"Biodiversity is short for biological diversity. It means the variety of all living things: plants, animals and micro-organisms; the genes they carry; and the land and water ecosystems which they are part of."

"Sustaining and protecting New Zealand's biodiversity is an essential part of an overall global strategy for survival. It will enable us to pass on the options we have to future generation."

Both quotes from Department of Conservation Fact Sheet 1996: A Biodiversity Strategy for New Zealand.

In its task of conserving biodiversity, the Department attends to several areas as follows:

• marine and coastal conservation
• Conservation on land
• Native Species
• Pests and weeds
• Offshore islands