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Integrating ecosystem services with geodesign to create multifunctional agricultural landscapes: A case study of a New Zealand hill country farm
(Elsevier Ltd, 2023-02) Tran DX; Pearson D; Palmer A; Dominati EJ; Gray D; Lowry J
An ecosystem-based management approach (EBM) is suggested as one solution to help to tackle environmental challenges facing worldwide farming systems whilst ensuring socio-economic demands are met. Despite its usefulness, the application of this approach at the farm-scale presents several implementation problems, including the difficulty of (a) incorporating the concept of ecosystem services (ES) into agricultural land use decision-making and (b) involving the farmer in the planning process. This study aims to propose a solution to overcome these challenges by utilising a geodesign framework and EBM approach to plan and design a sustainable multifunctional agricultural landscape at the farm scale. We demonstrate how the proposed approach can be applied to plan and design multifunctional agricultural landscapes that offer improved sustainability, using a New Zealand hill country farm as a case study. A geodesign framework is employed to generate future land use and management scenarios for the study area, visualize changes, and assess the impacts of future land use on landscape multifunctionality and the provision of associated ES and economic outcomes. In this framework, collaboration with the farmer was carried out to obtain farm information and co-design the farmed landscapes. The results from our study demonstrate that farmed landscapes where multiple land use/ land cover types co-exist can provide a wide range of ES and therefore, meet both economic and environmental demands. The assessment of impacts for different land use change scenarios demonstrates that land use change towards increasing landscape diversity and complexity is a key to achieving more sustainable multifunctional farmed landscapes. The integration of EBM and geodesign, is a transdisciplinary approach that can help farmers target land use and management decisions by considering the major ES that are, and could be, provided by the landscapes in which these farm systems are situated, therefore maximising the potential for beneficial outcomes.
Exploring 'nature' conceptualisations and 'connections' : a case study in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand : a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Management, Massey University, Aotearoa New Zealand
(Massey University, 2022) Fehnker-Heather, Lissy
Human actions and activities, particularly in urban Western countries, are degrading ‘nature’ at an unprecedented rate. As a result, the global environmental scientific community stress the urgent need to shift behavioural actions to more sustainable ones, for example actions that are respectful toward ‘nature’ and other species. To shift actions, it is crucial to understand what underpins them. As it is largely suggested that beliefs about ‘nature’ inform subsequent actions toward ‘nature’, the interest for environmental managers should be understanding what underpins these beliefs to initiate change. Research exploring the beliefs that people hold about ‘nature’ is growing but is still scarce in environmental management as most research is initiated from the psychological discipline. This means that the findings from such studies struggle to make their way into environmental management and therefore the implications are not translated into practical outcomes which are relevant to environmental managers active in the field. Consequently, the research in this thesis explored four facets of beliefs relating to ‘nature’ to contribute to environmental management literature and aimed to situate the findings into environmental management outcomes. The four research areas investigated were conceptualisations of ‘nature’, conceptualisations of ‘connections to ‘nature’’, what the self-perceived pathways or barriers to ‘connections to ‘nature’’ are, and how respondents view themselves in relation to ‘nature’ along with examining whether this influences their pro-‘nature’ beliefs. These avenues of research were investigated with between 960 and 997 respondents from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand via a cross-sectional, qualitative online survey and interviews. The findings suggested that most of the respondents conceptualise ‘nature’ as being something that neither humans nor human activities are a part and similarly mostly view ‘nature’ as separate from themselves. The research further uncovered that common associations of ‘nature’ are related to flora and fauna, and that there are several ways in which ‘connections to ‘nature’’ are conceptualised, but most commonly, they are perceived as being cognitive, affective, or experiential connections. The research has shown that respondents commonly perceive modern societal factors as a barrier to their connection to ‘nature’ but on the contrary perceive exposure to ‘nature’ as being a key pathway to their connections. Lastly, the findings highlighted that interconnectedness with ‘nature’ correlated with higher pro-‘nature’ beliefs across the respondent group. The research and its findings make an important contribution to the limited environmental management empirical research on ‘nature’ conceptualisations and ‘connections’ available internationally. This research also provides empirical insights into the population of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, which can be used to provide practical interventions and initiatives to facilitate stronger connections and relationships to ‘nature’. These can be implemented in practice, policy/strategy, and planning. Recommendations are made to assist with this.
