Summary
The conservation status of lichens in Aotearoa New Zealand is being reviewed under the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). We welcome information that could indicate a change in their conservation status.
View the current list giving the status of 2,026 taxa in de Lange et al. 2018, Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous lichens and lichenicolous fungi (PDF, 7,86K).
Data can be accessed on the NZTCS website at nztcs.org.nz.
An expert panel will meet to review the classification of lichens in Aotearoa New Zealand including use of supplied information.
An assessment will be made based on a scientific approach using two criteria:
- the size of the population or estimated area of occupancy.
- the expected trend for each taxon: how much its population is likely to decline or increase.
A taxon may be a species, subspecies, variety or another taxonomic unit. Taxa are assessed whether they have a formal scientific name (taxonomically determinate) or an informal ‘tag name’ (taxonomically unresolved).
How to get involved
Provide evidence to inform the expert panel’s assessment, rather than requests for a particular conservation status.
For detailed assessment criteria, see the New Zealand Threat Classification System manual 2022 – Part 1: Assessments (PDF, 4, 577K).
Complete the contribution form:
- Contribution form (DOCX, 43K)
- Contribution form (PDF, 235K)
Send your information by email or post. You'll get a confirmation email or letter when your information has been received.
Email: pdelange@unitec.ac.nz
Post:
Peter de Lange
School of Environmental and Animal Sciences
Unitec
Private Bag 92025
Victoria Street West
Auckland 1142
Note: Separate advice should be provided for each species (or subspecies, variety, etc).
Submissions close on 30 November 2026.
Background information
The New Zealand Threat Classification System assesses the conservation status and risk of extinction of all organisms known to occur in the wild in New Zealand.
It includes species found only in New Zealand (endemics), other native species, migrants, vagrants, introduced and naturalised species, and taxa that have not been formally described.
The NZTCS is not a priority-setting system. It is a resource to support priority setting, among other functions.
Expert panels from New Zealand’s scientific community determine conservation statuses.
They assess population size, measured by the number of breeding adults or the area of occupied habitat, and forecast population change over the next three generations or 10 years, whichever is longer.
They also assess whether the population’s current state results from human-induced effects. Groups of organisms are assessed approximately every five years.
The assessments of each group of organisms (eg birds, fungi, freshwater fishes, marine invertebrates) are published as scientific monograph series which are considered part of the formal international scientific literature.
- PDF copies of the assessment reports are publicly available on the DOC website.
- The assessment data are also publicly available on the NZTCS database.
Related links
Contact
Email us at threatstatus@doc.govt.nz if you need any assistance or clarification about this consultation process.