Statement of Intent
Outcome: The Environment
Intermediate Outcome 3.1 – Sustainable use of resources (and the natural systems on which they are based) by the agricultural, food and forestry sectors
What are we seeking to achieve?
The sectors’ use of, and impact on, the biophysical environment are sustainable in the long-run.
New Zealand is a recognised leader in the sustainable use of biophysical production resources in agricultural, food, forestry and related activities.
Why is this priority?
New Zealand’s biophysical environment is integral to New Zealanders’ lifestyle, culture and recreational activities, and is a major driver of economic performance. However, the sectors’ use of the environment can create negative impacts. These impacts have to be mitigated to ensure the sustainability of the economic and non-economic use of the biophysical environment over time.
What will we do to achieve this?
MAF monitors the environmental impact of the sectors’ activities, discourages environmentally harmful practices, supports the use of sustainable farming and forestry activities and promotes ways in which to increase the productivity of current resource use. MAF is also developing a sustainable development framework for the agricultural and forestry sectors.
How will we demonstrate our success?
MAF measures success in achieving this outcome by monitoring the sectors’ current use of, and impact on, the environment as well as their progress toward adopting sustainable practices that, over time, will lessen the negative impacts associated with the sectors’ activities.
As such, positive outcomes or success will be evident if there is:
• an increase in meeting the priority actions and performance targets associated with the Dairy and Clean Streams Accord;
• a decrease in agricultural emissions of methane and nitrous oxide per unit of output;
• an increase in uptake and participation in the Permanent Forest Sink Initiative.
Intermediate Outcome 3.2 – Prevention and reduction of harm to the natural environment from pests and diseases (see also the discussion of Intermediate Outcome 1.4)
What are we seeking to achieve?
There has been a reduction of environmental loss from pests and disease (over and above that which would otherwise have happened).
Why is this a priority?
The natural environment is threatened, among other things, by harmful pests and diseases that can destroy or damage New Zealand’s ecosystems or aspects of its biophysical environment. The management of pests and diseases therefore contributes to the protection of the natural environment. This includes balancing the trade-offs between societal expectations for the environment with the reality of pest management.
What will we do to achieve this?
MAF is one of a few government agencies with a statutory role in managing and protecting New Zealand’s biophysical environment, including marine environments, land, rivers and lakes.
How will we demonstrate our success?
MAF continually monitors its border control and biosecurity systems to determine whether interventions have been successful in detecting all potentially harmful pests and diseases. System or “pathway” detection failures are recorded as slippage – meaning the proportion of potentially harmful pests and diseases not detected by MAF interventions.
As such, positive outcomes or success will be evident if there is:
• effective and efficient post-border management of pests with the potential to harm the environment;
• an increase in, or maintenance of, the biodiversity of ecosystems;
• an increase in, or at least maintenance of, the remaining indigenous habitat (in more or less primary condition);
• a decrease in the number of threatened ecosystems;
• maintenance of the current diversity in indigenous species and an increase in coverage proportionate to introduced species.
Information on biodiversity is collected in different ways and often not geographically referenced. This makes comparisons between different parts of the country, and developing a national picture of the state of biodiversity, difficult. The Department of Conservation is developing a new management system to build a national inventory of New Zealand’s natural heritage – this will lead to the creation of standardised national databases of biodiversity information. Future iterations of the Outcomes Framework will include relevant data.
A system to monitor and report on the state of New Zealand’s species and landscapes is to be introduced by DOC, alongside guidelines for protecting indigenous biodiversity on private land. Potentially, a national policy statement for indigenous biodiversity will be developed which will inform pest management decision-making.
Intermediate Outcome 3.3 – Prevention and reduction of harm to resources of economic and cultural value to Māori from pests and diseases (also see the discussion of Intermediate Outcome 1.4)
What are we seeking to achieve?
Indigenous flora and fauna, and land and water environments important to Māori, are protected from harm from pests and diseases. Māori are aware of, and actively support, the efforts of agencies with biosecurity responsibilities in protecting ecosystems4 and indigenous and introduced species.
Why is this a priority?
Māori are key players in the agricultural, forestry and related industries and, in this respect, have a similar interests to other resource owners in biosecurity (Outcome 1.4) as well as concerns about the impact of pests and diseases on health (Outcome 2.3) and the environment generally (Outcome 3.2). This outcome focuses on the protection of resources of economic and cultural value to Māori from pests and diseases. A resource is something that is defined in human-needs terms, usually in relation to its functionality or scarcity, and it is from these needs that its value is derived.
Māori have strong traditional and cultural links with land and water environments and indigenous flora and fauna. These environments and species are threatened by harmful pests and diseases. MAF’s management of biosecurity pests and diseases therefore contributes to the protection of these resources of value to Māori.
Māori also possess a value system and knowledge base that is derived from the experience of Māori in the New Zealand environment. Matauranga Māori (traditional knowledge) embodies Māori philosophy and is a body of knowledge closely linked with New Zealand’s ecology. In protecting ecosystems and indigenous species from pests and diseases, biosecurity activities indirectly support the preservation and use of indigenous knowledge by Māori.
In addition to the economic value of introduced agricultural, horticultural and silvicultural species to Māori, some species introduced to New Zealand, by Māori or since contact with Europeans, have cultural value to Māori. This is particularly the case with food plants (for example, Māori potatoes) and animals or medicinal plants. MAF’s activities contribute to the protection of these resources of value to Māori.
What will we do to achieve this?
A Treaty of Waitangi claim known as the flora and fauna claim (WAI 262) was lodged in 1991 by members of six iwi and focuses on the alleged breaches of the Treaty by the Crown with respect to four elements:
• intellectual property aspects of taonga works;
• biological and genetic resources of indigenous and taonga species;
• Tikanga Māori, Mātauranga Māori and Te Reo Māori;
• relationship of kaitiaki with the environment, taonga species and rongoa.
In March 2006, the Waitangi Tribunal indicated that it would be focusing the WAI 262 claim on contemporary Treaty of Waitangi breaches, and historical issues would be dealt with as contextual matters. This means the Tribunal would focus on whether current law and policy was in conflict with the Crown’s Treaty obligations. Crown hearings for the WAI 262 claim were completed in February 2007, and closing submissions for the Crown and claimant counsel were made in June 2007. The Tribunal is expected to take at least a year to write its final report.
From MAF’s perspective, the Tribunal’s recommendation on what obligations the Crown has with regard to the protection of indigenous flora and fauna are particularly important. There are potential implications for the operation of the biosecurity system from the Crown’s response to the Tribunal’s recommendations.
In addition, MAF is currently working with Māori on projects concerning the protection of Māori biologically-based economic and cultural resources from pests and diseases.
How will we demonstrate our success?
MAF continually monitors its border control and biosecurity systems to determine whether interventions have been successful in detecting all potentially harmful pests and diseases. System or “pathway” detection failures are recorded as slippage – meaning the proportion of potentially harmful pests and diseases not detected by MAF interventions.
As such, positive outcomes or success will be evident if there is:
• effective and efficient post-border management of pests with the potential to harm resources of economic and cultural value to Māori;
• increased knowledge and understanding of natural resources that are of economic and cultural value to Māori;
• enhanced protection of resources of economic and cultural value to Māori.
4 The Biosecurity Act 1993 covers both land and freshwater environments and its jurisdiction extends to the limits of the territorial sea (that is, 12 nautical miles off shore).
Contact for Enquiries
Strategy and Performance Group
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: +64 4 894 0100
Fax: +64 4 894 0738
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