Description of habitat restoration and location | Major species conserved or protected at site | Size of area restored in hectares | Partnership Organisations | Area status as at 30 June 2025 | Frequency of monitoring and reporting of biodiversity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Torepatutahi Wetland | Wetland species including 3 at risk taxa including swamp nettle, fernbird and spotless crate | 37.8 | Ngati Tahu-Whaoa Runanga, Department of Conservation, Fish & Game and landowners | Enhanced | We undertake biannual monitoring of ecological transects to track restoration progress* |
Te Rau o Te Huia Steam | Riparian native flora and fauna species including geothermal kanuka and forked fern | 45 | Wairakei Ahi Tamo Ropu and Wairakei Charitable Trust | Enhanced | We undertake annual monitoring of the project area to track restoration progress |
Waipuwerawera Stream | Riparian, wetland environments and at-risk geothermal kanuka. | 22 | Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board, Taupo District Council, Pamu Farms, Department of Conservation and Wairakei Ahi Tamo Ropu | Enhanced | We undertake annual monitoring of the project area to track restoration progress |
Wairakei Geyser Valley | At-risk geothermal kanuka and geothermal ladder fern | 15 | Wairakei Thermal Valley, Land Information New Zealand and Wairakei Ahi Tamo Ropu | Restored | We undertake regular monitoring of the project area to track reinvasion of pest animals |
Mangaraupo Wetland | Wetland species including at risk bird fernbird | Approx. 8 | Landowners, Waikato Regional Council and Wairakei Ahi Tamo Ropu | Restored | We undertake regular monitoring of the project area to track reinvasion of pest plants |
Onekeneke Stream | Geothermal fern (cyclosorus interruptus) | Approx. 0.55 | Waikato Regional Council, Ngāti Hinerau and Ngāti Hineure | Enhanced | We undertake regular monitoring of the project area to track reinvasion of pest plants |
Lower Te Kiri o Hinekai | Geothermal ferns, including christella and giant hypolepis | Approx. 6 | Wairakei Resort, Wairakei Ahi Tamo Ropu | Enhanced | We undertake regular monitoring of the project area to track reinvasion of pest plants* |
Huka Block geothermal area retirement | At-risk geothermal kanuka | 1 | Greening Taupo | Enhanced | Annual monitoring for internal reporting |
Oruanui geothermal area retirement | At-risk geothermal kanuka and geothermal ladder fern | 3.3 hectares | Wairakei Ahi Tamo Ropu | Protected | Informally when monitoring the maintenance required |
Otumuheke Stream | Geothermal kanuka and geothermal ladder fern, cyclosorus, christella and giant hypolepis vegetation | 14 | Waikato Regional Council, Taupo District Council and Patuiwi Trust | Restored | We plan to undertake annual monitoring of the project area to track progress* |
Ohaaki Geothermal System- Riparian and geothermal environment | Early succession native flora and fauna and geothermal kanuka | 15 | Ngati Tahu Landowner collective | Protected | We plan to undertake annual monitoring of the project area to track progress |
Waikato River (Aratiatia Flats) | Early succession native flora and fauna | Approx. 2 | Te Kotahitanga o Ngati Tuwharetoa | Enhanced | Annual monitoring for internal reporting |
Wairakei Stream | Early succession native flora and fauna | 0.5 | Land Information NZ | Enhanced | Annual monitoring for internal reporting |
Taupo Golf Course - Project Birdlife | Early succession native flora and fauna and restoration of geothermal kanuka and its margins | 116 | Taupo Golf Course, Greening Taupo | Protected | We plan to undertake annual monitoring of the project area to track progress |
WEMCT Projects (Broadlands Rd Geothermal Area, TDC Geothermal Reserves, Craters of the Moon, Maunga Kākaramea and Tauhara Ngawha) | Geothermal kanuka, at-risk geothermal ferns and its margins | 616 | Wairakei Environmental Mitigation Charitable Trust (WEMCT), Greening Taupo, He Akina Ltd, Ngāti Tahu Ngati Whaoa Runanga Trust, Craters of the Moon Charitable Trust and Waikato Regional Council | Enhanced | Annual monitoring for reporting to WEMCT |
Tauhara Geothermal System - Retirement of land from pastoral agriculture to enhance biodiversity | Early succession native flora and fauna | 25 | Pamu Farms | Restored | Annual monitoring for internal reporting |
Wairakei Tauhara Geothermal System – Reversion of exotic plantation forests to native forests to enhance biodiversity | Conversion rom exotic plantation to early succession native flora and fauna | 9 | Pamu Farms | Restored | Informally when monitoring the maintenance required |
