Desired outcome for 2020
New Zealanders have embraced a vision for conserving and sustainably using biodiversity. They have an enhanced and broader appreciation of New Zealand's biodiversity and better understand the indigenous species, habitats and ecosystems associated with the places where they live - on farms, in and around towns and cities, and in the surrounding natural areas.

Children and adults are learning about biodiversity through schools, polytechnics and universities and community programmes, and are actively involved in its care. People value biodiversity, know how they can contribute to its conservation and sustainable use, and are taking responsibility for action within their businesses, communities and lifestyles.

Individuals within management agencies, researchers and professionals, private resource managers (and users), iwi and hapu and the wider community know and respect each other's roles in biodiversity management and are sharing their knowledge. Each group has sufficient information and capability and is actively incorporating biodiversity priorities in its management programmes, businesses and day-to-day activities. All are involved in, and contributing in some way, towards the achievement of New Zealand's biodiversity goals.

Current management
The concept of shared responsibility and involvement is central to New Zealand's legislative framework and approaches to conservation and natural resource management. Informing, consulting with and involving people and communities in management processes are accepted practices, and promotional and educational tools are increasingly being applied to address biodiversity issues. However, the quality of these processes is crucial to their success, as has been discovered with attempts to protect remnant natural areas through district plans under the RMA.

A range of initiatives are being taken by management agencies, non-government organisations and businesses to promote understanding about biodiversity in all environments (land, freshwater and marine) and to foster community involvement. These include: biodiversity interpretation in protected areas; nationwide conservation volunteer programmes; community habitat restoration projects; landcare, rivercare and beachcare groups; environmental education programmes by local government; and private sponsorship of threatened species recovery programmes.

Environmental education is increasingly being recognised as a key tool to achieve national and regional biodiversity goals. A diverse range of environmental education activities is being undertaken by many different organisations - from formal education providers (schools, polytechnics and universities) to local authorities, professional societies, iwi and hapu, and community, environmental and industry groups. These initiatives are generally in response to specific needs and local circumstances.

The Government's National Strategy for Environmental Education "Learning to care for our environment - Me Ako ki te Tiaki Taiao" ⁵⁹, seeks to ensure that individuals and communities have the knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable them to make informed decisions affecting the environment. 

     

Summary of issues
People are the fundamental agents of change; individually and collectively, their decisions and actions are crucial to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

The success of this Strategy depends on behavioural change and the active involvement of people and their organisations and communities in biodiversity management. This relies on people understanding and valuing biodiversity (how it contributes to ecosystem health as well as to their lifestyles) and being motivated to act and respond appropriately to biodiversity issues. Key issues relating to community awareness and involvement include:

• There is a general lack of understanding of the importance of biodiversity in sustaining life, the effects of human activities on biodiversity, how to prevent or reverse the current decline in biodiversity, and how individuals can contribute.
• There is poor awareness about existing biodiversity information and examples of biodiversity conservation. Communities have limited access to these sources and there is a need for a "onestop shop" for information.
• Effective action by resource managers and users (for example farmers, foresters, horticulturists, fishers and so on) in conserving biodiversity is limited by a number of factors, including: insufficient information or technical capacity; a lack of resources; a lack of appreciation of the relevance of biodiversity to their businesses; and insufficient or perverse incentives.
• There is a need to increase community participation in conserving biodiversity. The approaches taken by management agencies consulting with resource managers and communities and involving them in biodiversity management often vary and in some cases are inadequate.
• Many organisations are currently involved in a diverse range of environmental education initiatives, but programmes and activities are not necessarily well coordinated, integrated or most effective, for example in relation to sharing information, integrating education activities and building partnerships.
• There is a need to recognise and "mainstream" biodiversity concepts in broader environmental education programmes and to make biodiversity information relevant to people's local environments, that is, to enable people to connect biodiversity with their places and how it contributes to their lifestyles. An environmental education curriculum and resource material need to be developed and teachers trained in their application.
• Matauranga Maori and cultural practices and values associated with the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity need to be recognised in environmental education (see Theme Seven).

Objective 8.1 Community awareness and involvement

Enhance and broaden individual and community understanding about biodiversity (in particular, New Zealand's indigenous biodiversity) and increase community involvement in the conservation and sustainable use of New Zealand's biodiversity.

Key players: DoC*, MfE*, MAF, Mfish, LAs, iwi/hapu, NGOs, community groups⁶¹

b) Develop a public awareness programme about New Zealand's lesser known or appreciated indigenous ecosystems, habitats and species important for biodiversity conservation.

Key players: DoC*, MfE, LAs, research providers, universities

c) Encourage greater community involvement and partnerships in management programmes and participatory projects to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity.

Key players: DoC*, MfE, MAF, Mfish, LAs

Encourage natural resource managers and users and landowners to adopt realistic and pragmatic steps to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity.

Key players: MfE*, DoC, MfE, Mfish, LGNZ, LAs

b) Promote and support, in partnership with the Landcare Trust, landcare groups and other community-based groups, the integration of biodiversity considerations into sustainable land and water management initiatives.

Key players: MfE*, DoC, MAF, LGNZ, LAs, Landcare Trust

c) Support activities through the Sustainable Management Fund that enhance landowner and community understanding of ways to avoid or minimise the effects of human activities on biodiversity, and encourage community involvement in practical initiatives that help achieve the sustainable management of biodiversity.

Key players: MfE*, LGNZ, LAs

d) Encourage and support sector-led initiatives to effectively incorporate biodiversity considerations in their strategic planning and operational practices, with a focus on the agriculture, forestry, horticulture, fisheries, aquaculture and tourism sectors.

Key players: MfE*, DoC, MAF, Mfish, MoC, LGNZ

e) Develop and use national and regional "biodiversity awards" to reward notable efforts or achievements by landowners, businesses and community groups to conserve and sustainably use indigenous biodiversity.

Key players: DoC*, LAs*, MfE, LGNZ

Expand and enhance education about biodiversity as a key element in developing environmental education programmes and activities.

Key players: MfE*, DoC, MoEd

b) Assist Maori in identifying their education needs in relation to the maintenance and promotion of matauranga Maori in biodiversity management, as part of the proposed broader environmental education needs assessment.

Key players: TPK*, MfE

c) Promote and coordinate the role of environmental education in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity (as part of the implementation of the New Zealand Environmental Education Strategy) and encourage the active participation of local authorities, iwi and hapu, businesses, and environmental and community groups in developing and implementing environmental education activities.

Key players: MoEd*,MfE*, DoC, LAs

*Government lead

⁵⁹ Ministry for the Environment, 1998.

⁶⁰ Actions shown in bold are priority actions (see Part Four).

⁶¹ See key to key players.