https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/lincoln/oai:researcharchive.lincoln.ac.nz:10182/5393
type: CreativeWork
name: Tree protection in Christchurch : the legal aspects : a major design study submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Diploma of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln College, University of Canterbury
description: The object of this dissertation is to discuss the legal aspects of tree protection in Christchurch. This will involve considering the measures taken to protect trees by the 5 Christchurch local authorities - Christchurch City, Waimairi District, Riccarton Borough, Heathcote County and Paparua County Councils - and the legislation empowering them to do so although other legislation and tree protection methods will also be covered. Trees are an integral part of the urban environment. They enhance buildings, define and link open spaces, provide shelter and shade, help cleanse the polluted air and may be of some historic or scientific interest. In Christchurch they also are largely responsible for the garden city image which is such an essential part of the character of the city and it is important that effective measures are taken to ensure their protection. The concept of providing legal protection for trees in urban areas is a recent one. Early attempts to legislate for the protection of trees reflected the attitudes of the times. The overriding economic concerns of the pioneers and their attitudes towards the rights of the private land owner prevented any legislation for the protection of trees in towns being passed. Vested interests saw tree clearance in terms of prosperity and any legislation restricting the rights of property owners was strenuously resisted. The Plans of Towns Regulations Bill of 1871 introduced to protect trees in towns was defeated although a modified version was passed in 1878 providing some protection for trees in towns built on Crown land. However, there was some awareness of the importance of trees to Christchurch -perhaps because of the scarcity of trees on the Plains when the settlers arrived - and in 1881 the Public Reserves Act which prohibited the felling of any timber growing on a public reserve was passed. Other regulations were made to protect trees on public land but until recently there was nothing preventing the private land owne…
abstract: The object of this dissertation is to discuss the legal aspects of tree protection in Christchurch. This will involve considering the measures taken to protect trees by the 5 Christchurch local authorities - Christchurch City, Waimairi District, Riccarton Borough, Heathcote County and Paparua County Councils - and the legislation empowering them to do so although other legislation and tree protection methods will also be covered. Trees are an integral part of the urban environment. They enhance buildings, define and link open spaces, provide shelter and shade, help cleanse the polluted air and may be of some historic or scientific interest. In Christchurch they also are largely responsible for the garden city image which is such an essential part of the character of the city and it is important that effective measures are taken to ensure their protection. The concept of providing legal protection for trees in urban areas is a recent one. Early attempts to legislate for the protection of trees reflected the attitudes of the times. The overriding economic concerns of the pioneers and their attitudes towards the rights of the private land owner prevented any legislation for the protection of trees in towns being passed. Vested interests saw tree clearance in terms of prosperity and any legislation restricting the rights of property owners was strenuously resisted. The Plans of Towns Regulations Bill of 1871 introduced to protect trees in towns was defeated although a modified version was passed in 1878 providing some protection for trees in towns built on Crown land. However, there was some awareness of the importance of trees to Christchurch -perhaps because of the scarcity of trees on the Plains when the settlers arrived - and in 1881 the Public Reserves Act which prohibited the felling of any timber growing on a public reserve was passed. Other regulations were made to protect trees on public land but until recently there was nothing preventing the private land owne…
author: Watson, R. T.
language: en
keywords: Christchurch, tree protection, legal aspects, urban environment, shelter, effective measures, ANZSRC::050205 Environmental Management, ANZSRC::1205 Urban and Regional Planning
license: https://researcharchive.lincoln.ac.nz/pages/rights
date published: 1982
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:51:05Z
provider: Lincoln University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Lincoln College, University of Canterbury

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/10182/5393