Indigenous and settler interactions with forests in New Zealand c. 1840-1874 : a case study of Wairarapa : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History at Massey University, Manawatū Campus, New Zealand. EMBARGOED until 28th January 2026
Loading...
Date
2024
DOI
Open Access Location
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Massey University
Rights
The author
Abstract
Throughout history, forest management and cultivation have been intrinsic parts of land use across many cultures. With particular reference to Wairarapa, this investigation specifically encompasses the differences in silvicultural interactions between tangata whenua and Pākehā in Aotearoa New Zealand between 1769 and 1874. Drawing on archival materials, contemporary reports in newspapers, and memoirs, this thesis uses comparative and qualitative methods to assess the use of forest land by Māori and colonial groups, the differences in approach between these groups; the effects that their differing silvicultural methods had on the environments in which they operated; and the extent to which the 1874 New Zealand Forests Act might be regarded as evidence of the emergence of a 'conservation ethic' among Pākehā. Reflecting on primary evidence concerning the Māori experience of land resource colonisation in New Zealand forests, this thesis concludes that prior to contact with Europeans, there existed a distinct ‘conservation ethic' in Māori society regarding forest management. Between 1769 and 1874, however, this ‘conservation ethic’ experienced significant challenges, conflicting with Eurocentric forest management methods centred on clear-felling with a view to afforestation by exotic hardwoods, crops, and grasses. Accordingly, Māori impacts on New Zealand forest management during this period were characterised by efforts to move toward traditional forest management, whereas Pākehā forestry development policies were mainly motivated by colonialism. With reference to Wairarapa, it is argued that in the initial period of Pākehā settlement after 1840, European settlers, squatters, and renters needed to recognise and to some degree adopt Māori approaches to forest management. Once Crown purchases became more extensive in the region, however, Wairarapa’s forests were increasingly viewed as an obstacle to ‘development,’ resulting in their destruction by European landholders. However, while much of Wairarapa's Māori-owned forest land was alienated and deforested after 1853, Māori continued wherever possible to maintain their traditional practices in forestry and actively engaged in legal processes to protect their interests.
Description
Embargoed until 28th January 2026