Ecological Corridors NZ

EcologicalCorridorsNZ is a research project that aims to contribute to the discussion on how Aotearoa New Zealand might implement ecological corridors.

Ecological corridors (also known as biological or wildlife corridors) are protected areas that connect species’ habitats (or link protected areas, such as reserves or national parks). The Institute has been working on a project to develop ecological corridors which would connect national parks along the length of Aotearoa. This is not a new idea and has been implemented internationally and in Aotearoa (on a smaller scale). It is suggested this project would begin with the country’s first ecological corridor of scale, using stewardship land currently owned by DOC to connect national parks on the west coast of the South Island.

Corridors allow species to travel freely between areas, improving their habitat, protecting them from the impacts of climate change, improving biodiversity and allowing native flora and fauna to thrive. Successfully implementing corridors will increase the amount of forest cover in Aotearoa, creating carbon sinks to mitigate our increasing carbon emissions, and purifying the air we breathe.