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The Department of Environmental Management promotes the advancement of knowledge, through teaching and research, that will allow the sustainable use of environmental and natural resources.
Staff publications and research activities reflect the well established interdisciplinary nature of the Department; research interests include environmental policy, planning and politics, natural resources and environmental economics, ecological economics, transport studies, biodiversity and biodiversity policy, ecological evaluation, environmental ethics, environmental education, women and the environment, the Treaty of Waitangi, Māori approaches to environmental management, indigenous peoples and sustainability and socio-cultural and political perspectives of the environment.
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Item Open Access Land use control under the Resource Management Act : Submission to Ministry for the Environment on the McShane "think piece"(Lincoln University. Environmental Management and Design Division., 1998-06) Hughey, Ken F. D.; Kinghorn, Nicola; Kissling, Chris; Montgomery, Roy; Rixecker, Stefanie S.; Swaffield, Simon R.In accordance with the invitation made to provide written feedback under the framework of questions drafted by the Ministry, please find enclosed our submissions dealing with Questions 1-4, 6-7, and 9- 12. Our response only covers a selection of the stipulated questions because we chose to construct a Divisional team approach, and this meant individual participants focused upon their interests and areas of expertise.Item Open Access Non-governmental organisation (NGO) participation in New Zealand's biodiversity strategy : Summary of focus group proceedings(Lincoln University. Environmental Management and Design Division., 1998-11) Harrison, AndrewThis report summarises the results of a cooperative research programme (focus group sessions) - between a research student from Lincoln University and the Biodiversity Strategy working group - which contributes toward developing the public participation process for New Zealand's Biodiversity Strategy. The research programme included a series of five focus group sessions that involved forty Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) and Maori organisation representatives. This report attempts first and foremost to provide an impartial summary of the focus group proceedings - a summary that is free of evaluation or critical assessment and, rather, conveys the balance and range of views expressed across the five focus group sessions. For this reason the participants original comments are used wherever this is possible, indicated as italicised text within this report. Some comments are offered by the author and the Biodiversity Project Group (after the report overview) and critical assessment of the focus group results is provided in the author's Master of Science research which complements this summary and is held by the Department of Conservation and Lincoln University Libraries. In this section, background information to New Zealand's Biodiversity Strategy is provided, followed by a description of the focus group research (purpose, aims, objectives and methods) and structure of this report.Item Open Access Views on biosecurity and food security as we work toward reconciling an approach that addresses two global problems for a sustainable outcome(Elsevier B.V., 2024-09-27) Campbell, Marnie L; Hewitt, Chad; Le, Chi TUBiosecurity acts as a safeguard for food security, yet efforts to meet food security targets can exacerbate biosecurity pressures. Our study highlights the critical interrelationship between biosecurity and food security, which is often underrepresented. Decisions favoring either food security or biosecurity involve short- and long-term trade-offs. To work toward a balanced and sustainable approach, it is crucial to understand these links. We examined experts’ views on food security, biosecurity, and their interconnection through a 13-question survey with 162 international experts from 23 countries. Our findings reveal a consensus on the importance of food security but also show confusion in terminology, sociodemographic biases, and a lack of common ground between disciplines. This underscores the need for transdisciplinary approaches to address global food and biosecurity issues effectively, balancing both domains’ interests for sustainable outcomes.Item Open Access Agent-based trust and reputation model in smart IoT environments(MDPI AG, 2024-11) Al-Shamaileh, Mohammad; Anthony, Patricia; Charters, StuartThe Internet of Things (IoT) enables smart devices to connect, share and exchange data with each other through the internet. Since an IoT environment is open and dynamic, IoT participants may need to collaborate with unknown entities with no proven track record. To ensure successful collaboration among these entities, it is important to establish a mechanism that ensures all entities operate in a trustworthy manner. We present a trust and reputation model that can be used to select the best service provider in an IoT environment. Our proposed model, IoT-CADM (Comprehensive Agent-based Decision-making Model for IoT) is an agent-based decentralised trust and reputation model that can be used to select the best service provider for a particular service based on multi-context quality of service. IoT-CADM is developed using a smart multi-agent IoT environment where information about entities is collected and evaluated using a trust and reputation algorithm. We evaluated the performance of the proposed model against some other well-known models in a simulated smart factory supply chain system. Our experimental results showed that the proposed IoT-CADM achieved the best performance.Item Open Access Energy and environment in New Zealand(University of Canterbury and Lincoln College. Joint Centre for Environmental Sciences., 1983) Odum, Elisabeth; Scott, Graeme; Odum, HowardModern Biology courses often have a wider aim than simply introducing students to the elements of biological science. More and more teachers and curricula designers are seeking to provide a course that enables students to use their biological training to evaluate the relationship between man and nature - between human systems and natural systems. This change of emphasis arises out of a recognition that the impact of human systems on nature has been badly managed and that this mismanagement has important implications for us all. The next generation will have to cope with a complex of problems stemming from interactions between population, resources and environment. The first step towards coping is a clear understanding of the problem.Item Open Access Liquid fuel demand on New Zealand agriculture(University of Canterbury and Lincoln College. Joint Centre for Enviromental Sciences., 1983-12) McChesney, I. G.The second "oil shock" in 1979, and the fuel restrictions which followed, highlighted the dependence of farming on liquid fuels. In particular the diesel quota system illicited an immediate response from farmers requesting additional fuel, to the point where the system became virtually unworkable. Amongst other things, implementation of the 1979 demand restraint measures identified a clear need for greater understanding of the liquid fuel demand features of the farming sector. This report has two main objectives, to identify the determinants of liquid fuel demand; and to provide a detailed data base on current liquid fuel consumption patterns. During 1978/79, 17% of the diesel and 9% of the petrol used in New Zealand was used by farmers and the farm servicing sector. Two thirds of the fuel was used for transportation. Production type, technology and activity demand are identified as primary determinants of fuel demand. Detailed fuel use analysis of each of these determinants is outlined in the Appendices. The most fundamental determinant of demand though is relative fuel cost. An examination of farmers' responsiveness to fuel price increases indicates a reduction in fuel demand since 1979 (partially in response to fuel price increases) mainly resulting from technology changes. However, the combination of rising fuel prices and declining terms of trade have pushed average relative fuel costs (cost of fuel as a percentage of gross income) from about 2% during the 1960s and early 1970 to an estimated 5.4% in 1982. Most other sections of the community in New Zealand now have cheaper, alternative fuels available for transport and other mobile applications (e.g. CNG and LPG). However, on the surface at least, farmers' access to the advantages of these fuels appears to be quite limited because of the storage and transport costs associated with these fuels. This issue deserves closer attention because it implies that farmers will continue to be heavily reliant on imported fuels in the forseeable future. Data reliability will be a continuing problem for further farm fuel demand studies. Some suggestions are made for improving the data base.Item Open Access Rural and depopulation and resettlement(University of Canterbury and Lincoln College. Joint Centre for Environmental Sciences., 1980-02) Barker, W. H.; Brown, H. J.This is the third of four background papers designed to explore priority land use issues in the rural sector. This paper is concerned with Rural Depopulation and Resettlement. The paper outlines the scales, nature and geographical extent of rural depopulation and resettlement. It examines the factors influencing population movement, explores the social, economic and environmental effects of rural depopulation on both expelling and receiving areas; looks at policy implications and evalues rural economic and social development opportunities.Item Open Access A postgraduate programme in resource management(University of Canterbury and Lincoln College. Joint Centre for Enviromental Sciences., 1976-08) Corbet, Philip SThis booklet is designed to make available in a systematic way working papers used for administering the postgraduate training programme in resource management established recently by the University of Canterbury and Lincoln College at the Joint Centre for Environmental Sciences. The material presented here refers to 1975 and 1976, the third and fourth years of the programme's operation.Item Open Access Problems and issues in the planning and management of aquatic reserves in New Zealand(University of Canterbury and Lincoln College. Joint Centre for Environmental Sciences., 1980-11) Cunningham, E. B.The purpose of this paper is to present a critical analysis of reserve planning and management in New Zealand as they relate to longterm ecological stability in freshwater ecosystems. The intent is not to criticise the 1977 Reserves Act or the Planning Guide but rather to complement and supplement those documents. This paper is intended to identify problems and issues and provoke thought, recognising that the solutions must come from the citizens of New Zealand and must be determined in the context of their long term social and economic aspirations.Item Open Access Preservation and recreation(University of Canterbury and Lincoln College. Joint Centre for Environmental Sciences, Davie Lovell-Smith & Partners, 1979-10) Barker, W. H.; Brown, A. J.This is the second of four background papers designed to explore priority land use issues in the rural sector. This paper is concerned with preservation and recreation and is divided into two parts: the first deals with preservation: what is meant by preservation; why it is necessary to preserve; what kinds of resources need preserving; where these resources are, how preservation can be achieved and the effects of preservation. The second part of the paper deals with recreation: what is recreation; why it is necessary; what kinds of resources are required; how provision is and can be achieved and the effects of recreation.Item Open Access The proposed aluminium smelter at Aramoana : Some issues and implications(Lincoln College & University of Canterbury, 1981-08) Cable, C. G.; Cronin, K. E.; Coutts, B. J.; Dedekind, M.; Feasey, G. D.; Froude, V. A.; Glennie, J. M.; Kearns, N. B. F.; McCallum, L. R.; McGregor, G. A.; Ryde, J. L.; Whiteside, K. C.Students enrolled for the M.Sc. (Resource Management) are required to undertake a case study. Class members come from a wide range of disciplines or professions and have to work as an interdisciplinary team as they address a major issue in resource management. This report is part of the 1981 case study which was concerned with the proposal to establish an aluminium smelter at Aramoana. Case study reports are not normally published. However, in view of the public interest in this proposal this report is published in the hope that it might contribute to a better understanding of the issues involved in the Aramoana proposal. Readers of this report must, however, understand the constraints that applied to this study .Item Open Access A model of faulty and faultless disagreement for post-hoc assessments of knowledge utilization in evidence-based policymaking(Springer Nature, 2024-08-09) Heesen, R; Rubin, H; Schneider, MD; Woolaston, K; Bortolus, A; Chukwu, EE; Kaufer, R; Mitova, V; Schwenkenbecher, A; Schwindt, E; Slanickova, H; Sogbanmu, TO; Hewitt, ChadWhen evidence-based policymaking is so often mired in disagreement and controversy, how can we know if the process is meeting its stated goals? We develop a novel mathematical model to study disagreements about adequate knowledge utilization, like those regarding wild horse culling, shark drumlines and facemask policies during pandemics. We find that, when stakeholders disagree, it is frequently impossible to tell whether any party is at fault. We demonstrate the need for a distinctive kind of transparency in evidence-based policymaking, which we call transparency of reasoning. Such transparency is critical to the success of the evidence-based policy movement, as without it, we will be unable to tell whether in any instance a policy was in fact based on evidence.Item Open Access The Anthropocene Obscene: Poetic inquiry and evocative evidence of inequality(Wiley on behalf of Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), 2024-09) Thomsen, DC; Smith, Timothy; Elrick-Barr, CEPoetic inquiry is used to highlight contrasting lived experiences of vulnerability and worsening socio-ecological outcomes among Australia's fastest growing coastal communities. Our approach interweaves multiple participant voices across local and national scales to juxtapose the contrasts of inequality, enmesh social and ecological experiences, and ask reflexive questions of audiences. We offer an evocative portrayal of inequality to the growing body of work demonstrating that unequal and intensifying vulnerabilities are created and sustained through complicated, non-adaptive and hierarchical social systems. We demonstrate that poetic inquiry can interrogate complex system phenomena and broad concepts, such as the Anthropocene, to distil critical and systemic issues while retaining undeniable connections with the deeply personal implications of socio-ecological change. Hence, poetic inquiry can serve analytical and descriptive purposes towards an emotional and political aesthetic providing a compelling reorientation from more conventional modes of inquiry and representation. In this study, the misuse of power and privilege in the Anthropocene is reduced and revealed as the Obscene.Item Open Access Examining self-described policy-relevant evidence base for policymaking: An evidence map of COVID-19 literature(BMJ Publishing Group, 2024-08) Chukwu, Emelda E; Woolaston, Katie; Kaufer, Ricardo; Bortolus, Alejandro; Hewitt, Chad; Schwindt, Evangelina; Sogbanmu, Temitope O; Schwenkenbecher, Anne; Rubin, Hannah; Slanickova, Helena; Schneider, Mike D; Heesen, Remco; Mitova, VeliBackground Evidence-based policymaking is a paradigm aimed at increasing the use of evidence by actors involved in policymaking processes. