New Zealand

New Zealand Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton, is calling for the Government to lift its game in protecting native ecosystems from the thousands of exotic plants spreading throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. “Rampaging weeds pose a deadly threat to our native ecosystems by smothering, outcompeting and preventing regeneration of native plants,” the Commissioner says in a report released today. The report, Space invaders: A review of how New Zealand manages weeds that threaten native ecosystems, explains that protecting our native ecosystems from being overrun by weeds not only helps our native taonga plants, but also saves crucial habitat our taonga fauna need to survive.

A new project, "Managing Invasive Species for Climate Change Adaptation in the Pacific", is underway to allow Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) to take stronger action against invasive species and thereby build resilience to climate change. Invasive species make ecosystems and communities more vulnerable to natural disasters and the impacts of climate change. They increase erosion, reduce food and fish production, and pose critical threats to ecosystem services and human health. Invasive species will become more widespread as disturbances, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, and temperatures all increase under climate change.

We need your help to keep watch for the brown marmorated stink bug. The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is an agricultural, horticultural, and social pest. It's native to Asia and has spread throughout North America and Europe. It isn’t established in New Zealand, but this sneaky pest hitchhikes on passengers and imported goods. We’ve caught them at our border many times. We need everyone’s help to keep an eye out for them.

If you think you’ve found a brown marmorated stink bug – don't kill it.

• Catch it.
• Take a photo
• Call us immediately on 0800 80 99 66.

Predator Free 2050 is an ambitious goal to rid New Zealand of the most damaging introduced predators that threaten our nation’s natural taonga, our economy and primary sector. Join us in eradicating New Zealand's most damaging introduced predators: rats, stoats and possums. Going predator free will bring us a huge range of environmental, cultural, social and economic benefits. Predator Free 2050 aims at milestone goals in every four year period. Find out how far we've come since 2016.