5. Report against operating intentions: Natural heritage
Optimising effort is a primary objective of the Department’s medium- to long-term work towards the three natural heritage intermediate outcomes. This forms part of the Department’s long-term process to develop and report on
cost-effectiveness throughout its operations.
The natural heritage management system (NHMS) is a multi-pronged programme of work to develop tools that will help the Department select the highest priority outputs, and will ensure resources are spent in the most cost-effective way to deliver the greatest long-term conservation benefit.
NHMS is designed to create a nationally consistent, scientifically sound system of natural heritage management, which enables prioritisation and planning, and enables achievement to be monitored. Fundamental to NHMS is:
- Soundly-based outcome measures and accurate and efficient data collection.
- Better integration of data both within the Department and with other agencies (such as regional councils and local authorities).
Development and implementation of NHMS is being done progressively over a number of years, with tools put into operational use as they become available. One of the first tools, ‘operational activities’, allows staff to spatially define and report on field programmes as part of the geographical information system (GIS) and reporting systems. The prioritisation tool for species security (intermediate outcome 2) has been built and the associated work prescriptions are being validated. The same formula is being used to develop a prioritisation methodology for ecosystems to support the work in intermediate outcomes 1 and 3.
The longer-term aim is to develop NHMS into a system shared with others to contribute towards national planning and reporting on the state of
New Zealand’s biodiversity across the whole country, not just areas managed by the Department.
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