European take-over of N.Z. ’radical, brutal'

Press, 29 November 1979, Page 22

European take-over of N.Z. ’radical, brutal'

PA Wellington The invasion of New Zealand by European people, pests, weeds, animals, and diseases caused the most rapid, radical, and brutal transformation of any ecosystem in world history according to a world exoert on ecological history. Professor Alfred Crosby nf the University of Texas, has been in New Zealand for six months on a Fulbright Scholarship, researching material for a book on the way this country's ecology was devastated by the arrival of Europeans last century. Working at' the Alexander Turnbull Library, he is comparing the European

invasion of New Zealand and that of North America, Uruguay, Argentina, and Australia. New Zealand was a good example of how such an invasion played havoc with the ecological system, he said. Europeans came to New Zealand with a highly developed ecosystem, trying to establish a nearreplica of Europe. They brought aggressive pests, animals, weeds and diseases which overwhelmed the native people and plants. “The transformation nf New Zealand is the most recent, the best documented. and the most complete,” Professor Crosby said. “New Zealand had the

smallest mamal population of any country until the pakeha arrived. Today. European animals vastly outnumber the people, and 90 per cent of the people are of European stock. This is an impressive take-over by any itandards.” Professor Crosby sees relevance for the future in his study of the past. » “Such a radical transformation of an insular landscape has created a perilously unstable ecosystem in New Zealand” which is very expensive to maintain.” he said. “Without the constant intervention of man armed with fertilisers and mach-' inery, your landscape! would soon revert to ittl former condition.”