Plants of place: justice through (re)planting Aotearoa New Zealand’s urban natural heritage

Abstract

Climate change has led to urgent calls for environmental action and justice, which is likely to include increased urban vegetation. The benefits of this planting could go beyond ecological and climate benefits to contribute to decolonisation and environmental and spatial justice and build on the well-documented links between ecological and human wellbeing. In Aotearoa New Zealand, past and ongoing injustices resulting from colonisation have disconnected Māori (the Indigenous people) from their land. Māori see themselves reflected in the landscape and te taiao (the natural world). The process of colonisation has mostly erased natural heritage, intrinsic to Māori identity, from urban areas. Many plants in urban areas represent colonial identity rather than this natural heritage, and many of the native plants that have been planted originate from other parts of the country. Through reviewing the literature, this article argues for research that determines the benefits of urban planting design prioritising plants that naturally occurred in the past, termed here ‘plants of place’, in public places. In settler colonial countries, where it is an accepted practice to acknowledge built and predominantly colonial heritage, making pre-colonial natural heritage visible can have many co-benefits. It has the potential to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation, decolonisation efforts, spatial justice and environmental justice. Celebrating natural heritage and planting ‘plants of place’ can contribute in some part to righting past injustices and preparing for a changing future.

Connecting people with place-specific nature in cities reduces unintentional harm

“…The loss of connection with indigenous species due to colonisation and rapid urbanisation can have hugely negative consequences for Indigenous people living in cities; with loss of connection to indigenous biota comes loss of cultural practices, language and wellbeing (Walker et al 2019). Prioritising indigenous plant species over introduced plant species not only benefits biodiversity, but also contributes to the decolonisation of urban spaces (Rodgers et al 2023). Indeed, in Aotearoa-New Zealand, preference for indigenous plants in public spaces is likely to be increasingly entrenched in policy as the country moves towards decolonisation (Rodgers et al 2023).…”

“…Prioritising indigenous plant species over introduced plant species not only benefits biodiversity, but also contributes to the decolonisation of urban spaces (Rodgers et al 2023). Indeed, in Aotearoa-New Zealand, preference for indigenous plants in public spaces is likely to be increasingly entrenched in policy as the country moves towards decolonisation (Rodgers et al 2023). In terms of the general populace, New Zealanders are more willing to conserve indigenous species, even when introduced species are charismatic (Fern 2022).…”

“…For areas with low fire frequency histories, indigenous plants are likely more suitable than introduced species and also provide biodiversity benefits (Curran et al 2018). More research is required on which place-specific (indigenous) plant species might be best used for climate change mitigation and adaptation, rather than applying a few well-studied plants from well-resourced countries to other contexts; this further intensifies colonisation and unintentional impacts (Rodgers et al 2023).…”

Centring localised indigenous concepts of wellbeing in urban nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation: case-studies from Aotearoa New Zealand and the Cook Islands

“…For example, the spatial design and materiality of buildings and their facades, as well as public works of art and soundscapes, and the experiences of these in linked urban spaces impacts on experiences of human-nature relationship in cities (Pedersen Zari, 2019). Specific cultural interpretations of nature and human-nature relationships, as well as the inclusion of specific native or cultural keystone plant species are also highly important, particularly in the context of Indigenous communities (Rodgers et al, 2023). This means that the quality and variety of opportunities for human-nature relationships in urban contexts and how spatial experiences are linked through time and cultural values is likely to be important in the creation of NbS that result in human wellbeing in general, and Indigenous wellbeing specifically.…”