Aotearoa New Zealand needs a nature-based solutions approach to climate change. Forest & Bird urges the Government and decision-makers to prioritise planting, restoring, and protecting native forests as a key climate action.
Cloud covered forest. Credit Craig McKenzie
Many of our native forests, once vital carbon sinks, may now be releasing carbon due to damage from introduced browsing animals. This weakens our ability to meet our international climate commitments and exacerbates the climate crisis.
While urgent emissions reductions remain the priority, we must also restore public and private native forests to improve carbon storage, build resilience, and protect biodiversity. Achieving this requires a fundamental shift in how forests are managed across the country.
Investing in native forests is a win-win: it benefits the climate, biodiversity, landholders, kaitiaki, and the economy while supporting New Zealand’s climate commitments.
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Key recommendations
• Support native forests: Provide incentives to protect existing native forests and plant new ones for long-term carbon storage and climate resilience.
• Balance native and exotic forestry: Ensure policies prioritise native afforestation while rapidly phasing out exotic carbon forestry for short-term sequestration.
• Invest in science: Continue funding scientific research to improve how we measure carbon sequestration and emissions in native forests.