Field notes

WildLab is passionate about developing the ways we connect with this country’s amazing nature. Our mission involves sharing best practice, and having an open source mindset to the work we develop, so that we can grow nature’s value across Aotearoa. This includes sharing our work and methods through news, articles, updates and ideas.

News, updates and ideas

Interview with Graham McGregor

Stuff columnist Graham McGregor’s focus is on business models and in particular on novel approaches to creating value in commercial sectors. In this column he dissects WildLab’s approach, and the way it combines commercial projects with academic research as something both refreshing and innovative. His column can be found here.

Ecological Homelands

In January 2021 an article written by WildLab’s Mick Abbott and Cameron Boyle was awarded Landscape Research’s Best Article Prize for 2020. Landscape Research, published in the UK, is a leading academic journal in landscape architecture. The article is based on design work undertaken at Te Waihora / Lake Ellesmere as part of the replanting programme being undertaken there. The article, titled Ecological homelands: towards a counter-ontopology of landscape design, can be found here.

Rethinking Landscape

In August 2019 Mick was invited to speak at EDS’s Rethinking Landscape in Aotearoa Conference. His presentation was on ‘Designing Landscapes for New Zealand’s Future’ and can be viewed on Vimeo.

Conversation with Kennedy Warne, founding editor of NZ Geographic

Sometime back Kennedy and Mick went searching out Alphonse Barrington’s  route through the Red Hills, close to the Olivines. As part of the journey Kennedy recorded the unfolding conversation about the possibility this country’s distinctive nature could offer us, here in Aotearoa New Zealand. Read more here.

O Tātou Ngāhere Our Forest Campaign

In March 2021 Pure Advantage and Tane’s Tree Trust launched the O Tātou Ngāhere Our Forest Campaign. Check out the inspiring video and series of articles including Dame Anne Salmond, Sir Stephen Tindall and Lou Sanson here. Mick Abbott also contributed – check out his article ‘Our Place in the Forest’ here.

Articles

WILDERNESS
MICK ABBOTT & RICHARD REEVE

The shape of wilderness

Wilderness is an ongoing fascination in this country. Images of pristine forests, mountain ranges, untameable rivers and empty expanses of coastline are the key attraction in how we promote Aotearoa New Zealand internationally: ‘100% Pure’ no less…
WILDERNESS
MICK ABBOTT

From preserve to incubator: giving a new meaning to wilderness

Our fascination with wilderness pervades how we understand this land. Wilderness features in glossy landscape books, calendars and diaries, and encapsulates the essence of numerous outdoor clothing and equipment brands…
LANDSCAPE
MICK ABBOTT

Being Landscape

Exploring the inner conflicts inherent in our relationship with landscapes – conflicts that influence the paradigms of both development and preservation.

