Leverage for Biodiversity Protection on Private Land

'Think global, act local' may be a hackneyed slogan these days, but big environmental goals can indeed gain real traction through localised action. When it comes to protecting New Zealand's biodiversity, for example, individuals are making a tangible contribution through local efforts on their own land. Even on an individual property basis, however, biodiversity enhancement projects can be resource hungry. There is little financial incentive for landowners to invest in the fencing, pest control and other activities necessary to nurture biodiversity. But help is available.

The Government encourages biodiversity projects on private land through five separate mechanisms: the Biodiversity Condition and Advice Funds, the Queen Elizabeth National Trust (QEII Trust), the Nga Whenua Rahui Fund (NWR) and the Nature Heritage Fund (NHF). Pest control and fencing are important for many of the projects, but are not the sole focus.

A Statement of National Priorities for Biodiversity on Private Land (see sidebar) was announced by the Ministers of Conservation and Environment in 2007. It identifies the types of ecosystems and habitats most in need of protection. The priorities will inform future decisions of the QEII Trust and the four funds. They will also help coordinate and provide a focus for science and research funding, and the activities of central and local government, landowners and stakeholders.

Biodiversity Condition and Advice Funds

The Condition Fund ($2.2 million per year) pays for activities such as fencing, pest control, replanting and other restoration activities on private land. In 2007, for example, it funded pest control over 37,500 hectares, and contributed to 117 km of fencing. Funded projects have generally been sophisticated, integrated pest management and species recovery projects. Many of the areas are managed by community trusts or landcare groups working with groups of landowners, often across whole catchments.

The Advice Fund ($1.1 million per year) sponsors projects such as field days, workshops and publications, which provide information to land managers.

The two funds promote landowner and community involvement in biodiversity protection. The government funding also provides leverage for other support (see sidebar, Working together to control pests and protect biodiversity). For example, in April 2007 the $2.8 million provided by the two funds to 92 projects was complemented by $3.5 million from other sources including landowners, charitable trusts and local authorities. As part of these grants, eight councils collectively received $268,000 to assist with assessing natural areas, planning, and working with landowners and $279,000 to assist with the fencing, replanting and pest control being done on QEII covenants and other areas by the landowners working with councils.

QEII Trust

In June 2007, there were 3,253 QEII covenants on private land covering 102,779 hectares of forest remnants, wetlands, lakes, peat lakes, coastline, tussock grasslands, rural landscape, archaeological sites and geological formations. The landowner retains ownership and usually manages the covenant.

The QEII Trust ($2.8 million per year plus donations and contestable funds) is an independent organisation that helps landowners with ongoing management advice and support, inspects and monitors covenants and may fund half of a covenant's fencing costs. In 2007, 25 projects the Trust submitted to the Biodiversity Condition Fund received $400,000 for fencing, weed and animal pest control and restoration planting on QEII covenants.

Nga Whenua Rahui

Nga Whenua Rahui ($4 million per year) focuses on Māori-owned land. It is administered by an independent committee. NWR works with the Māori landowners to protect areas through voluntary kawenata (covenants), deeds and management agreements. As with QEII covenants, the owners of kawenata retain ownership and control of the land, and public access is available only with the owners' permission.

There are currently 230,000 hectares of indigenous wetlands, dunelands, tussocklands and forests protected. Areas vary from less than 100 to more than 10,000 hectares. NWR-supported activities have included fencing, weed and animal pest control, planting, reintroducing native species, wetland restoration and fire protection.

In 2007, NWR funding was granted for pest control covering 71,000 hectares. Projects included the control of feral goats and cattle in the Pohueroro block (6,500 hectares) and the Tapuaeharuru block (11,000 hectares) in eastern Bay of Plenty; control of possums, ferrets and stoats in Aorangi-Awarua (5,500 hectares) in Taihape; and pest control and fencing to exclude farm animals in Takenui (150 hectares) in Northland. The control protects high-value areas and threatened species such as kiwi and blue duck and allows regeneration.

Nature Heritage Fund

The Nature Heritage Fund is administered by an independent committee and responds to applications from landowners, organisations, local authorities and government departments. It funds and manages negotiations for direct purchases of areas of significant biodiversity value, or contributes to purchases by local authorities, Department of Conservation or other agencies. Landowners can also establish NHF covenants, which the NHF may assist through funding for fencing, survey and legal costs. The NHF can also help landowners with management costs, like fencing, on land already formally protected.

Since 1990, the NHF has approved 718 applications and protected over 258,000 hectares of indigenous ecosystems. Much of this would otherwise have been logged or cleared, or damaged by pests.

For further information about the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy:

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Page last updated: 30 April 2008