It is remarkable that such a catastrophic loss of a key New Zealand ecosystem has received such little recognition. One reason is that from the moment Europeans first sighted these dry eastern plains and foothills, they viewed them for their potential as productive agricultural land. Most of our drylands are still being farmed. A second reason is that the dryland ecosystems lack the image appeal that our green forests and high mountains exude. Somewhat unfairly, they have often been referred to as the ‘grey shrublands’, hardly appealing. While the original mosaic of woodland, scrubland and grassland would have contained the vibrant gold of flowering kowhai, the rich green of Halls totara and the flower and berry be-speckled Corokia, Pimelea and Celmisia, the remnant communities are often much poorer and subsequently much less attractive. A hillside covered in the fierce grey spines of matagouri elicits little conservation enthusiasm.  

 

Subsequently, we are left in the sorry position where less than 2% of New Zealand’s drylands are  formally protected. This is in contrast to the 30% of New Zealand’s total land area which is protected as national parks, reserves and covenants. Of the drylands that are protected, the vast majority are high altitude tussocklands, with only tiny proportions of the lowland protected. 

 

Finally, in the last two decades, the drylands have become the focus of greater attention and research. It is now recognised that although the dryland communities that remain are strongly modified, and often somewhat scrappy reflections of their original glory, they are of major conservation significance. They represent all that remains of a unique and diverse ecological zone, and they provide the only hope for its potential future restoration. 

 

It will still take time for this recognition to pass into tangible change for our dryland ecosystems. So much of our lowland dryland biodiversity is on private land, which means it falls to local councils to set and enforce conservation regulations in their area. Many councils lack both the knowledge and political will to do this effectively. Therefore, the real hope for restoring the drylands lies with landholders and local communities coming to appreciate and advocate for their native flora and fauna. The Department of Conservation along with Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research and QEII are working to support communities and agencies with education and assistance. Mokomoko Dryland Sanctuary is one of the products of this partnership.