Wairakei Geothermal System - Retirement of land from pastoral agriculture to enhance biodiversity | Early succession native flora and fauna | 44 | Greening Taupo (selected sites across Wairakei Drive) | Restored | Annual monitoring for internal reporting |
Riparian Management- Ex Keegan (Stratford) | Riparian native flora and fauna species | 6 | Taranaki Regional Council | Enhanced | Monitored by Taranaki Regional Council as part of the riparian management plan |
Riparian management- Water intake (Stratford) | Riparian native flora and fauna species | 0.5 | Taranaki Regional Council | Enhanced | Monitored by Taranaki Regional Council as part of the riparian management plan |
Gladstone Gap, Hāwea (Not an offset site, but required through our Hāwea Foreshore and Landscape Management Plan.) | Early succession native flora and fauna | 0.5 | Hāwea Community Association (HCA). Wānaka Backyard trapping | Enhanced | Monitored by HCA, reviewed within HFLMP annually and formal review every 4 years, progression and work plans monitored through Biodiversity Management Plan |
As part of Native Fish programme, restoration continued at multiple locations in lower Clutha Mata-au in 2023/24 | At-risk native fish species such as inanga, tuna, kanakana and giant kōkopu | Rutherglen: 0.26 Bobs Creek: 0.74 Riverview Farms: 0.29 Creighton Park: 0.88 Fraserdowns: 2.06 Matau Branch Matai Channel & Pond: 0.57 Koau Branch Channel: 2.02 Landsdown, PAMU Farm: 0.25 Total: 7.07 | Department of Conservation | Enhanced | Annually as part of our resource consent requirements. DOC carry out monitoring and annually provide reports. Progression and work plans monitored through Biodiversity Management Plan. |
* Independent assurance has been undertaken for the restoration work on these sites.
Description of habitat restoration and location | Major species conserved or protected at site | Activities | Partnerships | Area status as at 30 June 2025 | Monitoring and reporting frequency |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Roxburgh Dam – Trap and transfer programme to facilitate the migration of native fish species | Adult tuna, juvenile elver and kanakana | 165kg of elver were trapped and transferred above the Roxburgh Dam. 296 adult tuna caught in the upper lakes of the Clutha Mata-au and released below the Roxburgh dam. 1 adult lamprey trapped and transferred above the Roxburgh Dam. | NIWA, DOC | N/A | Annually as part of our resource consent requirements. Progression and work plans monitored through Biodiversity Management Plan. |
We work with a variety of stakeholders to help identify habitats to protect and restore and we engage an Ecologist to undertake an assessment to develop a restoration plan for the particular area, including the types of management techniques necessary to address risks to biodiversity at each habitat.
In FY25 we introduced new, more useful definitions of area status. Protected = Preventing further degradation of intact ecosystems. Enhanced = Improving ecological function without full restoration. Restored = Areas that were previously degraded but have undergone active restoration to return to a more natural state.
IUCN Red list
Level of Extinction Risk | Number of species |
---|---|
Critically endangered | 2 |
Endangered | 5 |
Vulnerable | 3 |
Near threatened | 3 |
Least concern | 29 |
Not evaluated | 7 |
New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS)
Level of Extinction Risk | Number of species | |
---|---|---|
Threatened | Nationally critical | 2 |
Nationally endangered | 4 | |
Nationally vulnerable | 5 | |
Nationally increasing | 1 | |
At risk | Declining | 11 |
Uncommon | 7 | |
Recovering | 1 | |
Naturally uncommon | 2 | |
Not threatened | 18 |
At Risk category labels were updated by the Department of Conservation on 16 January 2025.
Other biodiversity KPIs
KPI | FY25 | FY24 | FY23 | FY22 | FY21 | FY20 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Native trees (rakau) planted | 62,978 | 51,212 | 66,339 | 55,206 | 29,068 | 30,806 |
Pests caught | 3,871 | 2,670 | 3,148 | 4,832 | 3,354 | 2,009 |
Human activity is causing a decline of biodiversity in Aotearoa New Zealand, through climate change, introduced invasive species, land / sea use change, direct exploitation, and pollution. Contact takes a range of mitigating actions to reduce our impacts on biodiversity. Our efforts are informed by a mitigation hierarchy (Avoid, Minimise, Restore, Offset, Compensate). For example:
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