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a heavy reliance on emerging evidence for policymaking during emergencies. Objective This study describes the focus and types of evidence in journal articles self-described as relevant to policymaking using the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study, identifying gaps in evidence and highlighting author stated perceived biases specifically in evidence-based policy making. Design Evidence mapping. Data sources We systematically searched SCOPUS, PubMed and LexisNexis for literature identifying policy-relevant evidence available on the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility criteria The study included only peer-reviewed literature identified as ‘article’, ‘book chapter’, ‘review’ covering the period from January 2020 to December 2022. Inclusion criteria required that articles have an abstract, authorship attribution and are written in English. Data extraction and synthesis A minimum of two authors independently extracted and coded for every level and final outputs were compared for consistency. Results A total of 213 articles met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed in this study. Lead authorship affiliations were from 50 countries with 70% of the outputs from developed economies including USA (20.2%), UK (18.3%) and Australia (7.5%). The most common purpose of the articles was the presentation of research findings the authors considered of relevance to policy (60.1%), followed by work that examined the impact of policy (28.6%) or highlighted or supported a policy need (22.5%), while some papers had multiple stated purposes. The most common challenges in policymaking identified by the authors of the reviewed papers were process failures and poor evidence utilisation during policymaking. Conclusions The evidence map identified the need for an interdisciplinary policy approach involving relevant stakeholders and driven by quality research as a progressive step towards prevention of future public health crises/pandemics.Item Open Access Does non-native diversity mirror Earth's biodiversity?(Wiley, 2024-01) Briski, E; Kotronaki, SG; Cuthbert, RN; Bortolus, A; Campbell, ML; Dick, JTA; Fofonoff, P; Galil, BS; Hewitt, Chad; Lockwood, JL; MacIsaac, HJ; Ricciardi, A; Ruiz, G; Schwindt, E; Sommer, U; Zhan, A; Carlton, JTAim: Human activities have introduced numerous non-native species (NNS) worldwide. Understanding and predicting large-scale NNS establishment patterns remain fundamental scientific challenges. Here, we evaluate if NNS composition represents a proportional subset of the total species pool available to invade (i.e. total global biodiversity), or, conversely, certain taxa are disproportionately pre-disposed to establish in non-native areas. Location: Global. Time period: Present day. Major taxa studied: Global diversity. Methods: We compiled one of the most comprehensive global databases of NNS (36,822 established species) to determine if NNS diversity is a representative proportional subset of global biodiversity. Results: Our study revealed that, while NNS diversity mirrors global biodiversity to a certain extent, due to significant deviance from the null model it is not always a representative proportional subset of global biodiversity. The strength of global biodiversity as a predictor depended on the taxonomic scale, with successive lower taxonomic levels less predictive than the one above it. Consequently, on average, 58%, 42% and 28% of variability in NNS numbers were explained by global biodiversity for phylum, class and family respectively. Moreover, global biodiversity was a similarly strong explanatory variable for NNS diversity among regions, but not habitats (i.e. terrestrial, freshwater and marine), where it better predicted NNS diversity for terrestrial than for freshwater and marine habitats. Freshwater and marine habitats were also greatly understudied relative to invasions in the terrestrial habitats. Over-represented NNS relative to global biodiversity tended to be those intentionally introduced and/or ‘hitchhikers’ associated with deliberate introductions. Finally, randomness is likely an important factor in the establishment success of NNS. Main conclusions: Besides global biodiversity, other important explanatory variables for large-scale patterns of NNS diversity likely include propagule and colonization pressures, environmental similarity between native and non-native regions, biased selection of intentionally introduced species and disparate research efforts of habitats and taxa.Item Open Access Vineyard management systems influence arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi recruitment by grapevine rootstocks in New Zealand(Oxford University Press, 2024-08) Moukarzel, Romy; Eirian Jones, E; Panda, P; Larrouy, J; Ramana, JV; Guerin-Laguette, A; Ridgway, HJAims: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can perform significant functions within sustainable agricultural ecosystems, including vineyards. Increased AMF diversity can be beneficial in promoting plant growth and increasing resilience to environmental changes. To effectively utilize AMF communities and their benefits in vineyard ecosystems, a better understanding of how management systems influence AMF community composition is needed. Moreover, it is unknown whether AMF communities in organically managed vineyards are distinct from those in conventionally managed vineyards. Methods and Results: In this study, vineyards were surveyed across the Marlborough region, New Zealand to identify the AMF communities colonizing the roots of different rootstocks grafted with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir in both conventional and organic systems. The AMF communities were identified based on spores isolated from trap cultures established with the collected grapevine roots, and by next-generation sequencing technologies (Illumina MiSeq). The identified AMF species/genera belonged to Glomeraceae, Entrophosporaceae, and Diversisporaceae. The results revealed a significant difference in AMF community composition between rootstocks and in their interaction with management systems. Conclusions: These outcomes indicated that vineyard management systems influence AMF recruitment by rootstocks and some rootstocks may therefore be more suited to organic systems due to the AMF communities they support. This could provide an increased benefit to organic systems by supporting higher biodiversity.Item Restricted A stringent failure: Regulators do not use available tools to protect aquatic ecosystems from clearcut forestry impacts in New Zealand(Elsevier BV, 2024-11) Urlich, Stephen; Hanifiyani, Mawardah NurEffective regulation of land-use activities in steepland areas is crucial to protect downstream ecologies and human life as intense rainfall disturbances become more frequent globally. In Aotearoa New Zealand extensive synchronous clear-cutting of Pinus radiata monocultures on steep convergent landforms, and associated earthworks, causes ongoing accelerated erosion, excessive sedimentation, and debris-laden landslides after adverse weather events. This study examines the implementation of national forestry regulations established in 2018, which also enable regional councils to create more stringent rules to protect aquatic ecosystems. All sixteen councils were surveyed in 2021 and 2022 for stringency in planning provisions; and four regions seriously affected by Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 were resurveyed in 2024. The cyclone caused loss of human life and calamitous damage to housing, infrastructure, and productive land uses from floods exacerbated by clearcut logging debris. All councils had administratively adopted the national regulations into their existing freshwater and coastal resource management plans. Twelve councils retained existing rules that conflicted with the regulations, but these rules do not protect all regionally significant aquatic ecosystems nor minimise landslide risks. No council, except Gisborne, had instigated the expensive and lengthy statutory resource management plan change process, nor taken a ‘strategic and principled’ approach to develop more stringent regulations, such as tougher restrictions on clear-cutting, earthworks, and replanting on steep erosion-prone convergent landforms to protect aquatic ecosystems and vulnerable communities. The government did tighten the management of logging debris after the cyclone, but the national regulations remain ineffective in addressing clear-cut practices maladaptive to intense rainfall and continue to permit replanting on convergent landforms. The regulations need urgent amendment to require councils to develop and implement a strategic and principled approach to stringency to better protect aquatic ecosystems, human life, economic livelihoods, and public infrastructure. Water quality monitoring is also currently inadequate, as no council systematically monitors the effects of forestry activities on sedimentation rates, which inhibits the ability to compare across and between regions. Foresters are not required to monitor water quality, which also stymies assessments of compliance and policy effectiveness. Councils regularly monitor rivers, lakes, and estuaries, but rarely the effects of individual land uses. This means that sediment or other contaminants cannot be parsed to different land use activities, undermining attempts to set catchment limits. It can also take decades at current monitoring levels to defensibly show any water quality improvements after changes to land use regulations. The current environmental limits approach of setting individual water quality attribute targets is highly unlikely to drive changes to maladaptive and ecologically degrading land uses. A new