Submission on National Policy Statement indigenous biodiversity

The NZKGI NPS‑IB Submission supports the overall intent to protect and enhance indigenous biodiversity but raises significant practical concerns for growers, particularly around the cost, complexity and feasibility of ecological monitoring, the treatment of existing activities, and the unclear scope of biodiversity requirements outside SNAs. NZKGI highlights that many orchards sit beside regenerating native vegetation and potential SNAs, yet baseline ecological data is often lacking – making it hard for growers to demonstrate compliance or avoid precautionary restrictions. The submission seeks clearer definitions, stronger recognition of existing lawful activities, support for ground‑truthing costs, and explicit provision for essential biosecurity actions such as wild kiwifruit removal. NZKGI also flags challenges relating to highly mobile fauna rules, the classification of artificial ponds as wetlands, and the need for practical, workable policies that protect biodiversity without unintentionally constraining kiwifruit production or future development.