How novel ecosystems are understood and managed: Institutional framings and public experiences across four urban sites : A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln University

Abstract

This dissertation examines how spontaneous urban novel ecosystems are framed, designed, and managed, and how institutional narratives align with or diverge from public experience across four international sites. Ecological value appears through scientific data and through sensory impressions of liveliness and refuge. Wildness is formally defined as succession yet experienced as authenticity and calm. Access, terrain, and circulation shape how visitors encounter these landscapes, while aesthetic cues and governance structures mediate meaning and care. Overall, novel ecosystems gain significance through ecological information, sensory immersion, and cultural framing, offering transferable insights for recognising and designing with such landscapes in Aotearoa New Zealand.