This benefit, which is largely focused on biodiversity, is concerned primarily with indigenous vegetation, ecosystems, and habitats for indigenous species. Our indigenous biodiversity is significant internationally, as New Zealand is a ‘biodiversity hot spot’, with 52,000 species only found in Aotearoa.
Biodiversity is fundamental to life and central to the environmental systems people and other organisms depend on, and New Zealand’s indigenous biodiversity has deep intrinsic value. The important resources and services such as clean air and water, fertile soils, pollution and flood control provided by biodiversity underpins New Zealand’s economic and social sustainability.
Investment in land transport system construction and maintenance, and daily operational use, can impact both positively and negatively on land and biodiversity, including habitat fragmentation, connectivity, availability and quality of ecosystems and habitat, diversity of native flora and fauna, and biosecurity.
Qualitative measures are available in the framework for this benefit, including biodiversity and productive land, and consider the impact on ecological components, functions and processes.
7.2.1 Biodiversity*
7.2.2 Productive land*
Measures marked * are qualitative.
For more information about these measures see Land Transport Benefits Framework measures manual.
Land Transport Benefits Framework measures manual
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