Diane Jean Lucas (born 1950) is a New Zealand landscape architect and environmental planner known for her conservation works, and particularly in and around

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

Banks Peninsula Banks Peninsula is a peninsula of volcanic origin on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It has an area of approximately and encompasses two large harbours and many smaller bays and coves. The South Island's largest cit ...

and the

Canterbury Plains The Canterbury Plains () are an area in New Zealand centred in the Mid Canterbury, to the south of the city of Christchurch in the Canterbury region. Their northern extremes are at the foot of the Hundalee Hills in the Hurunui District, and in t ...

and South Island High Country. She is a strong advocate for the protection of natural and indigenous ecosystems, and sustainable rural management.

Biography

Lucas grew up on Bendigo Station in the

Otago Otago (, ; mi, Ōtākou ) is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local government reg ...

high country, and learnt about conservation early from both her parents and the rugged landscape. In 1971, she achieved a

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

in botany at

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate u ...

and went on to complete a postgraduate diploma in landscape architecture at Lincoln College. She initially worked for the

Ministry of Works and Development The New Zealand Ministry of Works and Development, formerly the Department of Public Works and often referred to as the Public Works Department or PWD, was founded in 1876 and disestablished and privatised in 1988. The Ministry had its own Cabi ...

, but resigned during the

Robert Muldoon Sir Robert David Muldoon (; 25 September 19215 August 1992) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand, from 1975 to 1984, while leader of the National Party. Serving as a corporal and sergeant in th ...

era saying she could not work under a government whose policies adversely affected New Zealand’s biodiversity and natural rural landscapes. She set up a practice in Geraldine advising rural landowners on sustainable management, and is the director of Lucas Associates Limited, now based in Christchurch. For decades, her projects and publications have informed and improved urban design, native plantings, waterway restoration,

Resource Management Act The Resource Management Act (RMA) passed in 1991 in New Zealand is a significant, and at times, controversial Act of Parliament. The RMA promotes the sustainable management of natural and physical resources such as land, air and water. New Zea ...

(RMA) planning, forestry and high country management. Her many professional and voluntary roles include time with the Natural Heritage Fund, the

Department of Conservation An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment ...

, the

New Zealand Conservation Authority The New Zealand Conservation Authority / Te Pou Atawhai Taiao O Aotearoa is an independent statutory body that advises the Minister of Conservation and Director-General of Conservation on conservation issues of national importance. Role Its st ...

, the New Zealand Environmental Council, Ngā Whenua Rāhui (a fund that assists Māori Land owners with protection of indigenous ecosystems), the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects (NZILA),

Federated Farmers Federated Farmers of New Zealand is a lobby and advocacy group for all farmers: arable including fruit and vegetables, dairy and meat and their often remote communities. It has a network of 24 regional organisations and six industry groups. Fed ...

, the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association, and the

Christchurch City Council The Christchurch City Council is the local government authority for Christchurch in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority elected to represent the people of Christchurch. Since October 2022, the Mayor of Christchurch is Phil Mauger, who ...

Urban Design Panel. She has also served as president of NZILA, a commissioner at RMA hearings, and judge for the Canterbury Heritage Awards. From 1995 to 1997, she researched native plant species suitable for home gardeners to grow in their neighbourhood. Together with the Christchurch-Otautahi

Agenda 21 Agenda 21 is a non-binding action plan of the United Nations with regard to sustainable development. It is a product of the Earth Summit (UN Conference on Environment and Development) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. It is an action age ...

committee, she published her research in a set of four booklets on several different areas, entitled Indigenous Ecosystems of Otautahi Christchurch. The booklets include a street map of Christchurch overlaid on a map of the

ecosystems and soil types. The ecosystems range from old wetlands to forest, through to younger tussock grasslands. In addition, the booklets provide a guide for nurseries and the public about which native trees, shrubs, climbers and groundcovers naturally belong in different areas. At the time of the

Christchurch earthquakes A major earthquake occurred in Christchurch on Tuesday 22 February 2011 at 12:51 p.m. local time (23:51 UTC, 21 February). The () earthquake struck the entire of the Canterbury region in the South Island, centred south-east ...

, she warned that old streams have 'memories'. A map of the city drawn up in 1850 showed a number of old waterways that had since been filled in with gravel and built on. Many badly earthquake damaged buildings were sited on top of these old streams.

Honours and awards

New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 The New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 was established by Royal Warrant on 1 July 1993. It was created to commemorate Women's suffrage in New Zealand and to recognize those New Zealand and Commonwealth citizens who had made a significant ...

New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal The New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal was a commemorative medal awarded in New Zealand in 1990 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, and was awarded to approximately 3,000 people. Background The New Zea ...

* NZILA Charlie Challenger Award, 1996 and 2000 (Lucas Associates team) * NZILA landscape planning Gold Award, 1998 and 2008 (Lucas Associates team) * 48-Hour Design Challenge, 2011 (as part of the supreme-award-winning team member) * Resene Total Colour Lifetime Achievement Award, 2012 for her list of sympathetic colours to paint heritage buildings * John Taylor Award for Leadership in Horticulture, 2017 *

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rend ...

in the

2019 New Year Honours The 2019 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebratio ...

, for services to conservation

Publications

* Storyscapes: Regeneration of the Port and Banks Peninsula Hills, 2010 (contributor) * Indigenous Ecosystems of Otautahi Christchurch ** Set 1, The Plains of Riccarton-Wigram & Spreydon-Heathcote, 1995 ** Set 2, The Coastal Plains of Hagley-Ferrymead & Burwood-Pegasus, 1996 ** Set 3, The Plains of Shirley-Papanui & Fendalton-Waimairi, 1996 ** Set 4, The Port Hills of Christchurch City, 1997 * The Merivale Plan: Developed Through A Community Planning Workshop, 1996 * The Shape of Christchurch Within the Frame of the 4 Avenues: A Plan Developed Through the Inner City Charrette, 1995 * Woodlots in the Landscape, 1987 * Landscape Guidelines for Rural South Canterbury, 1981

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lucas, Di 1950 births Living people People from Otago University of Otago alumni Lincoln University (New Zealand) alumni New Zealand landscape architects Women landscape architects New Zealand conservationists New Zealand public servants 21st-century New Zealand women Recipients of the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit