The Environment

Ecological Heritage Sites in Christchurch

A mater of national importance

• After 80 million years of relative isolation, New Zealand has many unique plants and animals that do not occur anywhere else.
• New Zealand also has one of the worst records for loss of native species.
• Nearly one third of our native land and freshwater birds are now extinct.
• Three out of seven of our native frogs are extinct.
• More than one fifth of our plants are threatened or uncommon (eleven are extinct).
• Nevertheless, one tenth of New Zealand's native flowering plants occur within the Christchurch City boundary.
• The number of birds and the variety of bird species are increasing in Christchurch.