Research and reports

  1. Abbott, M., Boyle, C. and Lee, W., 2021. Tourism’s Beneficial Nature: Increasing Tourism’s Capacity to Enhance Conservation in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Protected Areas. Managing Visitor Experiences in Nature-based Tourism, p.9-20.
  2. Hua, X., Abbott, M., Boyle, C. Visualisation Of Major Markets’ Contributions To The Economic Recovery Of Tourism After The COVID-19 Pandemic: Mapping Tourism Expenditure Between 2009-2019 In New Zealand. CAUTHE 2021, online, 9-12 Feb 2021
  3. Abbott M., Boyle C., Blackburne K., Miler K., and W. Lee. 2021 (in press). Shaping the Taskscape: Design-Directed Methods at the Intersection of Teaching and Research on Landscape. In Teaching-learning-research: design and environments, AMPS, UK.
  4. Abbott, M., Lee, W., Boyle, C., 2021.  ‘Seaview Restoration Strategy and Masterplan’, Report prepared for Yealands Wine Group.
  5. Abbott, M., Lee, W., 2021. ‘Marian College New School Development Landscape Strategy, Masterplan and Detailed Design’, Report and design outputs prepared for Marian College, and Catholic Diocese of Christchurch.
  6. Abbott, M., Lee, W., 2021 (in progress). ‘Taranaki Crossing Experience Design Project’. Interim report prepared for Department of Conservation.
  7. Payne, D., Abbott, M., Lee, W. 2021 (in progress). ‘Okarea Whenua Options Whenua Strategy and Masterplan’  Interim report prepared for Okarea Whanau Trust and MBIE.
  8. Abbott, M., Lee, W., 2021. ‘www.wildatlas.org.nz virtual field tour of the protected areas of Aotearoa New Zealand.’ Report and design outputs prepared for Education New Zealand.
  1. Abbott, M. and Boyle, C., 2020. Ecological homelands: towards a counter-ontopology of landscape design. Landscape Research, 45:2, 137-151.
  2. Abbott, M., Lee, W., Boyle, C., 2020. ‘Franklin North Waikato Trails strategy. Report prepared for NZ Walking Access Commission.
  3. Abbott, M., Lee, W., Boyle, C. 2020. ‘Seaview Vineyard Landscape strategy and visitor experience design’, Report and design outputs prepared for Yealands Wine Group.
  4. Abbott, M., Lee, W. 2020. ‘Greenhill Landscape Strategy and Masterplan’,  Report prepared for Haven’s Gate LP
  5. Abbott, M., Lee, W. 2020. ‘ www.wildheartproject.kiwi volunteering experience development project.’ Report and design outputs prepared for Conservation Volunteers New Zealand.
  6. Abbott, M., Lee, W. 2020. ‘Punakaiki Coastal Restoration Project interpretation development.’ Report and design outputs prepared for Conservation Volunteers New Zealand.
  7. Abbott, M., Lee, W. 2020. ‘Guide Hill Station Nature Centre development’. Report and design outputs prepared for Guide Hill Station.
  1. Abbott, M., Boyle, C., Lee, W., and Li X. 2019. Interweaving protected areas and productive landscapes in Aotearoa New Zealand: using design to explore multifunctionality in the Mackenzie Basin Journal of Landscape Architecture, 14(3) 18-31.
  2. Abbott, M., 2019 (in press). An evolving model for National Parks: from sanctuaries and islands to networks and socio-ecological landscapes. Journal of Chinese Landscape Architecture. 35(8) 17-21.
  3. Abbott, M., Lee, W., Pickett.T., 2019, ‘Matakana Walking Trails strategy and development design’, Report prepared for NZ Walking Access Commission, Matakana Tracks and Trails Trust, and Auckland City.
  4. Abbott, M., Lee, W., Pickett.T., 2019, ‘Pyramid Valley Vineyards strategy and design for Guide Hill Station’, Report prepared for AONZ.
  5. Abbott, M. and Bowring, J., 2019. The Design Lab Approach to Teaching Landscape. Teaching Landscape I: Didactics and Experiences–a Textbook/Handbook on Landscape Teaching.
  6. Abbott, M., 2019. Options for reducing waste on Air New Zealand’s Long Haul Network. Research report for Air New Zealand.
  7. Lee, W. 2019. Weaving mahinga kai and landscape architecture: Design with nature through people-ecology interactions. MLA Dissertation, School of Landscape Architecture, Lincoln University
  8. Abbott, M, 2019. Designlab 2012-18: An ongoing experiment in design-directed landscape architecture research. CELA Conference UC Davis
