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Research Papers, Lincoln University

A city’s planted trees, the great majority of which are in private gardens, play a fundamental role in shaping a city’s wild ecology, ecosystem functioning, and ecosystem services. However, studying tree diversity across a city’s many thousands of separate private gardens is logistically challenging. After the disastrous 2010–2011 earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, over 7,000 homes were abandoned and a botanical survey of these gardens was contracted by the Government’s Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) prior to buildings being demolished. This unprecedented access to private gardens across the 443.9 hectares ‘Residential Red Zone’ area of eastern Christchurch is a unique opportunity to explore the composition of trees in private gardens across a large area of a New Zealand city. We analysed these survey data to describe the effects of housing age, socio-economics, human population density, and general soil quality, on tree abundance, species richness, and the proportion of indigenous and exotic species. We found that while most of the tree species were exotic, about half of the individual trees were local native species. There is an increasing realisation of the native tree species values among Christchurch citizens and gardens in more recent areas of housing had a higher proportion of smaller/younger native trees. However, the same sites had proportionately more exotic trees, by species and individuals, amongst their larger planted trees than older areas of housing. The majority of the species, and individuals, of the larger (≥10 cm DBH) trees planted in gardens still tend to be exotic species. In newer suburbs, gardens in wealthy areas had more native trees than gardens from poorer areas, while in older suburbs, poorer areas had more native big trees than wealthy areas. In combination, these describe, in detail unparalleled for at least in New Zealand, how the tree infrastructure of the city varies in space and time. This lays the groundwork for better understanding of how wildlife distribution and abundance, wild plant regeneration, and ecosystem services, are affected by the city’s trees.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of a tower of the Arts Centre taken from Rolleston Avenue near the Botanic Gardens. A wooden structure has been wrapped around the tower and secured with tie-downs in order to help reduce damage by further aftershocks.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A digital copy of a painting by Hamish Allan. The painting is titled, 'Garden City II, Ticketyboo' and was painted in 2013. The original painting is acrylic on linen and measures 400mm in diameter.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the partially-completed Green Room garden on Colombo Street. Crack'd for Christchurch's armchair and mosaic artworks are on a platform in the back. The armchair and ottoman have been wrapped in tarpaulins until their unveiling. Wire fences have been placed around the section as a cordon.Crack'd for Christchurch comments, "Flora and Otto waiting for their big day, with the garden still to be finished."

Research Papers, Lincoln University

Numerous studies have shown that urban soils can contain elevated concentrations of heavy metals (HMs). Christchurch, New Zealand, is a relatively young city (150 years old) with a population of 390,000. Most soils in Christchurch are sub-urban, with food production in residential gardens a popular activity. Earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 have resulted in the re-zoning of 630 ha of Christchurch, with suggestions that some of this land could be used for community gardens. We aimed to determine the HM concentrations in a selection of suburban gardens in Christchurch as well as in soils identified as being at risk of HM contamination due to hazardous former land uses or nearby activities. Heavy metal concentrations in suburban Christchurch garden soils were higher than normal background soil concentrations. Some 46% of the urban garden samples had Pb concentrations higher than the residential land use national standard of 210 mg kg⁻¹, with the most contaminated soil containing 2615 mg kg⁻¹ Pb. Concentrations of As and Zn exceeded the residential land use national standards (20 mg kg⁻¹ As and 400 mg kg⁻¹ Zn) in 20% of the soils. Older neighbourhoods had significantly higher soil HM concentrations than younger neighbourhoods. Neighbourhoods developed pre-1950s had a mean Pb concentration of 282 mg kg⁻¹ in their garden soils. Soil HM concentrations should be key criteria when determining the future land use of former residential areas that have been demolished because of the earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. Redeveloping these areas as parklands or forests would result in less human HM exposure than agriculture or community gardens where food is produced and bare soil is exposed.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the Arts Centre taken from Rolleston Avenue near the Botanic Gardens. The building has been cordoned off by wire fencing and a wooden structure has been secured to the tower with tie-downs to help reduce damage from further aftershocks.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Personnel from Singapore's Air Force standing alongside members of the New Zealand Defence Force in the Christchurch Botanical Gardens. The personnel were laying a wreath in memory of those who lost their lives in the Christchurch Earthquake.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A digital copy of a painting by Hamish Allan. The painting is titled, 'Garden City III, Tunnel control' and was painted in 2013. The original painting is acrylic on linen and measures 400 by 400mm.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

An image from a Army News March 2011 article titled, "Territorial Force". The image shows members of the Auckland and Northland Territorial Units clearing silt from a resident's garden in east Christchurch. The resident is out in the garden helping out.