The development of environmental management systems and corporate responsibility reporting in NZ, UK and USA : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Environmental Management at Massey University, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2017) Martinez, Lucy
L. C. Martinez. The Development of Environmental Management Systems and Corporate Responsibility Reporting in NZ, UK and USA, 121 pages, 2 figures, 2017. The study reviews the initiation and development of environmental management systems (EMSs) and how EMS and corporate responsibility (CR) reporting developed over time in New Zealand, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA). Comparing the three countries provides New Zealand with a global perspective to identify if northern hemisphere countries have better systems. The study has two aims: 1. To compare and contrast the initiation and development of EMSs and CR reporting in New Zealand, the UK and the USA; and 2. To suggest strategies New Zealand’s government and businesses could use to improve EMS and CR reporting systems, and thereby strengthen the country’s business environmental performance. The scope of the thesis is the urban corporate and manufacturing sectors; the timeframe is from the mid-twentieth century to the present. Scholarly journal and media articles, industry publications and reference books used for the research were accessed via the ProQuest database, Massey University online library, the New York Public Library and Google. Results show that there has not been a clear and consistent pattern of EMS development in each study country, but each country has been a leader and innovator at different stages. An initial scan suggested that New Zealand has lower ISO 14001 certification numbers and CR reporting rates than the UK and USA. When examined more closely, results show that New Zealand’s ISO 14001 certification intensity (rather than raw numbers) is actually higher than the USA, although New Zealand and the USA both lag behind the UK. Results also show that CR reporting is now completely mainstream business practice worldwide. Despite this, New Zealand’s CR reporting is limited; unlike the other two study countries, this form of reporting is not legislated. Conclusions were that economic instruments in the UK and USA are shown to be an effective way to incentivise clean business practices and increase EMS uptake. Multinational companies increasingly scrutinize suppliers’ environmental credentials, which will impact New Zealand’s SMEs more into the future. ISO 14001 is a necessary universal tool to remain relevant in today’s global economy, which may incentivise higher uptake among New Zealand’s export businesses. It was recommended that New Zealand’s government form a legislative requirement for CR reporting, and firms should be encouraged to look to organizations such as the NZ Sustainable Business Council, the Global Reporting Initiative and the International Integrated Reporting Council for guidance on CR reporting.
An integrated national strategy for resource and environmental management in post-apartheid Namibia : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University
(Massey University, 1995) Sikabongo, Frederick Mupoti
This thesis presents a structure for integrated strategic planning across levels of government in Namibia. The study advocates necessary preconditions for the preparation of An Integrated National Strategy for Resource and Environmental Management in Post-Apartheid Namibia. Because the diagnostic nature of an integrated national strategy requires a condensed assessment of the state of the economy, people, institutions and natural resources, this study commences with a critical examination of the impact of German genocide and South African apartheid policies on the people, and natural and physical resources of Namibia, and illustrates how Namibia has begun to develop out the problems associated with colonial influence. Current underdevelopment and poverty in Namibia is mainly due to unsustainable extraction of resources which has generally benefited South Africa and its provincial satellites. In order to understand Namibia's economic situation, its profile is analysed in comparative study with other SADC member states. Namibia needs to encourage sustained economic growth in order to achieve human development objectives. It is especially important to integrate environmental management at all levels of government to achieve unity of the people and sustainable exploitation of natural and physical resources. Namibia's current state of natural and physical resources is analysed by taking into consideration the immediate actions of the current Government which succeeded colonial oppression. Adverse effects of past exploitation are compiled, and recommendations of various theorists are offered as supportive evidence of the requirements for an integrated national strategy for resource management. The absence of planning at the local level of government is the major cause of inconsistency in both policy-making and plan preparation, and is also identified as major threat to the achievement of sustainable economic development in Namibia. Changes regarding the strengthening of institutional capabilities, application of economic instruments in management of natural resources, methods of plan preparation, strategic policies, including integrated monitoring procedures are proposed. Suggestions are made about means by which these recommendations could be implemented to achieve sustainable development of natural and physical resources in Namibia. The conclusion of this study suggests also that development planning of natural and physical resources need to be nationally diversified by devolving planning authority to sub-national and sub-regional levels of government. The idea is to relieve Namibia's National Planning Commission from the burden of planning at the local level of government and to efficiently spread administrative responsibility across a multinuclear umbrella of private and public sectors involved in strategic planning.
