When Europeans began arriving in the Canterbury region in the early 1800s, most of the swamp forest – dominated by matai, totara and kahikatea (white pine) – that covered much of the Canterbury Plains in previous centuries was gone. It is thought that it had been destroyed by a great fire that swept across the plains during the moa hunter period, leaving only a scattered bush remnants. (more…)
June 21, 2010
The place of an echo: Pūtaringamotu (Deans Bush)
Posted by envirohistorynz under commentary | Tags: Brian Molloy, Canterbury earthquake, Christchurch, conservationists, David Young, Dean's Bush, Deans Homestead, Environmental History, Geoffrey Rice, Harry Ell, Homebush, Jane Deans, John Deans, kahikatea, Leonard Cockayne, milling, New Zealand, Ngai Tahu, Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Pūtaringamotu, Riccarton, Riccarton Bush, Riccarton House, Scotland, September 4 earthquake, settlers, Stephen Tweedy, William Dean |1 Comment
February 26, 2011
Christchurch: a city haunted by its environmental past?
Posted by envirohistorynz under commentary | Tags: 1995, 22 February 2011, Avon River, Christchurch, Christchurch Cathedral, Durham Street, earthquake, Environmental History, future cities, Geoffrey Rice, Gloucestor Street, Gothic revival architecture, Heathcote River, heritage buildings, Kobe, liquefaction, Lyttelton Harbour, New Zealand, Oxford Terrace, Papanui Bush, Riccarton Bush, Rokko Island, swamp, swamp forest, water table, wetland |[4] Comments
Share this:
Like this: