The Biodiversity Compensation Model: a framework to facilitate better ecological outcomes

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. This paper responds to a Forum article by Corkery et al. (2023) which claims that the Biodiversity Compensation Model facilitates biodiversity loss. We contest this claim and review the diverse range of cases in which the model has been applied and would be expected to generate better ecological outcomes than alternative compensation approaches. As practitioners using both the Biodiversity Compensation Model and the Biodiversity Offset Accounting Model, we assert that each has valid applications and limitations. Advancing this field requires independent evaluation of the models, and a collaborative approach to improvement which leverages all available expertise.