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The Waikato Regional Biodiversity Strategy – Te Mauri o te Taiao, sets a clear, shared direction for the next 25 years to stop further biodiversity loss, reverse decline, and invest where the return for communities and nature is highest. This includes integrating biodiversity restoration with catchment management, recognising nature as essential infrastructure that protects communities and supports long‑term economic wellbeing. It aims to turn many good projects into one coordinated programme of action across land, freshwater, coastal and marine environments.

The purpose of this survey is to gather further feedback on the draft strategy. We would appreciate feedback on the outcomes, pou (pillars/themes), and strategic focus areas.

Since there are several components to the strategy, this survey is designed so that participants can pick and choose which areas they would like to provide feedback on.

Please note that all feedback is anonymous and participants cannot and will not be identified.

Read the Draft Waikato Regional Biodiversity Strategy here.

This survey closes 15 July 2026.

Outcome #1 - Ecosystems across the region flourish and expand, ki uta ki tai (mountains to the sea)

By 2050, the overall extent, condition and connectivity of ecosystems has increased, linking forests and mountains with lowland environments and the sea. Priority effort is delivering measurable recovery first in rare and depleted ecosystems (e.g. lowland forests, wetlands, dunes and estuaries) to ensure a representative range of healthy, functioning ecosystem types across the region.

1.  

Do you agree that Outcome #1 should be included in the strategy?

Outcome #2 - Indigenous/taonga species and their habitats are recovering

By 2050, indigenous species threat status has improved in the region, with secure habitats and restored migration pathways (e.g. fish passage, corridors) supporting self-sustaining populations. 

2.  

Do you agree that Outcome #2 should be included in the strategy?

Outcome #3 - Communities are informed, supported and motivated to restore and champion the Waikato region’s biodiversity

By 2050, people, landowners and the community are informed, supported and motivated to act as active stewards of indigenous biodiversity. They have the knowledge, resources, funding and partnerships they need to take meaningful action, with barriers reduced and opportunities made easy to access, so that caring for nature becomes a shared part of everyday life, local identity and community pride

3.  

Do you agree that Outcome #3 should be included in the strategy?

Outcome #4 - Māori leadership, mātauranga Māori and kaitiakitanga guide biodiversity restoration

By 2050, Treaty‑based partnership approaches enable whānau, hapū, iwi and Māori organisations to exercise their roles as rangatira and kaitiaki, leading and partnering in the delivery of biodiversity restoration and in shared decision‑making. Mātauranga Māori indicators are reported alongside biophysical measures, and culturally significant sites and taonga species show clear gains.

4.  

Do you agree that Outcome #4 should be included in the strategy?

Outcome #5 - People and nature prosper together in the Waikato region

By 2050, people and nature prosper together because healthy ecosystems underpin the region’s economy, protect communities from climate impacts, and support sustainable land and water use. Biodiversity is recognised as essential natural infrastructure – strengthening productivity, resilience and wellbeing across the Waikato region.

5.  

Do you agree that Outcome #5 should be included in the strategy?

Pou & Strategic Focus Areas

Four pou (pillars) define the major domains where effort must occur and these provide the structural backbone of the strategy. They remain stable across the strategy timeframe and organise activity without describing detailed work.

Each of the four pou contribute to all five of the strategy’s long term biodiversity outcomes.

The strategic focus areas identify the priority directions within each pou and clarifies what must advance in that domain to achieve the strategy’s outcomes.

Pou #1 - Protecting and restoring what matters

PouStrategic Focus Areas
Pou 1 - Protecting and restoring what matters

Protecting and restoring native species, habitats and the ecological functioning of ecosystems by addressing climate, biosecurity and other threats while preserving the values that connect people to the environment. 
  • Prioritise restoration of the region’s most threatened, rare and vulnerable ecosystems
  • Reconnect ecosystems through ecological corridors, linkages and buffers – ki uta ki tai (mountains to sea)
  • Protect and restore wetlands, peatlands, floodplains, riparian margins and coastal systems as frontline nature-based solutions for climate and ecosystem resilience
  • Scale up coordinated landscape-scale pest control operations with specific targets as a core biodiversity and biosecurity delivery mechanism
6.  

Do you agree that Pou #1 and the corresponding strategic focus areas should be included in the strategy?

Pou #2 - Protecting and restoring what matters

PouStrategic Focus Areas
Pou 2 - Empowering landowners and communities

Empowering landowners and local communities through advocacy, education and practical support while building community capacity and capability to actively participate in biodiversity efforts. 
  • Maintain a network of regional biodiversity support hubs for community groups, landowners and local iwi/hapū
  • Facilitate long-term, coordinated and accessible funding to enable secure investment in biodiversity restoration
  • Grow public awareness, participation and storytelling about biodiversity across the region
  • Build capacity and capability for locally led action
7.  

Do you agree that Pou #2 and the corresponding strategic focus areas should be included in the strategy?

Pou #3 - Partnering with tangata whenua

PouStrategic Focus Areas
Pou 3 - Partnering with tangata whenua

Working alongside iwi and hapū to embed mātauranga Māori and guide engagement, leadership and delivery in biodiversity management, while upholding the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. 
  • Embed iwi aspirations, te ao Māori values, and mātauranga Māori into all biodiversity planning and delivery
  • Establish long-term, equitable funding pathways to support iwi, hapū and whānau-led biodiversity action
  • Co-design and implement Māori led monitoring and kaitiaki development programmes
  • Create co-designed partnership models for ecosystem restoration on shared Māori land
  • Restore culturally significant biodiversity sites and revitalise customary practices
8.  

Do you agree that Pou #3 and the corresponding strategic focus areas should be included in the strategy?

Pou #4 - Strengthening data, policy, and investment

PouStrategic Focus Areas
Pou 4 - Strengthening data, policy, and investment

Building the quality data, policy and funding settings needed to prioritise the right places for biodiversity restoration, measure impact and guide action across the Waikato region. 
  • Strengthen policy consistency and alignment across councils and central government
  • Develop a clear biodiversity spatial framework for the region
  • Set and implement regional environmental limits for biodiversity
  • Deliver "no net loss of indigenous biodiversity" through clear policy and strong rules
  • Develop and implement targeted incentives to reverse ongoing ecosystem degradation and drive biodiversity gains beyond "no net loss"
  • Build shared understanding and better knowledge through targeted research, consistent biodiversity monitoring and clear accessible information
9.  

Do you agree that Pou #4 and the corresponding strategic focus areas should be included in the strategy?

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