Threatened Environments Classification

Created:         7 June, 2007

Threatened Environment Classification 

Click here to view TEC maps by Regional Council Boundaries

Click here to view TEC maps by District Boundaries

Click here to view a TEC map of New Zealand

The Threatened Environment Classification is a simple tool that helps to identify environments in which much of the native (indigenous) vegetation has been cleared and only a small proportion of what remains is legally protected. It is a practical tool that can be used to help identify of places that are priorities for protection of indigenous biodiversity, to plan biodiversity protection activities, and/or to report achievements.

The Threatened Environment Classification is a combination of three national databases: land environments (LENZ), land cover classes (LCDB2), and protected areas (PAN-NZ). The classification is an addition to LENZ and divides New Zealand into six categories of ‘threatened environments’.  Each of the 500 LENZ Level IV environments was assigned one of six threat categories on the basis of past habitat loss (percentage indigenous cover remaining) and current legal protection.

Free workshops to familiarize users with the tool and its various applications have been held around the country in July and August 07

The Threatened Environment Classification Table can be downloaded by clicking on the link below: (Users need to have access to a GIS programme to link it to LENZ)

            http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/services/informatics/lenz/

To download user guide and upload guide go to:

User Guide (Updated) and Upload Guide

To view a 1 minute interview with Ellen Cieraad who has been running the workshops go to http://www.biocommunity.org.nz/detail.php?ar_id=10103

Links

* National Priority Statement - http://www.biocommunity.org.nz/detail.php?area=&ar_id=10051

* LENZ website - http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/services/informatics/lenz/

* NZJE article "Recent loss of indigenous cover in New Zealand" - http://www.nzes.org.nz/nzje/new_issues/NZJEcol30_2_169.pdf by Susan Walker, Robbie Price, Daniel Rutledge, R.T. Theo Stephens and William G. Lee

Download Example of Threatened Environment Classification for Canterbury »