  1. Abbott, M., Boyle, C., Blackburne, K. and Lee, W., 2018. New Zealand’s “Arc of influence”: the “clean, blue, green” country. Journal of Cultural Geography, 35(3), 388-412.
  2. Abbott, M., Blackburne, K., Boyle, C., Lee, W. and Pickett, T., 2018. A new wild: Reimagining the potential of indigenous biodiversity in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Design Ecologies, 7(1), 72-93.
  3. Abbott, M., 2018. The sustaining beauty of productive landscapes. Journal of Landscape Architecture, 13(2), 8-19.
  4. Abbott, M., Roncken, P., Lee, W. and Pickett, T., 2018. Conjectural ‘Landscape Cities’ and the Gap of Imagination. Landscape Review, 18(1) 108-117.
  5. Abbott, M., 2018. Placing Design, and Designing’s Place, in Landscape Architecture Research. Landscape Review, 18(1) 89-107
  6. Abbott, M., Lee, W., Li, X., Bowring, J., 2018, ‘Developing connections in the discipline of landscape architecture between China and Aotearoa New Zealand’, Journal of the Museum of Chinese Gardens and Landscape Architecture.
  7. Abbott, M., Lee, W., Pickett.T., Derecourt, J., 2018, ‘Arthur’s Pass National Pass Conservation Hub strategy and development design’, Report prepared for Department of Conservation.
  8. Abbott, M., Lee, W., Pickett.T., Derecourt, J., 2018, ‘Taranaki Walking Trails strategy and development design’, Report prepared for NZ Walking Access Commission, Sport Taranaki and Department of Conservation.
  9. Abbott, M., Lee, W., Pickett.T., 2018, ‘Mackenzie Drylands Conservation Area strategy and design for Guide Hill Station’, Report prepared for Blue Lake Investments NZ.
  10. Abbott, M. and W. Lee, 2018. Aotearoa New Zealand, The story of New Zealand’s National Parks. Museum of Chinese Gardens and Landscape Architecture, Beijing. (302 pages)
  11. Bowring, J., Vance, N. and Abbott, M., 2018. Architecture and design: Between seascape and landscape: experiencing the liminal zone of the coast. In Living with the Sea. Routledge.
  12. Abbott, M, and P Roncken., 2018. “Design and Research Roundtable.” Journal of Landscape Architecture, 12(3) 86-89.
  13. Abbott, M. and Roncken, P.A., 2018. A Time for Designing. Landscape Review, 18(1). pp 1-3.
  14. Esperschuetz, J., Bowie, M.H., Smith, C., Abbott, M.R. and Dickinson, N., 2018. Restoration research (Punakaiki Coastal Restoration Project: 2014-2016).
  15. Abbott, M. and Boyle, C., 2018. Ontopological Natures. Proceedings of 2018 ECLAS Conference Ghent, Belgium. 40-45
    1. Abbott, M., and J. Bowring, 2017. A laboratory for design-directed research. Building design scholarship and academic possibility through designing. The Journal of Public Space, 2(3), 41-52.
    2. Abbott, M., Lee, W., Pickett, T., Boyle, C., Van Wagtendonk, M., 2017, ‘The Avon-Otakaro River as a catalyst for city change’, Report prepared for Regenerate Christchurch.
    3. Abbott, M., Lee, W., Pickett, T., Boyle, C., Van Wagtendonk, M., 2017, ‘Eden Project Waterscape Plan’, Report prepared for Eden Project Trust UK and Eden Project NZ.
    4. Abbott, M., Lee, W., Pickett. T., 2017, ‘Oparara Planning Exercise’, Report prepared for Department of Conservation, Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment and West Coast Tourism.
    5. Lee, W., and M. Abbott. 2017, ‘Abel Tasman National Park Vistor Centre as a mobile application strategy and design’, Report prepared for Next Foundation and Project Janszoon.
    6. Abbott, M., Lee, W., Pickett. T., 2017, ‘Restoration strategies for Guide Hill Station’, Report prepared for Blue Lake Investments Ltd.
    7. Abbott M.R., Li W., Han Y., Lee W., Gu Y., Chen J., Ning X., Li Y., Zhang Y., Xia X., Zhang X., Yang Z., Boyle C., Pickett T., Charters S., Li X., Blackburne K., Jardine T., Warne K., Jiang H., Zheng T., and H. Ziling, 2017 Aotearoa New Zealand : The story of New Zealand’s National Parks, Exhibition at Chinese Museum of Gardens and Landscape Architecture, with Beijing Forestry University, Tsinghua University, Beijing of Museum of Natural History, Chinese Academy of Sciences and NZ Department of Conservation Sept 17-Nov 26 Beijing, China.
