where they live. It is the diversity of life on earth2. |
1 Diamond, J. 1990. New Zealand as an archipelago: an international
perspective. In Ecological Restoration of
New Zealand Islands, pp 3—8. Department of Conservation, Wellington.
2 See Glossary for a fuller definition of biological diversity. |
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