Environmental Histories of New Zealand

Environmental Histories of New Zealand presents an interdisciplinary account of one of the most rapid and extensive transformations of nature in human history: that which followed Maori and then European colonization of New Zealand's temperate islands. New Zealand is noted for its extraordinary environmental histories, but this is the first book from within the country to chart and analyse these histories for wider audiences. Unusualamong environmental histories, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of change, in its wider as well as its local contexts. It is organized into five parts, and the chapters in each part elaborate on the themes of: encounters, colonizing, special environments, modernizing and contemporary perspectives. The book is well illustrated with photographs, maps, and other graphics. It will appeal to students of history, geography, Maori studies, anthropology, and environmental studies, in New Zealand and overseas, and to anyone interested in the environment.