    8. Abbott, M. and Bowring, J., 2017. A laboratory for design-directed research: building design scholarship and academic possibility through designing’ In Crossing Boundaries: Reflections on Applied Collaborative Architectural Research Siracusa, Italy: Lettera Ventidue
    9. Abbott M.R., Roncken P., Lee W., Pickett T., 2017. Conjectural ‘Landscape Cities’. In D. Goodwin, B. Kotzen, E. Wall, & T. Waterman (Eds.), ECLAS Conference 2017: Proceedings
    10. Abbott, M., 2017, ‘Beyond Sustaining Beauty’, In D. Goodwin, B. Kotzen, E. Wall, & T. Waterman (Eds.), ECLAS Conference 2017: Proceedings.
    11. Abbott, M., Boyle, C., Lee, W., 2017, ‘Development of New Zealand’s National Park Idea’, Proceedings of Chinese and New Zealand National Parks Research Symposium, Co-hosted by Tsinghua University and Beijing University of Forestry, Beijing, China (16-17 September).
    12. Pickett, T., Abbott, M., Bowring, J., 2017, ‘A Landscape Architecture of Hutting’, Proceedings of Bridging CELA/CLAEC, Beijing (26-29 May).
    Rae, J., Abbott, M., Bowring, J., 2017, ‘Walking as Inquiry’, Proceedings of Bridging CELA/CLAEC, Beijing (26-29 May).
    1. Abbott, M., K. Blackburne, J. Bowring and C. Murphy, 2016. Fraktales Pflanzen in Aotearoa Neuseeland. Anthos, the Swiss Journal of Landscape Architecture, 3(16), 42-44.
    2. Abbott, M., Lee, Li Xuejing, and J. Bowring, 2016. Strategies for leveraging New Zealand’s ‘Arc of Influence’, Design-directed Research Report for the Hon Nicky Wagner, Associate Minister of Conservation.
    3. Abbott, M., W. Lee, Li Xuejing, K. Blackburne, and J. Bowring, 2016. Options for a Mackenzie Country Drylands Park, Design-directed Research Report.
    4. Abbott M., Lee W., and T. Pickett, 2016. Growing the appeal of Arthur’s Pass National Park: identifying ways to better draw people into conservation-based values and activities. Christchurch: Lincoln University.
    5. Abbott M.R., Lee W., Li X., Bowring J., 2016. What is a twenty-first century national park? Designing scenarios for the Aotearoa New Zealand high country. In Bridging the gap: Proceedings of the ECLAS Conference. Rapperswil, Switzerland: (ECLAS).
    Abbott M.R., Blackburne K., Bowring J., Murphy C., 2016. Fractal planting: Reorganising forest, farming and cultural landscape in Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand. In Bridging the gap: Proceedings of the ECLAS Conference. Rapperswil, Switzerland: (ECLAS).
  1. Abbott, M. 2015. Practices of the wild: a rewilding of landscape architecture. LA Plus, University of Pennsylvania, (1), 34-39.
  2. Copley, N., J. Bowring And M. Abbott, 2015. Thinking ahead: design-directed research in a city which experienced fifty years of sea-level change overnight. JOLA: Journal of Landscape Architecture, Taylor and Francis, (2), 78-89.
  3. Smith, C.M.S , M.H. Bowie, J.L. Hahner, S. Boyer, Y.-N. Kim, H.-T. Zhong, M. Abbott, S. Rhodes, D. Sharp, N. Dickinson, 2015. Punakaiki Coastal Restoration Project: a case study for a consultative and multidisciplinary approach in selecting indicators of restoration success for a sand mining closure site, West Coast, New Zealand.
  4. Abbott, M., K. Blackburne, C. Murphy and J. Bowring, 2015. Living Water Research and Concept Development Project. Design and Report for Fonterra, Department of Conservation and Waihora Ellesmere Trust
  5. Bowring J., C. Murphy & M. Abbott, 2015. Strange generation: Doing the phenomenological within a disrupted urban thing. The Urban Thing Interstices Conference, Auckland University of Technology, 10-12 April
  6. Abbott, M., 2015. It’s in our nature: conservation, landscape, architecture. In On the edge: design investigations in the New Zealand landscape. Victoria University Wellington.
  7. Abbott, M., & J. Bowring, 2015. Design as Laboratory: building value through design-directed research. Australasian Architectural Schools Association Conference, 2-3 October, Christchurch.

