← Back to Unit Overview

🌲 Ecosystem Restoration Proposal

Mahere Whakaora Taiao — Plan to Restore a Local Ecosystem

Final Assessment: Restoration Proposal

Design a realistic plan to restore or protect a local ecosystem. Apply everything you've learned about ecology, conservation, and kaitiakitanga.

Cover Page

ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION PROPOSAL

Project Title:

Location:

Prepared by:
Date:

1. Executive Summary | Whakarāpopototanga

Summarize your proposal in 3-4 sentences. What is the problem? What is your solution?

2. Site Description | Te Wāhi

Location (be specific):

Current ecosystem type:

☐ Native bush/ngahere   ☐ Wetland/repo   ☐ Coastal/marine   ☐ Stream/awa   ☐ Other: ________

Size of area (approximate):

Current state of the ecosystem:

Describe what the site looks like now. What species are present? What problems exist?

Site Map / Sketch:

Draw a map showing key features of your site

3. Problem Analysis | Te Tātari Raruraru

Main threats to this ecosystem:

Pest animals (specify: _______________)
Invasive weeds (specify: _______________)
Habitat loss / fragmentation
Pollution (specify: _______________)
Human disturbance
Climate change impacts
Other: _______________

Describe how these threats are affecting the ecosystem:

Which native species are most at risk?

Species Why at risk? Conservation status

4. Proposed Actions | Ngā Mahi Whakamahere

Goal: What does success look like? Describe the restored ecosystem.

Action Plan:

Action Purpose Priority (H/M/L)

Native plants to introduce (if applicable):

5. Timeline | Te Rārangi Wā

Month 1-2
Month 3-4
Month 5-6
Year 2
Year 5+

6. Budget Estimate | Te Tahua Pūtea

Item Quantity Cost Each Total
$$
$$
$$
$$
$$
TOTAL $

Potential funding sources:

7. Community & Cultural Considerations

Who should be involved in this project?

Local iwi / hapū (Which? _______________)
Regional council
DOC
Local schools
Community groups
Landowners
Other: _______________

How does this project align with kaitiakitanga?

Are there any cultural sites or concerns to be aware of?

8. Measuring Success | Te Ine Angitu

How will you know if your restoration is working?

Indicator Current Level Target (Year 5) How to Measure

9. Conclusion | Whakakapinga

Why is this restoration project important?

What will the site look like if your proposal succeeds?

📊 Self-Assessment Checklist

I have clearly described the site and its problems
My actions are specific and realistic
I have used ecological concepts from the unit
My timeline is logical
I have considered community and cultural factors
I have explained how to measure success
My proposal shows kaitiakitanga values
I have proofread my work

📋 Teacher Planning Snapshot

Ngā Whāinga Ako — Learning Intentions

Students will engage with this resource to build understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand's ecosystems, biodiversity, and the role of kaitiakitanga in environmental stewardship.

Ngā Paearu Angitū — Success Criteria

  • ✅ Students can explain key concepts from this resource using their own words.
  • ✅ Students can connect the content to real-world environmental contexts in Aotearoa.

Differentiation & Inclusion

Scaffold support: Provide sentence starters, word banks, or graphic organisers to scaffold access for students who need it. Offer entry-level and extension tasks to address a range of readiness levels.

ELL / ESOL: Pre-teach key vocabulary and provide bilingual glossaries where available. Allow students to respond in their home language first.

Inclusion: Use accessible formats. Neurodiverse learners benefit from chunked instructions and choice in how they demonstrate understanding.

Prior knowledge: Best used after the relevant lesson sequence. No specialist prior knowledge required for entry-level engagement.

Curriculum alignment

  • Organism Diversity — Knowledge: There are many plants and animals that are now extinct.
  • Ecosystems — Practices: Observing local ngā tohu o te taiao, such as flowering of certain plants or bird migrations, and explaining why these indicators can be used to understand and predict other en…
  • Ecosystems — Knowledge: Human activity (e.g. agriculture, urbanisation, resource extraction, industry, recreation) can cause habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change, which threaten ecosyst…
  • Ecosystems — Practices: Applying ecosystems concepts to known and unknown examples to identify interdependence of species within the ecosystem (e.g. food webs, plants need pollinators, animals need f…
  • Organism Diversity — Knowledge: Scientists try to understand what the family tree of all organisms (the ‘tree of life’) looks like by studying fossils and the physical features of species.