A fair play for the environment : the management of the impacts of sport on the environment : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Resource and Environmental Planning at Massey University /
(Massey University, 1999) Borrell, Sarah Maree
New Zealand's sporting organisations have not been placed under significant pressure in the past to effectively manage any negative environmental impacts that they may cause. However, the stakeholders of these organisations are beginning to exert pressure on them to change. In particular, the International Olympic Committee is placing an increased emphasis within its movement on environmental management. This research begins by analysing what sport's stakeholders may want in terms of change in the environmental management of sports. This dissertation focuses on the environmental management tool called environmental management systems (EMS). EMS focuses on the organisation's management system in an attempt to make it more effective at detecting, monitoring and improving the organisation's environmental impacts. However EMS is a tool that has been developed within the commercial sector, where as sport is a voluntary, non-profit sector. The primary aim of this dissertation is to analysis the suitability of EMS for the New Zealand sporting sector. All forty-one of New Zealand's sports national governing bodies affiliated to the Olympic movement are surveyed. In addition, four of the sports national governing bodies are interviewed in order to gain a deeper understanding of the motivation behind the decision making process. Thirty-two responses were received from the national governing bodies. These responses, combined with the interviews, show that there is a low level of knowledge about environmental concepts. There is also a fairly negative attitude towards environmental management. The survey asked whether any of the organisations had considered implementing an assortment of concepts associated with EMS. Only one of the concepts (identifying their environmental responsibility) was likely to be incorporated into a majority of sporting organisations. However the interviews indicate that many see change as inevitable. It is argued however, that the sports organisations are better to be proactive in implementing an environmental management scheme. The thesis concludes with suggestions as to how New Zealand sports can implement a cost effective and appropriate EMS into their organisations.
Legitimacy of collaborative environmental governance in New Zealand : the Manawatū River Leaders' Forum : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Environmental Management at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2015) Naovalat, Souphamith
Over the past few decades, collaborative governance has emerged as an alternative to traditionally adversarial approaches such as hierarchical command-and-control regulation. A wide range of governance theory praises collaborative governance with multi-stakeholders’ participation as an effective strategy to deal with a public issue. Environmental deterioration, such as water pollution, is a cross-cutting issue that has been in a favour of collaborative approaches to resolve. The promise of collaborative environmental governance is to make environmental policy more effective for sustainability. However, multi-stakeholders’ participation poses challenges in practice if it really makes any difference to and is compatible with environmental policy decision-making processes within a set timeframe. Power imbalance, for example, entails legitimacy deficits to ensure the effectiveness of collaborative environmental governance. Therefore, legitimacy is an important concept that defines a political acceptance whether or to what extent collaborative governance can result in more sustainable or effective environmental policy. This study assesses legitimacy of collaborative environmental governance by using the Manawatu River Leaders’ Forum (MRLF), a collaborative forum to solve water quality issue in southern North Island of New Zealand, as a case study. The study focuses on developing a framework for assessing legitimacy based on three types of legitimacy including input, output and throughput legitimacy that are applicable to explore the MRLF’s effectiveness. In corresponding to these legitimacy types, the legitimacy assessment framework is designed with three dimensional factors including participatory quality, policy effectiveness and collaborative process with their own indicators and criteria. Results of analysing published data indicate that the MRLF is basically legitimated as a fundamental commencement for collaboration as participations by different stakeholders are active and collective decisions have been implemented. However, interviews with MRLF’s key stakeholders demonstrate different perspectives on legitimacy through an existing conflict. Through the three dimensional factors, governmental stakeholders perceive high legitimacy, while most non-governmental stakeholders perceive low legitimacy. This study suggests ways to look conflict as a collaborative learning, rather than fighting, to bridge a synergy between collaboration and conflict. Although collaboration aims to resolve conflicts, collaboration should be learnt as one aspect of conflict management through controversial policy settings.
