Biodiversity credits to fund land use?
A market for biodiversity credits is one financing option that could be instrumental in helping New Zealand farmers fund land-use change to meet environmental targets, according to a new study.
The funding, which will be distributed over four years, will go towards initiatives that include regional and site-based planning and management to balance the ecological impacts of deer with the cultural, recreational and economic values that deer provide.
The NZ Game Animal Council is a statutory organisation responsible for the sustainable management of game animals and hunting for recreation, commerce and conservation.
GAC chair Grant Dodson says the Council has been liaising with the Department of Conservation and around the future management of game animals in New Zealand.
He says the organisation is confident that a good balance can be struck, providing positive outcomes for both conservation and hunting.
“Hunters want to hunt good quality animals in a healthy environment and in order to ensure that we must institute modern management practices that fit with New Zealand’s unique circumstances,” says Dodson.
“Recreational and game hunters as well as food gatherers are an important part of the game management equation and are in fact our greatest management resource,” he says.
“The Game Animal Council is committed to working alongside them to achieve good results for conservation and further develop New Zealand’s world class hunting opportunities.”
