While New Zealand is a relatively small country, our role in preserving global biodiversity is surprisingly important.
Cut off from other landmasses around 80 million years ago our country became an isolated haven, where unique plants and birds were free to evolve and thrive.
80% of New Zealand’s flowering plants and 90% of our insects are unique to us - including the world’s largest insect, the weta.
Our country is also home to the world’s best collection of podocarps (an ancient type of conifer), the only alpine parrot: the kea, and the last remaining sphenodon: the tuatara (from a reptile family extinct elsewhere for over 60 million years).
Looking after the evolutionary treasures that make our country unique is a priority for all New Zealanders, including our wine producers.
In their role as kaitiaki (guardians) of our environment, New Zealand’s wine producers take a leading role in conservation of wildlife and the environment, in their vineyards and beyond.