Indigenous land cover continues to decline – news story
20 November 2025
Indigenous land cover in Aotearoa New Zealand continued to decline between 1996 and 2023, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. Over the same period, urban land continued to expand.
“The latest version of the New Zealand Land Cover Database (LCDB) shows the cover of our land is continuing to change,” environment statistics spokesperson Tehseen Islam said.
“Land cover changes reflect ongoing pressures on natural ecosystems as population and industries grow.”
New Zealand’s indigenous land cover includes native forests, shrublands, tussock grasslands, and natural bare surfaces like snow-covered mountains.
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