Aotearoa New Zealand is a relatively young nation, situated on the boundary of the Pacific and Indo-Australian tectonic plates. New Zealand's geological setting gives rise to a range of dynamic landscapes, from the alpine environments of the south to the volcanic landscapes in the north. This diverse geography, and isolation, laid the foundation for Aotearoa to become home to a wide range of ecosystems and species found nowhere else on Earth.

Over millennia these ecosystems and species have evolved, developing ways to thrive across a variety of landscapes. Human habitation has always placed additional pressure on this balance. The pursuit of economic prosperity, founded in the rich natural resources Aotearoa has to offer, has often diminished the functioning and resilience of our natural environment – which in turn has social, economic and environmental consequences.

Previous reports in the Our land series have explored these pressures and their impacts (2018) and the intensity with which we’re using and managing them (2021). This report, the third in the series, builds on its predecessors and explores environmental trade-offs and the potential of our natural infrastructure to provide solutions, while also seeking to take full account of the services they provide.

The report shows when we look after the natural environment, and work within its limits, it has the capacity and resilience to provide for people as well. Examples include wetlands, which serve as ecological hotspots while providing water filtration and mahinga kai, and urban greenspaces which supported the mental health and wellbeing of many New Zealanders during the COVID-19 pandemic. And they include our coastal dune systems which protect coastlines during storms, and our highly productive land which underpins our agricultural and horticultural economy. The evidence shows how New Zealand is reliant on the services that nature provides.