What are ecological resources?

New Zealand contains significant ecological resources, including native and indigenous biodiversity. Many of our state highways pass through areas containing these significant ecological resources, including national parks.

We aim to avoid, remedy or mitigate potential adverse effects on these ecological resources.

How state highways can affect ecological resources

The effects that state highways can place on these ecological resources include:

  • the potential for wildlife to be killed or repelled within an ecological corridor where a state highway passes
  • the removal of vegetation and dispersal of pest species
  • affects on catchments, such as where streams need to culverted, which can cause restrictions to fish passage.

Our commitment to ecological resources

We are developing ecological assessment guidelines to help us with meet our commitments to:

  • promote biodiversity on the state highway network
  • have no net loss of native vegetation, wetlands, critical habitat or endangered species
  • limit the spread of plant pests.

Research reports

The following ecological research reports have been funded through our research programme:

Other resources

Contact us

Email us at environment@nzta.govt.nz to register to receive email notification of environmental updates, or for more information.