New Zealand has unveiled an innovative digital tool called the Eco-index Ecosystem Restoration Map, aimed at revolutionizing biodiversity restoration efforts in the country. With biodiversity decline becoming increasingly pronounced, New Zealand faces the challenge of preserving its threatened indigenous species, which have the highest proportion of threats globally. However, collecting accessible and consistent data on biodiversity has been a challenge, impeding the planning and execution of large-scale restoration projects.
To address this issue, the Eco-index Ecosystem Restoration Map has been developed as New Zealand’s first open-access digital tool in this field. It fills the information gaps by providing science-based data on native ecosystems and biodiversity. The map enables users to identify suitable native ecosystems for restoration projects within specific catchment areas and highlights areas with low native ecosystem cover that require the highest restoration priorities.
Developed in collaboration with Indigenous leaders, rural professionals, community group leaders, government, and industry bodies, the map aims to facilitate national discussions, policy-making, and planning for ecosystem restoration. It integrates ecological, economic, social, and data science, along with Indigenous knowledge, known as mātauranga Māori. Feedback from users and data from new technologies will continually refine the map.
New Zealand is also addressing national biodiversity issues through policies such as the national biodiversity strategy and the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity. The strategy focuses on improving systems that impact biodiversity, empowering individuals to take action, and protecting or restoring native biodiversity. The Eco-index aligns with the national objective of achieving a minimum of 10% Indigenous vegetation cover, setting its own goal of 15% native ecosystem cover.
The rationale behind the 15% goal is that large tracts of native ecosystems support a greater number of species compared to fragmented patches. When an area falls below 10-20% of its original land cover, the number of species it can sustain declines rapidly. Furthermore, New Zealand is signatory to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which sets the stage for assessing and reporting biodiversity outcomes on an international level.
Globally, there is growing interest in strategic biodiversity support, including policy frameworks and sustainable finance. Initiatives such as biodiversity credit frameworks and the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures aim to make cumulative, positive impacts on nature. The success of these efforts relies on high-quality data to understand the current state and trends in biodiversity and monitor progress.
The Eco-index group, established in 2020, aims to protect, restore, and connect biodiversity in New Zealand by 2121. It aligns with inter-generational land-management thinking, acknowledging that achieving native biodiversity ambitions requires time. The Eco-index is the first publicly available digital tool in New Zealand, with additional tools under development for release in the future. These tools will empower large-scale restoration planning by providing customized spatial and economic tools to identify optimal planting locations, inform costings, and evaluate ecosystem services.
The Eco-index Ecosystem Restoration Map represents a significant step forward in addressing the pressing issue of declining biodiversity in New Zealand. By providing accessible and comprehensive data, this innovative tool will assist stakeholders in making informed decisions, setting restoration priorities, and working towards achieving the country’s biodiversity goals. With ongoing refinement and the integration of new technologies, the map has the potential to serve as a global model for ecosystem restoration efforts.
