The greatest threat to indigenous biodiversity on land exists where there has been the most extensive loss of indigenous vegetation cover. The level of threat is also influenced by the amount of land that is legally protected. Combining these two factors, the following ‘threat categories’ have been defined:

• Acutely threatened (<10% indigenous cover remains)
• Chronically threatened (10-20% indigenous cover remains)
• At risk (20-30% indigenous cover remains)
• Critically underprotected (>30% indigenous cover remains and <10% legally protected)
• Underprotected (>30% indigenous cover remains and10- 20% legally protected)
• Less reduced and better protected (>30% indigenous cover remains and >20% legally protected).

Click on the map to see more detail on Canterbury's threatened environments.

Using this classification tool, those parts of the region where remaining indigenous biodiversity is most at risk of loss can be identified.