UC Researching Some of the Most Threatened Ecosystems

UC Researching Some of the Most Threatened Ecosystems In New Zealand

May 10, 2013

The University of Canterbury (UC) is researching parts of north Canterbury and the Mackenzie Basin areas which include some of the most threatened ecosystems in New Zealand.

Only 30 percent remains of the original areas of these dryland ecosystems and of that only two percent is legally protected.

UC researcher Anna Rodrigues says over the past 700 years the Mackenzie Basin dryland ecosystems have been degraded by human activities including burning, grazing and the impacts of invasive plants.

Her research is being supervised by forestry professor David Norton. UC is the only university in Australasia with a School of Forestry.

``Over the last 700 years, the original woody vegetation of the Mackenzie Basin has been largely lost and is now replaced by degraded herbaceous vegetation.

``The amount of change that has occurred is such, that it is very difficult for the original woody species to re-establish. In my research I want to find out which are the key environmental factors that are limiting natural regeneration of woody trees.

``I believe outcome of the research might be applied to similar restoration projects in different ecosystems throughout New Zealand.

``This is a starting point that will be a reference to future restoration efforts. I want to be able to develop guidelines to assist anyone who wishes to reforest dryland ecosystems with native New Zealand trees.

``Proving to farmers that they can protect the environment and still keep the productivity of their land will have striking effects on the conservation of dry forest remnants in New Zealand, as well as influence the restoration of this ecosystem, consequently increasing its area in the country.

``We have to involve the whole community in these projects as this affects their lives directly, either financially or in terms of health and wellbeing.

``In many parts of the world, newly restored forests and lakes have become lucrative to the local government and businesspeople through eco-tourism. Communities and towns have noticed improvements in air and or water quality, which has affected their health and wellbeing.

``New Zealand would become a world reference for students to come study and do research on ecology and conservation biology here at UC,’’ Rodrigues says.

ENDS

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