environmental management approach is needed that prohibits or effectively constrains hazardous and adverse activities.Item Open Access Protecting and restoring freshwater biodiversity across urban areas in Aotearoa New Zealand: Citizens’ reporting of pollution in stormwater drains and waterways(Elsevier BV, 2024-02) McLeod, LJ; Hine, DW; Milfont, TL; Dorner, Zachary; Tassell-Matamua, NA; Maris, RDC; Kitson, JC; Stahlmann-Brown, PUrbanization poses numerous challenges to freshwater biodiversity. This paper describes two studies with the joint aim of demonstrating the benefits of applying a systematic behaviour change framework and providing the foundational knowledge to inform future behavior change work to protect and restore urban freshwater biodiversity. In Study 1 we used a mixed-methods research design, involving 14 key informant interviews followed by an online survey targeting 17 freshwater biodiversity experts and another targeting a representative sample of 550 urban residents, to identify and prioritize the most promising resident behaviors to target to reduce stormwater pollution and improve natural waterway habitats in urban areas. Study 2 focused on the top-ranked short-term behavior identified in Study 1, citizen reporting of pollution in stormwater drains and waterways. We surveyed a representative sample of 1901 urban residents across Aoteraoa New Zealand to identify four main determinants influencing this behavior: awareness and uncertainty about reporting, lack of opportunity to report, social motivation and personal motivation to report, and five potential target audiences: ‘Supportive’, ‘Unaware but receptive’, ‘Motivated but lack support’, ‘Reluctant’, and ‘Not my problem’. We make recommendations for the most appropriate intervention designs to target each of these audience segments to promote the reporting of stormwater pollution in urban areas. This knowledge will allow for a more coordinated and effective approach for addressing the ‘human element’ that lies at the heart of many urban freshwater management problems.Item Open Access Report and recommendation of the review panel: Severe Weather Emergency Recovery (Hawke's Bay Rural Recovery Works) Order 2024(Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2024-09-25) Clifford, Denis; Coates, Natalie; Devine, Rachel; Rennie, HamishThe draft Order to be made under the Severe Weather Event Recovery Legislation Act 2023 proposes to reclassify certain activities (defined as ‘rural recovery works’) which would otherwise require a resource consent, as permitted activities under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) if the landowner meets the notification requirements and complies with the permitted activity standards. This report provides an analysis of the draft Order and whether it is necessary or desirable.Publication Open Access Mountains of East Asia and the Pacific(Lincoln University. Centre for Mountain Studies, 1996) Ralston, Mary; Hughey, Kenneth F. D.; O'Connor, KevinMountains of East Asia and the Pacific is the proceedings of the East Asia Pacific Mountain Association symposium, held at Lincoln University in May 1993. The symposium was organised by Lincoln University, the International Mountain Society and the East West Centre, Honolulu, with the cooperation and support of the United Nations University, the World Conservation Union. the New Zealand Department of Conservation and the High Country Committee of New Zealand Federated Farmers. Papers were presented on a wide range of mountain issues; from the cultural attachment people have to mountains, to issues of sustainable resource use in mountain areas and to the consequences of physical phenomena in mountainous regions. We have grouped the papers according to the common theme they illustrate. In the three years since the symposium, progress has been made in many areas of mountain research, the management of mountainous areas and in the promotion of the concept of sustainability in mountain environments. In the epilogue, the editors have attempted to discern the common threads in the papers presented at the symposium, considered the progress made since 1993 and discussed what may be the key themes of the future. The East Asia Pacific Mountain Association (EAPMA) was launched in 1993. With the Earth Summit in 1992 came Agenda 21, with Chapter 13 specifically dealing with mountains. A subsequent series of global and regional meetings has resulted in establishment of global, regional and sub-regional mountain networks. Many of the envisaged functions of EAPMA are now provided for by the Asia Pacific Mountain Network (APMN) based at ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development) in Nepal. The Centre for Mountain Studies (CMS) at Lincoln University will coordinate activities as the Australasian/Pacific subregional focal point. With this development, the editors note with pleasure that the activities of EAPMA are subsumed by the APMN, Australasian/Pacific subregion, and the continued operation of the CMS. We hope that readers will enjoy these proceedings and that Mountains of East Asia and the Pacific will continue to promote debate on mountain issues.