Editing Canterbury Region (section)

=== Natural history ===
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The land, water, flora, and fauna of Canterbury has a long history, stretching from creation of the greywacke basement rocks that make up the [[Southern Alps]] to the arrival of the first humans. This history is linked to the solidification and development of tectonic plates, the development of oceans and then life itself.

The region is a part of the larger [[Zealandia]] continent, itself a part of the larger Australian and Pacific tectonic plates. In the first instance, the land is based upon the constructive tectonic forces of this convergent and transformational tectonic plate boundary. In the second instance, the erosive forces of rain, snow, ice, and rock grinding against rock have developed large gravel fans that extend out from the mountains. In the third instance, there is volcanism punching through the basement rocks and blanket of sediments to the surface. Upon this solid foundation, and slowly over the billions of years, life made up of a countless generations of interconnected adaptations developed into the unique flora and fauna of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The remnants populations of these unique species are visible today in the publicly protected conservation lands.

The species of Waitaha/Canterbury were adapted to the climate and geography that traverses inland from the coastline to the highest peaks, and from the warmer climes in the north to the colder in the south.