NZQA registered unit standard
27189 version 1
Page 1 of 4
Title
Demonstrate knowledge of and identify plants for conservation
management purposes
Level
4
Credits
7
Purpose
This unit standard is for people managing or intending to
manage plants for conservation management purposes.
People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe
plants applicable to conservation management and in
accordance with Plant Botany; collect and preserve a specimen
of a plant for conservation management purposes; and carry
out positive identification processes for a plant applicable to
conservation management.
Classification
Environment > Conservation
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
Legislation relevant to this unit standard may include but is not limited to:
Conservation Act 1987, National Parks Act 1980, Reserves Act 1977, Treaty of
Waitangi Act 1975.
2
Definitions
Conservation management refers to activities aimed at achieving conservation
outcomes and includes but is not limited to maintaining or restoring the diversity of
New Zealand’s natural heritage, and/or protecting and promoting New Zealand’s
natural history.
Key refers to a decision process that identifies a plant based on elimination of
identification features.
Organisational requirements refer to instructions to staff on policies, procedures and
methodologies which are documented and are available in the workplace. They are
consistent with applicable legislation and any other applicable compliance
requirements.
Plants, for the purpose of this unit standard, refer to vascular plants which include
indigenous plants (plants found exclusively in New Zealand) and exotic plants (plants
imported or introduced to New Zealand from other countries).
Plant Botany, for the purposes of this unit standard, refers to the branch of biology
that involves the scientific study of plant life. Plant Botany covers a wide range of
scientific disciplines concerned with the study of plants, algae and fungi, including
structure, growth, reproduction, metabolism, development, diseases, chemical
properties, and evolutionary relationships among taxonomic groups.
The Skills Organisation
SSB Code 100401
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
3
27189 version 1
Page 2 of 4
For evidence purposes, the candidate must describe two plants (plants may be either
indigenous or exotic or one indigenous and one exotic); specimens collected may be
from any plants and may not necessarily be the same plants described in outcome 1.
Identification of plants may be from any plants collected.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Describe plants applicable to conservation management and in accordance with Plant
Botany.
Range
description of two plants is required for evidence.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Description includes the habitat of the plants.
Range
1.2
The vegetation associated with the plants is described.
Range
1.3
description may include but is not limited to – tree, shrub, herb,
tussock, liane, rosette, divaricating, fastigiate, matt or cushion,
prostrate, heteroblastic.
Vegetative features of the plants are described
Range
1.6
geographic range, distribution pattern.
The growth form or habit of the plants is described
Range
1.5
may include but is not limited to – coastal dune, lowland broadleaf
forest, beech forest, fell field, subalpine bog, lacustrine, riparian.
The spatial distribution of the plants is described.
Range
1.4
habitat may include but is not limited to – soil type, litter depth, soil
moisture and drainage, light gap or disturbance, exposure or
shelter, competition, allelopathy.
vegetative features are – roots, stems, leaves;
description may include but is not limited to – root hairs, terminal
and axillary buds, bark, leaf shape and arrangement, vein pattern,
domatia, stipules, phylloclades, storage organs.
Reproductive parts of the plants are described.
Range
The Skills Organisation
SSB Code 100401
reproductive parts may include – inflorescences, flowers, cones,
sporangia and vegetative propagules.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27189 version 1
Page 3 of 4
Outcome 2
Collect and preserve a specimen of a plant for conservation management purposes.
Range
a specimen from two plants is required for evidence.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Plant specimen is collected in accordance with organisational requirements and
includes sufficient stem, left and reproductive parts to enable identification.
2.2
Specimen preservation allows for maximum retention of original colour and
shape.
2.3
Identification information for the specimen is recorded in accordance with
organisational requirements.
information may include but is not limited to – collector, date,
location, growth form, size of plant, habitat.
Range
Outcome 3
Carry out positive identification processes for a plant applicable to conservation
management.
Range
identification of two plants is required for evidence.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Resources available for confirming a plant’s identification are determined.
may include but is not limited to – literature, botanist, herbarium,
online information, electronic keys, technical experts.
Range
3.2
A key is used to positively identify a plant.
3.3
Plant is classified in terms of family, genus, species, and subspecies (if any).
Replacement information
This unit standard replaced unit standard 19691.
Planned review date
31 December 2015
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
The Skills Organisation
SSB Code 100401
17 June 2011
N/A
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27189 version 1
Page 4 of 4
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0121
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMRs). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact The Skills Organisation info@skills.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes
to the content of this unit standard.
The Skills Organisation
SSB Code 100401
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016