Week 3 - AEE

Many many years ago when the first settlers came to New Zealand, our landscape was changed forever.  At that time, did they realise what they were doing to their environment ?  Vast changes were made without either education or awareness of the impact of their actions.

Over time, there was a progression from forests to roads to farms to cities and during this time, the effects of certain types of land cover on our environment were not considered (or understood).  Since the adoption of the AEE process in 1991, our cities have seen a huge increase in urbanisation.

As forest was cleared for pasture, sawmills turned felled trees into timber for fuel, housing and railway sleepers.  This is the Gamman & Co. sawmill, near Ohakune, around 1910.