Biodiversity: monitoring and reporting

Biodiversity monitoring in the Waikato

Many of our native plants and animals are unique to New Zealand - some are found only in our region. Some are already extinct and many others are under threat from habitat loss and degradation, pests and disease.

Waikato Regional Council regularly monitors and reports on our region's coastal, freshwater and terrestrial (growing on the land and in the ground) biodiversity.

Our indicators summarise the results of our science and monitoring programmes, and provide a holistic report on the state of the Waikato region's environment.

Indicators

Extent of freshwater wetlands

This indicator describes and quantifies the spatial extent and distribution of freshwater wetland vegetation and how that has changed over time.

Coverage of protected freshwater wetlands

This indicator reports on what wetland types are best protected, who is protecting them, and where they are protected.

Extent of indigenous vegetation on land

This indicator measures changes in indigenous vegetation extent, and which vegetation and habitat types are at greatest risk of loss.

Forest fragmentation

This indicator measures indigenous forest fragmentation in the Waikato region and how this has changed over time (from 1840 to 2018).

Indigenous coverage of protected areas on land

This indicator monitors changes in the amount of indigenous vegetation and natural land cover that is under some form of legal protection.

Coastal biology

This indicator describes the diversity of animals that live in our estuaries.

Extent of coastal habitats

This indicator is based on an estimate of the spatial extent and distribution of different intertidal vegetated habitats in selected estuaries within the Waikato region.

Protected coastal areas

This indicator monitors the area of Waikato Regional Council's marine environment which is legally protected or subject to management controls.