Please upgrade your web browser now. Internet Explorer 6 is no longer supported.

Glossary

  • Undeveloped
    within the context of the high country, this means areas where there has been no significant ongoing or regular addition of fertiliser, cultivation, oversowing or direct drilling with introduced pasture plants.
  • Uniform Annual General Charge
    a flat rate levied on a property regardless of the property’s value, over all properties in the region. See also Fixed Targeted Rate.
  • Unwanted organism
    any organism that a chief technical officer believes is capable or potentially capable of causing unwanted harm to any natural resources (Biosecurity Act 1993).
  • Urban Development Strategy
    Environment Canterbury is a strategic partner with regard to the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy (UDS). The UDS is a collaborative partnership between the Christchurch City Council, Environment Canterbury, the District Councils of Selwyn and Waimakariri, and the New Zealand Transport Agency, to manage growth and development in the Greater Christchurch area, including the location of future housing, development of social and retail activity centres, areas for new employment and integration with transport networks. Find out more about the UDS.
  • Urbanisation
    includes the peripheral expansion of cities or towns, their intensification (infill and redevelopment), and the initiation of settlement at new locations or expansion of existing settlements where their population within a decade is likely to expand to that of a city or town.
  • Urupa
    places, often enclosed, where Maori bury their dead.
  • User-pays
    where an individual benefits directly from a service, or creates the need for a service, then appropriate fees and charges are made.
  • Unconfined aquifer
    an aquifer with no upper confining layer so the system is not under pressure, and its water table levels fluctuate both seasonally and from year to year.
    Read more about Canterbury groundwater.