Future direction for the conservation of New Zealand?s biodiversity

Abstract

Recent analyses (Clout, 2001; Cullen et al. 2005; Hartley, 1997; Joseph et al. 2008; Joseph et al. 2009) of the management of New Zealand?s biodiversity have highlighted the challenge of allocating limited resources, especially the funding of threatened species. Our essay includes frequent citation of Joseph et al. (2008, 2009) as the Project Prioritization Protocol (PPP) modal proposed in their papers is co-written by Department of Conservation (DOC) staff, and may be the metric used in future allocation of resources to New Zealand?s threatened species. Limited resourcing of threatened species management and recovery is a worldwide problem, extensively documented in the conservation literature (Spring et al. 2007; Sutherland, 2009). Reviews of conservation management practices (Craig and Stewart, 1994; Sutherland, 2009; Sutherland et al. 2004; Ussher, 1999) have called for the justification of conservation research by quantifying biodiversity changes and testing solutions. Therefore it is appropriate that novel strategies such as those presented by Joseph et al. (2008, 2009) are available for assessment. Any suggestions for improvement must engage a full debate on the current demands on natural resources (Sarukhan and Whyte, 2005) and the emerging threats to biodiversity, such as climate change (Kostyack and Rohlf, 2008). Development and Implementation of management strategies for threatened species need to be cognizant of not only the ecological (Clark et al. 1994; Tear et al. 1993) needs of threatened species, but also cultural (Charnley, 2006; Craig and Stewart, 1994; McBride et al. 2007) and economic (Craig, 1998; Cullen et al. 2005; Moran, 2003; Perhans et al. 2008; Sinden, 2004) factors.