Institutional and Landowner Perspectives on Wetland Management in New Zealand

Wetlands are one of the most severely degraded ecosystems and yet, in most countries, little has been done in the interests of their protection and management. It is estimated that in New Zealand only about 8% of the original wetland areas now remain. As in other places, institutional arrangements for the management of these important habitats have been patently inadequate. However, recent restructuring of the institutional frameworks for resource management in New Zealand offers some promise for improvements. The new institutional arrangements for resource management in New Zealand are outlined and their implications for wetland protection and management are highlighted. We report on a questionnaire survey administered to resource management agencies (local and regional councils) throughout the country on the subject of wetland protection and management. This is followed by a discussion of a second questionnaire survey, administered to a sample of landowners in one planning jurisdiction. The two main parts of the paper are linked by considering the implications of the results of the two surveys in the context of a strategy for wetland management.