Boffa Miskell welcomes the launch of the Aotearoa Circle’s Natural Infrastructure Plan

 We are involved in the Aotearoa Circle’s programmes, reflecting our belief that collaboration across sectors is essential to achieving enduring outcomes for people and place. 

The launch of the Aotearoa Circle’s Natural Infrastructure Plan marks a significant step forward in how Aotearoa New Zealand approaches long-term resilience, economic prosperity, and environmental stewardship. Arriving closely after the Infrastructure Commission Te Waihanga National Infrastructure Plan, this new work provides a complementary pathway for strengthening the nation’s infrastructure systems. 

“Boffa Miskell is a proud partner of the Aotearoa Circle,” says Chief Executive Kerry Gupwell. “For us, the Natural Infrastructure Plan reinforces a shared commitment to advancing nature-based solutions and supporting businesses, councils, iwi, and government agencies to embed natural infrastructure into future planning.”  

Nature and Climate Change Specialist Sam Parsons led the development of the Roadmap for Scaling Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for Climate Adaptation in Aotearoa New Zealand, which serves as the technical and strategic foundation for the wider Natural Infrastructure Plan (NIP) to support economic prosperity and environmental resilience 

Sam has been a key contributor and facilitator in the cross-sector collaboration required to build the Natural Infrastructure Plan and was a featured speaker at the 2026 Fenwick Forum where he presented the plan's outcomes alongside other senior leaders. 

A New Chapter for Infrastructure Planning 

The Natural Infrastructure Plan reframes natural ecosystems as core infrastructure assets that deliver measurable financial, social, cultural, and environmental value. Natural infrastructure includes native forests, wetlands, dunes, rivers, estuaries, urban greenspaces, and healthy soils. 

These systems already provide essential services: filtering water, reducing flood risk, stabilising land, sequestering carbon, supporting biodiversity, and regulating temperature. But for decades, such benefits have been undervalued and not prioritised in investment.  

The Natural Infrastructure Plan sets out a strong case for changing that. 

As the Aotearoa Circle notes, the greatest risk in long-term infrastructure planning isn’t selecting the wrong option; it’s failing to consider all available options. 

With 70% of the New Zealand’s exports dependent on natural resources, economic growth and environmental health are inextricably linked. Investing in natural infrastructure is framed as a “1 + 1 = 3” opportunity: delivering immediate resilience while building capacity for tomorrow.

A Practical Toolkit for DecisionMakers 

The Investment Decision Toolkit, designed to help organisations weigh natural solutions alongside traditional engineered ones, includes: 

• Investment Principles that support robust, futurefocused planning 
• An Investment Evaluation Model to compare longterm value, risk, and cobenefits 
• A Multiple Benefits Evaluation Framework showing how natural infrastructure contributes financially, socially, environmentally, and culturally 

These tools offer clear pathways for both public and private sectors to incorporate natural infrastructure options into infrastructure business cases, climate adaptation strategies, and capital planning. 

The Plan also outlines policy levers and recommended actions for government and industry to ensure natural infrastructure is recognised, included, and scaled as part of New Zealand’s national resilience strategy. 

Demonstrating the Business Case 

Six case studies, prepared with contributions from Aotearoa Circle partners, demonstrate the real-world value of nature-based solutions across diverse contexts, including: 

• Catchment rehabilitation to protect harbours and fisheries 
• River and floodplain restoration to safeguard towns and businesses 
• Urban development projects incorporating water-sensitive design 
• Nature-positive approaches to airport infrastructure 
• Residential developments that reduce costs while enhancing community outcomes 

Each example demonstrates financial gains, risk reduction, long-term resilience, and significant co-benefits for local communities, ecosystems, and cultural values. 

Next Steps, Scaling Investment, and Growth Opportunities  

Beyond the Investment Decisions Toolkit, the Plan identifies economic growth opportunities tied to natural infrastructure across four key sectors: 

• Bioeconomy 
• Blue economy 
• Towns and cities 
• Tourism 

For each sector, the Plan highlights dependencies on natural capital and outlines how scaling investment in natural infrastructure can unlock productivity, reduce risk exposure, and enhance national wellbeing. 

The recommendations for 2026 outline practical actions for both government and private industry: from improving definitions in legislation to boosting capability, expanding funding models, and elevating the role of natural infrastructure in risk and resilience frameworks. 

A Shared Commitment to a Resilient Future 

Since joining the Aotearoa Circle as a partner, Boffa Miskell has contributed expertise across ecology, landscape architecture, planning, and cultural design to support the organisation’s mission of aligning New Zealand’s economic prosperity with environmental regeneration. The Natural Infrastructure Plan aligns closely with Boffa Miskell’s longstanding advocacy for nature-based approaches and integrated design. 

As we grapple with increasing climate-driven events, the need for resilient, adaptive, and community-centred infrastructure is more urgent than ever. Natural infrastructure provides an opportunity to deliver that resilience while enhancing landscapes, restoring ecosystems, and supporting the cultural and social values that define Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Boffa Miskell welcomes the launch of the Natural Infrastructure Plan and looks forward to supporting its implementation alongside iwi partners, government agencies, industry leaders, and local communities.