Native birds in 'desperate situation' with 80 per cent threatened - commissioner

Wednesday, 31 May 2017

The whio, a duck which lives in fast flowing waters in forests, is threatened.

The Government has ruled out a border tax to increase conservation funding but says it will raise prices on its great walks for international visitors.

Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright urged the Government to consider a nature levy applied at the border.

In her latest report, released Wednesday, Wright concluded native bird species were in a 'desperate situation' and more must be done to stop their decline.

About 80 per cent of native bird species were in trouble and some were at risk of extinction, Wright said.

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Kea, the world's only alpine parrot and among the most intelligent known bird species, is in trouble.

The report, Taonga of an Island Nation: Saving New Zealand's Birds, makes seven recommendations to the Government, including investigating imposing a levy on tourists to better fund conservation work.

'It kind of reinforces the idea that this is why people come here. Wilderness is becoming scarcer and scarcer worldwide – and with scarcity comes value,' she said.

'When it comes to biodiversity, if you haven't got enough money, you just don't do stuff. I worry as this tourist pressure grows, more of that money goes towards infrastructure and services than preserving what they came to see.'

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry ruled out such a levy and said there were other ways to recoup costs.

'Our Government has ruled out using a border tax. We believe while a lot of people come to New Zealand to enjoy our nature and our landscapes, not all of them do,' she said.

'It's a fairly blunt instrument.'

It was, however, planning on introducing preferential charging for its great walks and huts, charging international visitors more. She said it was known both locally and internationally that the Department of Conservation (DOC) had low charges for its facilities.

'We're in the process of working that out at the moment. What we will have at the start of the next booking season is a clearly understood and well worked through methodology around charging international visitors more.

'Our national parks have not run at a profit, so we need to increase the money we charge for our facilities and we are absolutely of a mind to do that.'

Overall, she agreed with Wright's conclusion that many native species were at risk and said the Government was committed to protecting them.

A THIRD IN SERIOUS TROUBLE

New Zealand has 168 native bird species, 93 of which are endemic – found nowhere else. The United Kingdom, for comparison, has one endemic bird.

A third of all native birds are in 'serious trouble' and nearly half 'in some trouble', according to Wright's report. Only one in five species is doing OK.

'This is a desperate situation,' she said.

'Despite the efforts of many, most of our native birds are in trouble.'

She said some of our most unique endemic birds – kea, wrybill, and whio – were seriously threatened.

The greatest pressures came from introduced predators such as possums, stoats, rats and feral cats.

Predator control measures such as 1080 poison were effective and made a serious difference, but came at a high cost.

The Government's Predator Free 2050 goal was commendable, but came with little detail. Some species were at serious risk now.

It relied on technological breakthroughs and, while the science was promising, it may involve issues such as genetic engineering, which would require an open and honest debate with the public.

Greater predator control was needed immediately.

'We cannot wait for long-term breakthrough science before stepping up predator control. If we do, the patient will die before the hospital is built.

'We need to be doing things differently right now. There is a time cost.'

Her vision was to restore abundant birdlife on mainland New Zealand.

'Let us aim for much more than bird ‘museums’ on offshore islands that few can ever visit.'

Environment groups welcomed the report.

'Our native birds are in crisis and need a genuine whole-of-government approach to bringing them back from the brink,' Forest & Bird chief executive Kevin Hague said.

'All government agencies must prioritise the conservation of our unique native species. This will require an overhaul of those departments whose policies and actions are currently driving many of these animals to extinction.'

Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Chris Roberts said he agreed with much of the report, but opposed a visitor levy.

'The people come here for our scenery, not our wildlife.'

New Zealanders created the situation, not visitors, he said.