Biodiversity is the whole variety of all life forms – plants, animals, micro-organisms, the genes they contain, and the ecosystems they create.
We have a special relationship with our environment. However, our biodiversity is facing a crisis. Our indigenous species and ecosystems are in serious decline.
Around 4000 of our native species in Aotearoa New Zealand have been identified as threatened or at risk of extinction. Almost two-thirds of our rare ecosystems are threatened with collapse. Some of these native species and ecosystems will disappear forever as they are found nowhere in the world.
Bending the curve on biodiversity loss can only be successful if we work together with mana whenua, landowners, and our communities.
We are one of the organisations whose job it is to maintain and protect indigenous biodiversity. We also support individuals and groups to keep the momentum of their biodiversity work going.
By working together, we'll make the biggest difference.
If you're an individual or a community group or a landowner and you are looking for help with maintaining the biodiversity of Otago – we can help.
ECO Fund? [check with Elodie for wording]
Otago Regional Council’s ECO Fund supports community-led projects that protect, enhance, or promote Otago’s environment. We have a general fund for community-led environmental projects and incentives funding that targets specific environmental issues.
It’s part of who we are. Biodiversity is inherently valuable. It is central to the identity of New Zealanders and is fundamental to Māori through whakapapa (genealogy). Nature supports life and human activity, and our wellbeing can only thrive when nature also thrives.
It contributes to human quality of life. Nature powers human endeavours – underpinning productivity, culture, and even our beliefs and identities. Nature contributions to people are regulating, material, and non-material. Beneficial contributions include, for example, food and feed provisions; water purification; erosion control, climate stabilisation, soil formation and long-term maintenance of soil fertility; naturally derived medicinal materials; amelioration, by ecosystems or particular organisms, of the impacts of hazards, reduction of size or frequency of hazards; artistic inspiration; mental and physical health; and cultural identity and expression. But our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide are under threat. We are exploiting nature faster than it can replenish itself.
The economy is a subset of the environment. The health of our environment underpins our lives and livelihoods. Large parts of our prosperity depend on our environment, for example, for farming, forestry, and tourism. All these industries rely on nature – soil formation and fertility, freshwater, a stable climate and the great outdoors. Without a healthy, resilient, and diverse environment, we won’t have a healthy, resilient, and diverse economy.
Our biodiversity is in a crisis. Biodiversity in Aotearoa New Zealand continues to decline. Around two-thirds of our rare ecosystems are threatened. About 4,000 indigenous species are threatened or at risk of extinction. Many plants and wildlife continue to decline or are just hanging on. It’s not just a crisis for our country, but for global biodiversity – any indigenous species that we lose from our islands is gone forever.
Biodiversity can help fight climate change. Biodiversity loss and human-induced climate change does not happen in isolation; they are inextricably linked. We either solve both or we solve neither.
Everyone can do something to help protect our indigenous biodiversity, whether it be protecting areas from further development, planting native trees in the right place, or trapping introduced predators.
Introduced pest animals are a threat to our native biodiversity. For example, rabbits can have considerable impacts through overgrazing native ecosystems or selective grazing of threatened plants; possums can eliminate preferred species by selective browsing on vegetation, causing altered forest composition and canopy collapse of palatable species, as well as preying on invertebrates and native bird eggs and chicks and compete for cavities with cavity-nesting birds; and stoats, weasels, and ferrets are mustelids that prey on native birds, amphibians, lizards, and invertebrates. Where pest animal numbers are reduced by using traps or poison, native species can recover and the health of our te Taiao (environment) improves.
Planting native plants can help to restore native biodiversity by: 1) providing or enhancing bird, lizard, and pollinator habitats, and restores soils; 2) add green infrastructure to the city with cascading benefits to our waterways and catchments areas, increased thermal comfort, and increased resilience; and 3) participating in planting activities and adding green spaces can have mental and public health benefits.
Find out more: native planting guide
Introduced pest plants are a threat to our native biodiversity and can transform natural landscapes. They can suppress, out-compete, or even kill our native plants. When uncontrolled, some pest plants can spread and take over whole ecosystems and species habitats. Controlling pest plants helps protect and restore our native biodiversity.
Find out more: plant pests
Plant pests
Pest plants are non-native plants that cause problems. Some are toxic to humans and animals. Some spread so quickly they smother our native plants and destroy the homes of our native wildlife. Find out what the rules are and how you can help get give of these pests.
Otago native planting guide
Use this interactive guide to find which native plants might work best in your area. It's made to make sure we choose the right plants for Otago, whether it's in a backyard, on a farm, or in a community project. By planting native plants, we can improve the diversity in Otago, creating a healthier ecosystem, improving water quality and fighting climate change.
Animal pests
What do you know about the pests that cause problems in Otago? Look through these pages to discover what ORC is doing about the animals that destroy our native habitats and kill our native or endangered wildlife.
