Cats among the pigeons
We are continuing to investigate the potential for cat owners to adopt control measures for their cats, to help reduce predator pressure on native birds (see Pūtaiao issue 22). Our researchers have recently provided evidence-based advice to the Zealandia ecosanctuary in Wellington to help them develop a communications strategy to engage effectively with cat owners living close by. The strategy aims to minimise owned-cat impacts on spillover native birds that travel into and out of the sanctuary.
Advice on transition forest management for the Parliamentary Commission for the Environment
Simon Upton, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE), has released a new report, Alt-F Reset: Examining the drivers of forestry in New Zealand. In the report, the PCE discusses how current policies are shaping our forest estate and looks at which alternative forestry systems could play a greater role in afforestation.
Dr Norm Mason, Dr Insu Jo and Dr Narkis Morales contributed expertise on the management of transition forests (transitioning from exotic to native over time), beginning with faster growing short-lived exotic species that can provide canopy closure to suppress weeds, including for short-term carbon income within the Emissions Trading Scheme. The transition from existing “derelict” forests (e.g. Pinus radiata) that are uneconomical or unsafe to harvest, to native forests was also considered. Several management scenarios were tested, covering combinations of exotic canopy disturbance interventions, with or without supplementary planting of native
canopy-dominant species.
This enabled the researchers to assess which were most successful in restoring native dominance, and to estimate the potential carbon consequences of transitioning from exotic to native species. The work depended on models of native forest dynamics and exotic plantation growth, because there is almost no empirical data on carbon change in transition forests.
“Given the large area of existing forests unsuitable to harvest, as well as widespread landowner interest in using exotic species to initiate native reforestation, this is an area that could be prioritised for future data collection,” says Norm.
New Zealand Plant Checklists published
In May 2025 the latest editions of the New Zealand Plant Checklists were made available for download from the Manaaki Whenua DataStore – Checklists. Extracted from the New Zealand Plant Names Database and maintained by the team at the Allan Herbarium in Lincoln, these nationally and internationally cited checklists are indispensable resources for anyone working with New Zealand’s flora.
The updated checklists cover the following groups: Seed Plants; Ferns and Lycophytes; Hornworts, Liverworts and Mosses; and the Annual Checklist of Vascular Plant Names with NVS Codes (for the Department of Conservation).
Each checklist includes a hierarchical taxonomic list, biostatus information (e.g. indigenous, endemic, naturalised), an alphabetical listing of genera and species, and statistical summaries for each group.
The checklists serve as critical reference tools for biodiversity research, policy development, conservation planning, and biosecurity efforts. They’re actively used by agencies such as DOC, MPI, EPA, and regional councils, and are among the most frequently cited New Zealand botanical resources worldwide.
The New Zealand Plant Names Database now contains over 50,000 scientific names, and is continuously updated by a team of expert taxonomists, with data refreshed hourly to the Biota of New Zealand platform.
Contributing our science to the Treasury’s Living Standard Framework
Our biennial Environmental Perceptions Survey (EPS) monitors changes in New Zealanders’ environmental attitudes, perceptions, and preferences over time through repeated measurement. The survey also provides independent commentary on environmental issues of public concern, both as a contribution to public debate and as a way to alert government and other interested parties to these issues. We have led this project since 2022.
The EPS has now been chosen and used by the Treasury as their long-term indicator for “perceived environmental quality” within their Living Standard Framework. The Framework is a national and well-referenced tool that tracks changes in key metrics about New Zealand’s environment and the well-being of New Zealanders.