Going Bush New Zealanders and Nature in the Twentieth Century

Exploring the Pakeha New Zealanders' perspective of nature from the 1890s to the 1970s, this investigation challenges the traditional ideas of the "bush," asserting that the theories around this concept contained as much conservatism as conservation. A striking cultural reconnaissance of the great outdoors, this study proves to be powerfully relevant to debates concerning the human race's relationship with the natural world. From school gardeners and prize-winning carrots to Young Farmers' Club members, litterbugs, and vandals, this examination presents a fascinating account of New Zealand people, culture, and society in the 20th century.

Kirstie Ross is a former treaty-claims historian, a librarian, and an archivist. She is a cocurator at the Museum of New Zealand, a member of the New Zealand History Association, and the treasurer of the Professional Historians' Association of New Zealand.