University of Canterbury student research is providing new insights into the impact of hedgerows and shelterbelts on rural fire risk. In partnership with Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ), Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha University of Canterbury (UC) students George Hamilton and Renee Martin were part of a team that examined the effects of factors such as fuel load, vegetation type, and proximity, on fire risk. “Our research focused on identifying and mapping hedgerows and shelterbelts in rural Canterbury, analysing their characteristics, and understanding how these features influence fire behaviour,” Hamilton says.
The research held personal significance for him. “My childhood neighbour’s house burnt down due to a hedgerow fire that spread for about 2 kilometres. That experience stayed with me and motivated my interest in this topic.” Supervised by Associate Professor Marwan Katurji from UC’s School of Earth and Environment, the Science students began by mapping West Melton hedgerows and shelterbelts to understand their geospatial relationship with infrastructure.
As part of a compulsory third-year course, Research for Resilient Environments and Communities, for Bachelor of Science students majoring in Geography and Environmental Science, the project challenged students to tackle real-world issues, something Martin says she found particularly rewarding. FENZ Wildfire Scientist Grant Pearce says “student projects like this are a great way to initiate new research. The students provide new ideas and approaches that we may not be aware of, and which can lead to better outcomes. FENZ will look to use this partnership approach again next year.” The team sees significant potential for scaling up the research nationally and internationally.
