Monday 3 November 2025
Maintaining Otago’s unique biodiversity will take all of us. ORC Chair Hilary Calvert says pressure from threats like habitat loss, invasive pests, and climate change, will mean that protecting Otago’s native biodiversity will take a real team effort.
“Across the region, mana whenua, communities, landowners, and businesses are stepping up — and in true Otago fashion, they’re already making a difference. But more is needed.”
“ORC’s draft Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy builds on the work happening right now and what we’ve already heard from the public and brings together ORC’s work programmes and strengths: the knowledge we hold, our approach to integrated catchment management, biosecurity work, and empowering others through our catchment advisors.”
Otago’s indigenous, or native biodiversity is remarkably varied.
It ranges from the cheeky kea in the Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o te Moana to mokomoko (skinks) sun-basking on schist tors in Central Otago; from mountain wētā literally freezing on Pātearoa / the Rock and Pillar Range to hoiho / yellow-eyed penguins on our coast.
Galaxiid fishes cling to refuge streams, while threatened cushion plants and native grasses eke out a living on wind-scoured ridgetops. Lowland podocarps, kānuka shrublands, and rare dune systems hold remnants of once-dominant ecosystems.
Tuaki/cockles nestle in coastal estuaries, and offshore, pakake / New Zealand sea lions, forests of rimurapa / giant kelp and sponge gardens play their part.
Ms Calvert says the draft strategy is the next step after our 2018 Biodiversity Strategy and 2019 Biosecurity Strategy.
“It includes a long-term vision for the region and shorter-term goals for between now and 2040. It also contains ORC’s approach to strengthening the collective effort of mana whenua, communities, landowners, businesses, central government and local councils.”
“It sets the course for us to deliver on our responsibilities and meet our community’s expectations to look after our unique biodiversity. The final strategy will guide our future work, but it won’t create new rules.”
“The draft does not include budgets or work plans as we’ll be asking for your feedback on these through our Long-Term Plan and Annual Plan.”
An online survey opens today, asking for your feedback on the draft strategy; for example does it go far enough or is there something missing?”
Read the draft and give feedback. Are the draft vision and outcomes ambitious enough? What do you think about how we plan to get there?
Feedback is open today until 31 November 2025.
Share your feedback on Otago’s draft Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy. Learn about our long-term vision to protect native species, support community action, and guide how ORC works with mana whenua, landowners, and councils.
Otago’s environment provides habitats for many native plants and animals. These habitats support the health of our ecosystems and it's important we look after them.
We've developed a biodiversity strategy to set out collective outcomes for Otago, inform ORC work programmes, and establish a collaborative framework.
