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Story: Farming and the environment

Native tussock grasslands

  • 1840

    1840
  • 2002

    2002

In the mid-19th century, tussock grasslands ranged from alpine snow grass to lowland sward grass. By the start of the 21st century, a large proportion had been converted to farmland, with native grasses replaced by introduced pasture species.

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How to cite this page

Julia Haggerty and Hugh Campbell, Farming and the environment – Early changes, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/17882/native-tussock-grasslands (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Julia Haggerty and Hugh Campbell, published 1 March 2009.