Caring for the Landscapes of Aotearoa New Zealand is the final synthesis report from EDS’s 18-month, in-depth investigation into landscape management, co-authored by EDS Policy Director Raewyn Peart, Solicitor Cordelia Woodhouse, Environmental Policy Researcher Dr Deidre Koolen-Bourke, Policy Researcher Shay Schlaepfer and Manaaki Whenua Kairangahau Māori Lara Taylor.

Ms Peart says our fast-growing population, sprawling settlements and intensification of land-use pose serious threats to the values of our natural and cultural landscapes, , encroaching on our coasts, indigenous forests, wetlands and tussock grasslands.

The research has shown that many landscapes are still in decline with thousands of indigenous species threatened with extinction, continuing loss of native vegetation and wetlands, pollution of waterways and growing carbon emissions, and the current statutory management system is not working well to protect these places. 

Rules can be effective at stopping things but cannot generally make things happen. Many landscapes need active management.

The Synthesis Report is available here.

Image: Raewyn Peart