Forum Article

Biodiversity offsetting and compensation are high-stakes endeavours. Much rests on the process by which an offset or compensation proposal is designed and the tools used to evaluate the proposal, as this has a strong and direct influence on the potential outcomes for biodiversity. Models by their nature are imperfect, but their ecological robustness, and therefore usefulness, can be improved by adhering to well-established principles of good model development.

Two biodiversity models are commonly used by Aotearoa’s terrestrial ecologists to guide habitat restoration and enhancement activities required to offset or compensate for development project impacts. The Biodiversity Offset Accounting Model can be used to assess the adequacy of an offset proposal. A more recent Biodiversity Compensation Model can be used to complement ecologists’ professional judgement on the compensation required. The latter is increasingly used when relevant biodiversity offsetting principles cannot be met with confidence.

Loss of remnant vegetation and landscape complexity through agricultural intensification reduces the abundance and diversity of beneficial insects such as pollinators and natural enemies of pests (predators/parasitoids). The Canterbury Plains (CP), New Zealand, is a highly intensified agricultural region that has lost almost all remnant native woody vegetation.