Abbott, M., K. Blackburne, M. Bowie, J. Bowring, N. Dickinson, B. Dollery, & C. Murphy, 2015. A part of our nature: building social and economic value through ecological restoration. NZ Ecological Society Conference, November 17-19, Christchurch.

  1. Morrissey, J., Mirosa, M., and M. Abbott, 2014. Identifying Transition Capacity for Agri-food Regimes: Application of the Multi-level Perspective for Strategic Mapping. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, 16(2), 281-301.
  2. Abbott, M., and C.Richter, 2014. Completed Kiwi Ranger concept, programme, extended 16 site pilot, and all IP development for family-based conservation experiences in public conservation lands. With University of Otago and Otago Institute of Design, Shades of Green Limited and Department of Conservation.
  3. Abbott, M., K Blackburne, R.Edwards, B. Dollery, and N. Dickinson, 2014. Ngai Tahu Dairy Eyrewell Research Project. Design and report for Ngai Tahu Farming
  4. Abbott, M., K. Blackburne, M. Bowie, J. Bowring, N. Dickinson, B. Dollery and C. Murphy, Punakaiki Living Lab Research Project. Concept Design and report for Rio Tinto, Conservation Volunteers NZ and Department of Conservation.
  5. Abbott, M., K. Blackburne, C. Murphy and J. Bowring, 2014. Eden Project New Zealand Research and Concept Development Project. Design and Report for Mountains to Sea Trust and Eden Project Cornwall UK.
  6. Abbott, M. and J. Bowring, 2014. Design as Method: the strengths of a lab-based research approach in landscape architecture research. ECLAS Conference Proceedings, Porto, Portugal, 21-23 October, 2014.
  7. Abbott, M., 2014. The product of landscape’s phenomenological turn: designing an experience of nature. ECLAS Conference Proceedings, Porto, Portugal, 21-23 October, 2014.

Boyer S., Abbott M., Bowie M.H.,Dickinson N.M., Hahner J. Rhodes S.H., Sharp D., Smith C.M., 2014. The Punakaiki Living Lab a case study for a consultative and multidisciplinary approach in restoring a mining closure site, West Coast, New Zealand. Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia Meeting (SERA) in Nouméa, New Caledonia.

  1. Abbott, M., 2013. Wandering, Wilderness and Innovation. In Moving in extreme environments international research symposium, University of Otago, Dunedin NZ, 7-9 Feb.
  2. Abbott, M., Lockrey, S., Verghese, K. & Walton, E., 2013. Reducing environmental impacts at Antarctica NZ’s Scott Base. In Strategic Science in Antarctica, a joint Australian and New Zealand conference, Hobart, Australia, 24 – 26 June.
  3. Boyes, M. & Abbott, M., 2013. The outdoor body in time. In Sixth International Outdoor Education Research Conference, University of Otago, Dunedin NZ, 25-29 Nov.
  4. Abbott, M., 2013. Leveraging social and economic value from restoration projects. In Ecological restoration:  how do we contribute together workshop, Royal Society, Wellington, 12 June.
  5. Abbott, M., 2013. From Poverty to Plenty. In Being Here: creative conversations with the landscape of Aotearoa New Zealand Research Symposium, Lincoln University, Christchurch, 25 Oct.
  6. Abbott, M., 2013. Design and innovation in our public conservation lands. In Design for Conservation Symposium and Workshop, Lincoln University, Christchurch, 6-7 Nov.

S., Verghese, K., Crossin, E., Lockrey, S. & Abbott, M., 2013. LCA in the last frontier: Quantifying the environmental impacts and environmental impact reduction strategy. In Strategic Science in Antarctica, a joint Australian and New Zealand conference, Hobart, Australia, 24 – 26 June.

  1. Abbott, M., 2012. Reducing catering weight and waste on Air New Zealand Long Haul Network. Research report for Air New Zealand and Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
  2. Abbott, M., 2012. Reducing environmental impacts at Antarctica New Zealand’s Scott Base. Research report for Antarctica New Zealand.
  3. Abbott, M., 2012. Visualising a Temporal Cartography of Wilderness Travel. In: A Moore and I Drecki (eds.) Cartographies for Tomorrow: Mapping in a Mashed-Up World, Springer, Heidelberg.

Department of Conservation., 2012. Further information about wilderness protection in Antarctica and use of tools in the Protocol. Article prepared for New Zealand and Netherlands Government to submit at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting XXXV.

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