Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
We connect schools and communities with education about ecosystems, biodiversity and sustainable land use.
Our researchers study native ecosystems and biodiversity to understand environmental change and support their protection and restoration.
We work with communities, iwi, councils and other organisations to protect and restore native ecosystems and biodiversity.
The University of Waikato is committed to sustainable food procurement across its campuses. Our Environmental Sustainability Policy (opens in a new tab) requires the University to implement environmentally sustainable practices on campus and to work with suppliers and contractors to minimise environmental impacts. The University's Procurement Policy (opens in a new tab) also supports sustainable procurement practices when purchasing goods and services. This commitment is reflected in our on-campus catering services, provided by Kahurangi (opens in a new tab), which incorporates sustainable food sourcing and practices into its operations.
The University of Waikato incorporates local biodiversity and ecological restoration into its campus planning and development. The Hillcrest Campus Strategic Masterplan (opens in a new tab), which provides a 20-year vision for campus development through to 2037, identifies the natural landscape as a foundation of the University's identity and requires future development to enhance the campus's ecological values.
The Masterplan specifically identifies opportunities to enhance waterways, lakes and wetlands; increase native planting; protect the remaining remnant of the ancient Karipukau forest; reduce hard-paved areas through ecological stormwater systems; and increase biodiversity through predominantly native species. It also identifies the campus as a potential ecological stepping stone for birds and wildlife and an ecological node supporting Hamilton's wider native regeneration.
These principles continue to guide campus development, with the Masterplan's design principles (opens in a new tab) providing a framework for future development projects. The University also has highly valued biodiversity throughout its existing campus, including more than 2,000 native trees, three lakes, wetland vegetation and eco-sourced native planting.
The University of Waikato actively works to maintain, restore and extend ecosystems and biodiversity, including threatened native species and ecosystems. Eco-index, co-led by University of Waikato researcher Dr Kiri Joy Wallace (opens in a new tab), works with land management sectors across Aotearoa to support the protection and restoration of native flora, fauna and ecosystems. Its publicly available Ecosystem Reconstruction Map identifies areas where native ecosystems have been lost and prioritises locations for restoration.
The University is also a partner in Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park (opens in a new tab), a 60-hectare restoration project in Hamilton that is reconstructing native lowland and wetland ecosystems and restoring native plant and animal communities. University researchers monitor restoration progress and use the project to improve ecological restoration practice.
The University's biodiversity research further addresses threats to native ecosystems, including invasive species, environmental stress and ecosystem degradation, with programmes focused on ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation.
The University of Waikato collaborates with local communities, iwi, councils and other organisations to maintain and restore shared urban ecosystems and biodiversity. Through its People, Cities, and Nature (opens in a new tab) and Restoring Urban Nature (opens in a new tab) programmes, University researchers work with councils, iwi, businesses and community groups to restore indigenous flora and fauna and improve biodiversity in urban environments. This work has directly supported restoration initiatives across the Waikato, including Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park (opens in a new tab) and Hamilton's gully systems. The restoration programmes have brought together the University of Waikato, Hamilton City Council, community groups and other partners to restore native forest, wetland and lake ecosystems. Former farmland has been transformed into a regenerating native ecosystem and community resource.
The University of Waikato provides educational programmes on ecosystems, biodiversity and native flora and fauna for local school and community audiences. Through its Science Outreach programme (opens in a new tab), activities such as What’s buzzing in the garden? introduce students to pollinators and insect diversity, while Marine Invaders explores species interactions and invasive species.
The Science Learning Hub (opens in a new tab) provides educational resources on ecosystems, including Tōku awa koiora (opens in a new tab), which explores the ecology and biodiversity of the Waikato River and its plant and animal life, alongside resources on freshwater environments, wetlands and restoration.
The University also contributes research and expertise to Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park (opens in a new tab), a 65.5-hectare ecological restoration project involving community and school participation and providing opportunities for environmental education focused on native flora, fauna and ecosystems.
These programmes and initiatives provide school and community audiences with opportunities to learn about wild flora, fauna, biodiversity and ecosystem interactions.
The University of Waikato provides educational outreach on agriculture and sustainable land use for local communities. Through running events like AgriFutures (opens in a new tab), the University engages secondary-school students from across the Waikato region with agriculture and agribusiness education, connecting students with the University's expertise in sustainable food production and land use. The University also provides teaching and research expertise in agriculture, food systems and environmental management.
The University of Waikato provides education and community engagement supporting sustainable tourism and the responsible management of tourism destinations. Waikato has a longstanding focus on sustainable tourism research and engagement, including its role in establishing New Zealand's first Sustainable Tourism Monitoring Observatory in partnership with the UN World Tourism Organization.
Through its Centering Culture in Public Engagement on Climate Change (opens in a new tab) project, University researchers work with tourism businesses and communities to explore the risks climate change presents to tourism and develop approaches for adapting to these challenges. The University also supports understanding of sustainable and community-based tourism development through research, public engagement and educational programmes covering the environmental impacts of tourism (opens in a new tab) and sustainable destination management (opens in a new tab).
Brainwaves: I spent years brewing seaweed to help grow tomorrow's food
What if the future of sustainable farming was hidden in ordinary green seaweed? A University of Waikato researcher explains how fermenting seaweed could help grow healthier crops while reducing agriculture's environmental footprint.
One grain to rule them all: the history of rice as a global food
The importance of rice in many cultures is embedded in the daily life, cultural practices, rites and rituals.
Nature's hidden connections: Waikato University study reveals what keeps ecosystems healthy
New international research has found that healthy ecosystems depend on more than just having lots of species – they rely on the complex relationships between plants, prey and predators.
NZ’s ‘light‑touch’ approach to voluntary carbon and nature markets may unlock finance but risks credibility
NZ’s voluntary carbon and nature markets could boost climate finance and biodiversity outcomes, but weak regulation risks greenwashing and undermining public trust.
Some technologies use accelerated natural processes to capture carbon – but can they store it durably?
New technologies are accelerating natural carbon capture processes, with scientists examining whether captured carbon can be stored safely and permanently to help address climate change.
Future big droughts may be worse than we think – NZ’s past shows why
It's thought New Zealand’s most extreme drought history has effectively been overlooked in modern policymaking.
Cities are getting hotter – and bigger. New research reveals the scale of the challenge
Cities are expanding and heating rapidly, intensifying heat risks, health impacts and inequality, with urban populations increasingly exposed to extreme temperatures under projected global warming scenarios.
Billions at risk from extreme urban heat without stronger climate action
University of Waikato researchers are calling for stronger climate action by governments worldwide, as a recent study has found that 3 billion more people living in cities could face frequent, unprecedented heat extremes if current emissions policies remain unchanged.
Bigger storms, more often: new study projects likely future rainfall impacts on NZ
Rising temperatures will make NZ storms wetter and more intense, with extreme rainfall increasing up to ~35% and severe events becoming more frequent, raising flood and damage risks.
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