Knowing where species occur and how common they are is key for conservation management. Last year, Te Papa botanists Lara Shepherd and Leon Perrie were part of an expert panel that assessed the conservation status of every indigenous vascular plant species in the Greater Wellington region – over 1000 in total! The next challenge is to learn more about those species that are rare or for which we still have very little information. Ongoing fieldwork and public contributions through platforms such as iNaturalist are proving essential for improving our knowledge of these rare and data‑deficient species.
How are Wellington’s plants faring?
A new regional assessment of the vascular plants of the Greater Wellington region has revealed which species are thriving, which are teetering on the edge, and which may already be lost. The evaluation was a long, detailed process involving extensive research and discussion, with each species evaluated carefully by a panel of experts. To make the assessment as robust as possible, we drew on herbarium specimens from Te Papa and other herbaria, iNaturalist observations, and the panel’s own expert knowledge to form initial abundance estimates.
Sixteen species once recorded from the region are now considered regionally extirpated (no longer present). Almost half of the remaining vascular species, subspecies, and varieties of the Wellington region (corresponding to the area covered by the Greater Wellington Regional Council) are of conservation concern with rankings of Regionally Threatened, Regionally At Risk, or Regionally Data Deficient.
Although the report is now published, there is still much to do! Roughly 12% of species were considered Regionally Data Deficient, meaning that the panel did not have enough information to confidently rank them.
Some of these species are only known from historical records in the region, with no recent observations, and none of the panel members had seen them. Many are small, difficult to identify, and/or occur in remote areas such as the alpine zones of the Tararua Range. We suspect that at least some of these species are much more common than records suggest, but to change their threat classifications, we need more data.
Searching for threatened species with the Wellington Botanical Society
Wellington Botanical Society is a group of amateur and professional native plant enthusiasts. Prompted by the publication of the recent report, WBS members have been looking for species of regional conservation interest and recording their abundance during recent fieldtrips.
Last month, a Wellington Botanical Society trip to Remutaka Trig recorded the presence and abundance of 17 species listed as Regionally Threatened, Regionally At Risk, or Regionally Data Deficient.
We managed to locate the single individual of Olearia avicenniifolia that had been recorded beside the track several times since 2016. This remains the only known wild plant of this species in the Greater Wellington region. Unfortunately, our searches did not reveal any additional individuals. Perhaps others are lurking elsewhere in the Remutaka or Tararua Ranges.
During the same trip, two individuals of the Regionally Data Deficient Veronica venustula were recorded. This species appears to be very uncommon in the region. The only recent records are from the Remutaka Trig site, with a few pre-1980s herbarium records from the northern Tararua Range and south-eastern Wairarapa.
Olearia avicennififolia and Veronica venustula are both examples of species that are common in New Zealand as a whole but have limited occurrences within the Greater Wellington region. It is important to have this regional context when making local decisions.
What can you do?
Recording plant observations on iNaturalist is a great way to contribute data that can inform future revisions of threat rankings. If you are a tramper or hunter accessing remote, seldom‑visited areas, your observations are especially valuable.
Assessments have recently been done for several other regions throughout the country. For the Wellington region, we have created an iNaturalist Project to track the species for which we need more information. If you join the project, you will be able to see which of your observations meet the project criteria. Recording the numbers of individuals seen or the area occupied, even approximately, will be useful for future assessments.
Joining fieldtrips of your local botanical society is another great way to gather data, and you don’t need to be a member or have any botanical knowledge. Trips are designed for learning and cater to all levels, from beginners to experts.
Whether you’re a tramper, a plant enthusiast, or simply curious about your region’s biodiversity, your observations could help rewrite what is known about our rarest plants.
Recent published regional conservation assessments for plants
- Enright P, Benbrook A, Crisp P, Dillon J, Park T, Perrie L, Rolfe J, Shepherd L, Smith R, Spearpoint O, Uys R and Ward M. 2025. Conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in the Wellington region. Greater Wellington Regional Council, Publication No. GW/KI-T-25-31, Wellington.
- Jarvie, S., Barkla, J., Rance, B., Rogers, G., Ewans, R., Thorsen, M. (2026). Conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago. Otago Regional Council, Otago Threat Classification Series, 2026/1
- Simpkins, E., J. Woolly, P. de Lange, C. Kilgour, E. Cameron, S. Melzer (2025). Conservation status of vascular plant species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland. Revised March 2025. Auckland Council technical report, TR2025/6.