Corporate environmental reporting : a New Zealand perspective : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy, Massey University
(Massey University, 1998) Robinson, Nicholas G
Corporate Environmental Reporting is an environmental management practice that is gaining momentum internationally, and in New Zealand. In this study, four leading New Zealand Corporate Environmental Reports were compared on content, and disclosure, and it was found that the level of reporting was low, with the scope of reporting content very narrow. In comparison with international reporting surveys, the New Zealand reports compared very unfavourably; in most instances, the level of reporting in the international reports was double compared to the New Zealand reports. However, the New Zealand reports were following international trends in reporting, in terms of a high qualitative content, and limited reporting in financial and sustainable development issues. A sample of stakeholders was also surveyed on the content areas of environmental reports, and the importance that they would give to each reporting area. From the analysis, it was found that there was a large gap between the performance of the reports sampled and the expectations of the stakeholders, with some stakeholder groups indicating higher information needs than others. Through face-to-face interviews, the process that the reporting companies followed to publish their environmental report was established. This process was then compared to the narrow range of content, and to the stakeholder expectation gap found in the preceding analysis. Overall, it was concluded that the strong and pervasive environmental management legislation in New Zealand was having a considerable influence on the content of the New Zealand reports. Because of this, the practice and content of environmental reporting in New Zealand have lacked definition. Overall, it was concluded that the level of reporting from the sample of New Zealand reports was poor, and that because of the low level of reporting there was a gap between report performance and stakeholder expectations. From these conclusions it is recommended that the Government should instigate a programme defining the role and content of Corporate Environmental Reporting in New Zealand. It was also recommended that environmental reporting becomes mandatory in New Zealand.
Kaitiakitanga and the conservation and heritage management of the Kaituna River : a planning project presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Resource and Environmental Planning at Massey University
(Massey University, 1998) Park, Matiu C
This thesis investigates kaitiakitanga as an integral component of the Maori environmental management system and the theoretical and practical implications of this concepts incorporation in modern resource management, in particular the conservation and heritage management of the Kaituna River, Okere, Rotorua. With increasing attention being focused on the development of bicultural policies for resource management, this thesis pursues the effectiveness of New Zealand's environmental mandate as inclusive of Maori and Treaty of Waitangi concerns. Through the use of an extensive literature research and retroductive interviews, this thesis examines both the Maori and Western world-views and their resource management perspectives and practices. In terms of giving expression to kaitiakitanga, an investigation of the hierarchies, priorities and partnerships developed to resolve competing resource conflicts was undertaken, as well as the various legally based structures and mechanisms for processing and implementing partnership arrangements and recognising iwi rights and values. The Kaituna River was chosen as a case study because of the current ongoing resource management conflict between Maori and the Crown with respect to recreational use and commercial development versus Maori cultural and spiritual values. The case study complemented the findings of this research in that, despite the widespread formal recognition of kaitiakitanga by management agencies and the various statutory and non-statutory mechanisms that could be used to accord Maori management authority, there have been neither a sufficiency, nor an appropriate choice of formally established structures to allow Ngati Pikiao to exercise, as Treaty partners, their kaitiakitanga responsibilities. More specifically, the situation investigated at the Kaituna River established the current inability ofNew Zealand's political and judiciary systems to apply kaitiakitanga effectively as a mechanism for dealing with resource management issues involving Maori and the Crown. At present, kaitiakitanga is expressed in the RMA as a principle to which territorial authorities shall have "particular regard" in achieving the purpose of the Act It is to be effected through the requirement the RMA places on these authorities to "take into account" the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. The problem is though, as many Maori involved in resource management are realising, it is a requirement which those with responsibilities under the RMA may choose to readily avoid. Whether the kaitiakitanga role of hapu and iwi will become better understood, appreciated and given effect to by resource management agencies involved and the promised Treaty of Waitangi partnership is being affirmed still remains to be seen. While the case study was specific to the Kaituna River, the findings of this thesis could be relevant to any conflicting resource management situation between Maori and the Crown in New Zealand. The development of new principles and/or a new planning framework relating to the kawanatanga response needs to become consistent with New Zealand's dual mainstream planning heritage. Legal and constitutional adjustments may be needed to facilitate formal collaborative management structures and negotiated agreements at all levels.
