Environment of New Zealand

The environment of New Zealand is special because of its unique plants and animals that grew in a place far away from other parts of the world. The main islands of New Zealand have both warm and cooler climates, with tall mountains that have no trees. There are also many smaller islands far to the south.

New Zealand, showing mountains dividing a wet largely forested west coast from a drier east coast

Long ago, New Zealand had animals and plants that lived only there. But when people from Polynesians and later Europeans arrived, they brought new animals and plants. These new species sometimes hurt the native ones, causing many to disappear, especially birds.

Today, much of New Zealand has been changed by people using the land for cutting trees and farming. But many areas are now protected to help save the native plants and animals, especially in the less crowded South Island of New Zealand.

Physical environment

Further information: Physical geography of New Zealand

Natural disturbances

New Zealand has many natural changes to its land. Animals and plants have learned to live with these changes. These include quick changes like landslides, floods, el nino, and fires. Bigger, slower changes like massive eruptions and glacial maxima have also shaped where plants and animals live today.

The effect of bedrock on soil and ecology. Ultramafic rock (left) and mafic rock (right).

Soil

New Zealand’s soils change depending on the rocks underneath, the weather, the plants growing there, and how long the soil has had to form. In the central North Island, the felsic volcanic rocks lack some important nutrients plants need, like cobalt. In contrast, the rare ultramafic rocks of the South Island have many nutrients and are used as fertilizer. The warmer climate in Northland breaks down rocks faster, creating deeper soils. In wet, steep places like Fiordland, landslides happen often, which limits how much soil can form.

Climate

Main article: Climate of New Zealand

New Zealand’s weather is shaped by its location, winds from the west, being surrounded by water, and its tall mountains, especially the Southern Alps. Weather can change a lot from place to place — it can be very rainy on the West Coast of the South Island, almost dry in Central Otago and the Mackenzie Basin of inland Canterbury, and warm like a tropical area in Northland. The hottest ever recorded temperature was 42.4 °C (108.32 °F) in Rangiora, Canterbury, and the coldest was −25.6 °C (−14.08 °F) in Ranfurly, Otago.

Ecosystems and ecology

New Zealand has many different ecosystems because it has been separated from other lands for a very long time. This isolation has helped plants and animals develop in unique ways. The country has both warm and cool areas, with mountains that rise above the tree line.

New Zealand is famous for its unique plants and animals, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. Before people arrived, the only land animals were bats and some insects, with birds being very common. Forests cover much of the land, with different types depending on the climate and location. There are also grasslands, alpine areas, rivers, wetlands, and a large ocean environment around the country.

Conservation efforts are important because many plants and animals are in danger. Special strategies help protect these species, and some birds have been saved by moving them to safe islands.

Forests

A male brown kiwi. Eighty per cent of New Zealand's biota is endemic.

New Zealand’s forests are mainly of two types: temperate forests and beech forests. Temperate forests grow in warmer areas and have many layers of trees and plants. Beech forests grow in colder, high places. Both types are important for many plants and animals.

Grasslands

New Zealand has large areas of grasslands, especially in high places where trees cannot grow. These grasslands are important for water and help keep the land healthy.

Kauri tree and epiphytes

Alpine

The cold and windy mountains of New Zealand create special environments where only certain plants and animals can survive.

Rivers and wetlands

Coastal

Marine

Sub alpine lake

The ocean around New Zealand is huge and full of life, but it is affected by fishing and new species.

Rare natural ecosystems

Currently there are 72 recognised rare terrestrial ecosystems in New Zealand. They are environments that were always relatively uncommon like caves, serpentine soils or hot springs and those which have become endangered. There are also ecosystems where the physical environment is largely controlled by animal activity, such as areas of significant guano deposition.

Cultural landscapes

Unsustainable practices

New Zealand has groups trying to fix its environmental problems. Some people worry about using new technology to change plants and animals, and there are rules to control this.

There are also worries about mining, especially in places like the West Coast. In the past, cutting down forests was a big problem, but now there are rules to protect them. Better waste management helps reduce pollution.

Water pollution is still a challenge. Some rivers have too many plants because of pollution from farms. To help, groups worked together to make agreements to keep water clean. There are also debates about using certain chemicals to control animals that harm crops and forests.

Environmental politics

New Zealand has made promises to protect its environment. In 2020, the Labour Party promised to use only renewable energy by 2030 and to stop all greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Many groups in New Zealand care about the environment. The Values Party, formed in 1973, was the first national party focused on environmental issues. The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand works to protect nature and wildlife. Different political parties support the environment in different ways.

The country has special funds to help protect nature, like the Nature Heritage Fund, which buys land with important plants and animals. There are also areas where people cannot build or change the land, called protected areas. These include wilderness areas, special islands, and places in the ocean where fishing is not allowed.

New Zealand has joined many international agreements to help the environment around the world, such as agreements on climate change, protecting plants and animals, and keeping the oceans clean.

Level of environmental protection by political parties.
(blank indicates that the party was in not in Parliament)
Party	2002	2005	2008
Alliance	56%
ACT Party	10%	10%
Green Party	97%	97%	97%
Labour Party	57%	61%	44%
Māori Party		83%	87%
National Party	27%	43%	27%
NZ First	59%	50%	78%
Progressive Party	76%	81%	60%
United Future	28%	48%	53%

Evaluations of New Zealand's environmental performance

State of the Environment reporting

The Ministry for the Environment has made reports about the State of the Environment in 1997, 2007, and 2016.

Environmental Performance Index

The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) shows how well a country cares for its environment. Countries get a score out of 100. In 2016, New Zealand got a score of 88 out of 100 and was ranked 11th out of 132 countries. In 2010, New Zealand got a score of 40.3 out of 100 for how its ecosystems affect water quality, and it was ranked 43rd out of 132 countries.

OECD environmental performance review

In 2007, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) looked at New Zealand’s environment. Some of their main ideas were:

The use of energy is about the same as other OECD countries.
New Zealand uses less water, fertiliser, and pesticides than many other OECD countries, but these uses have been increasing.
New Zealand should make stronger rules to guide environmental policies.
New Zealand should include environmental concerns more in economic decisions.
New Zealand should work more with other countries on environmental issues.