The spice of life: biodiversity
Nature is a delicate balance – a series of interconnected systems where each organism has a role to play in sustaining natural processes. These processes keep our soil, water, and air clean.
From kiwi to kauri, New Zealand is known worldwide for its native biodiversity that is endemic – flora and fauna you can only find here. If we lose one piece of the puzzle, the entire picture is damaged.
In Wellington, we are working hard to put the pieces of our puzzle back together.
Wellington's beautiful biodiversity
Wellington is home to some spectacular species and is unique for the way we are nestled into nature, with green spaces and the harbour all around us.
In Wellington, you can see penguins and pīngao around the rugged south coast, flax-covered cliffs, dolphins in the harbour, and tall miro and mataī in dense old-growth forests.
Nature in the City map
Recreation – Enjoy the outdoors
Our Natural Capital – Wellington's Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan: Wellington's biodiversity journey (1MB PDF)
Wellington's biodiversity at risk
Because of historic clearing of the forests and introduction of foreign species and pests, many of our native species have become extinct or are now threatened species.
As the climate changes, protecting biodiversity and restoring natural processes is becoming critical. Without healthy natural ecosystems, we risk losing key parts of our native biodiversity that help store carbon and protect the land from changing weather such as droughts and storms.
It will take the work of all of us together to help protect and restore our environment.
Bringing biodiversity back
It's not just the nature we have in Wellington that sets us apart, it's also how we are looking after it. Wellington is world-renowned for its environmental restoration work, especially protecting our native biodiversity and restoring it.
What we do for the environment
What you can do
From raising awareness to taking action, there's a lot you can do to help protect Wellington's biodiversity.
What you can do for the environment