Environmental guardianship in New Zealand : a cross cultural encounter : a thesis submitted for the partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Resource and Environmental Planning at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2002) Fernández, Paulina Hassey
In New Zealand, managing natural resources and planning for the environment entail a cross-cultural encounter between the Maori and the Modern Western worldviews. As different worldviews, each of these groups gives meaning, form and order to their respective experiences of reality in fundamentally different ways. The Maori notion of a spiritual ultimate reality and the rational apprehension of a material reality in the Modern Western worldview produce incompatible and irreducible views over the guardianship of natural resources and the environment. The Resource Management Act 1991 as the major piece of legislation for environmental planning in New Zealand is, however, predominantly monocultural, i.e. based on Modern Western worldview as an absolute and exclusive approach. Therefore, the relationship between Maori and the New Zealand Government in this regard, is characterized by both a deeply-rooted imbalance, and a difficulty to effectively communicate and understand each other. It is suggested that the first step towards an appropriate framework for a crosscultural relationship, is to overcome exclusivist and absolutist attitudes and claims that sustain the predominance of the Modern Western worldview over the Maori. Creating communication and understanding in symbolic levels may bridge the gap between Maori and the Government, and lay the foundations to redress the imbalance in their relationship. Examination of the Resource Management Act and the Treaty settlement process suggests this is feasible and successful approach for dealing with cross-cultural issues and to move towards pluralism in managing natural resources. This thesis concludes in recommendations for moving towards pluralism in New Zealand environmental management, and thereby a reduction in the imbalance between Maori and the government.
The Manawatu River water quality improvement project : an economic policy study : a thesis submitted in partiao fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Agricultural Sciences in Resource and Environmental Economics at Massey University
(Massey University, 1995) Omwenga, Richard Marucha
Rivers arc open access, environmental amenities from which the public derives a wide range of economic benefits. Because rivers arc public amenity resources, with public good characteristics, they arc often managed by governments. Policies that govern such public amenities should aim at allocating the resources to achieve their highest valued use. To achieve this aim resource managers need to consider the total costs and benefits that society might incur or gain as a result of implementing the policies. Some cosL'i and bencfiL<> that society incur as a result or policies an~ not observed explicitly in the market place. These costs and benefits arc often overlooked in policy formulation . The management of the Manawatu River is a responsibility of the ManawatuWanganui Regional Council. It is hoped that if the public complies with council policies affecting the river, society's needs may be met. However, if these policies arc implemented without considering society's preferences, implicit costs are likely to he imposed on society. Involvement of the public in the decision making process is one way of ensUiing that society's preferences arc considered, and upholds decision makers accountability and transparency in resource allocation. This study aimed at measuring tl1e nonmarket benefits in dollars that the public places on improved water quality in the Manawatu River using the contingent valuation method. A total or I 500 households in the Manawatu River catchment area were sent a mail questionnaire to elicit their willingness-to-pay for water improvement in the river. A return rate of 25% was obtained. The results show that 69% of the households visit the river during the summer spending their time participating in non-rigorous activities. Lack of interest in 1ivcr related activities may be one of the most important factors that hinders households' visitation to the river, rather than pollution. The lack of interest may be due to a poor general river environment. The majority of households arc unlikely to alter their visitation habits to the river even if water quality was improved. Nevertheless they place a collective value ranging from $2,002,652 - $4,084,747 per year on improved water quality in the Lower Manawatu River.

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