Environment

Bringing back our native plants and animals helps to restore our biodiversity.

Baby skink.

Biodiversity is the combination of all living things in a place. It includes birds and insects, microbes, fungi and plants, people and their pets, and even farm animals.

Because many new species have been introduced (such as possums and wild ginger), the native birds and plants that make our region so special are becoming rarer. This is known as biodiversity loss.

Everyone can do something to help protect our native biodiversity, whether it be as simple as keeping your cat indoors during the day or planting natives and trapping pests.

Find out more: Download the 'Restoring the Balance' biodiversity kit from our publications section

Actions you can take

Control pest animals

Possums chomp their way through thousands of tonnes of native forest and also eat birds' eggs and insects.  Rats and mice are big predators of native wildlife and the food they eat.  Where pest animal numbers are reduced by using traps or poison, bird numbers soon recover and the health of our forests improves.

Find out more: Pest animal information

Plant natives

Native plants provide homes and food for our birds, lizards and insects.  Some native plants, like kowhai, flower at the time native birds, like tui, need extra energy for their breeding season. That's why you see tui drinking the nectar during spring.

Find out more:  Download a copy of our Northland native plant guide from our publications section

Remove pest plants

There are 35,000 introduced plant species in New Zealand, but only 2,000 native plant species.  We can all do our bit to give our native plants a better chance of survival by removing pest plants and weeds.

Find out more: Pest plant information

Restore wetlands and streamsides

Wetlands provide a habitat for native plants and animals and can also make your property more attractive and improve your water quality.  Fencing and planting your streamsides, also known as riparian margins, can also have substantial benefits for you and the environment.

Find out more: Download our Wetland Restoration and Clean Streams Guide from our publications section

Flax can provide food for birds like the bellbird, silvereye and tui.