Tree planting in the urban areas of Otago New Zealand: Thesis for the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture

Abstract

A great deal has been written about the use of trees in this country and undoubtedly other countries of the world in regard to their suitability or unsuitability in a particular situation. Often trees become the centre of controversy, generating emotional discussion and sometimes legal battles. Trees are part of our environment bringing pleasure or causing problems. Trees provide a valuable amenity·that forms the vegetative tree structure of towns and an extension of the existing landscape. While there is ample material available to study in respect to species of trees which may be suitable to plant in a given situation, it is quite apparent the information is generally concentrated on the species' ability to flourish. Most of the information is descriptive of the trees themselves and deals with their characteristics. Little if anything deals with the underlying problem of how to accommodate trees in the urban environment, and at the same time avoid the problems of conflict which are so frequently encountered in this country. It is the purpose of this thesis to look at the problems of accommodating trees in the urban areas. In doing so it is necessary to examine some of the basic underlying problems which tend to exclude the use of certain species.