NZCLS, BA (Geog), BSurv, MSurv, PGCertTertTeach, PhD (Otago). MNZIS
Email: mick.strack@otago.ac.nz
Phone: +64 3 479 7603
Room: Surveying building. 1st floor, Room 114
Profile
Senior Lecturer
My practical surveying experience includes work in Australia, the UK, Egypt, and Nelson as a survey technician with a NZ Certificate of Land Surveying. In 1993 I arrived in Dunedin to complete a BSurv, and I got hooked on Dunedin and on the academic life. I obtained my MSurv in 1996 and came on board at the School teaching Land Law, Land Administration and Land Tenure. My teaching and research also includes a focus on Māori land issues, sustainable land use, and water, river and sea rights and boundary issues. My PhD thesis was completed in 2008 looking at Indigenous people’s rights in rivers – a Ngai Tahu and Siksika (Canadian First Nation Band) comparison study. My interests include rowing, cycling, travelling, sailing, gardening and reading.
Teaching
- SURV205 Statutory Planning A Coordinator
- SURV206 Land Tenure 1 Coordinator
- SURV306 Land Tenure 2 Coordinator
- SURV455 Statutory Planning B Coordinator
- SURV480 Research Project Coordinator
- Plus contributions in other papers on topics of land title, environmentalism, sustainability and land law.
Research interests
- Māori Land
- Rights to Water
- River and sea boundaries
- Coastal erosion
- Sustainability and land use decisions
- Student environmental attitudes
- Land Tenure and Cadastral Issues
Research group membership:
- Research Cluster for Natural Resources Law
- CSAFE associate
- Centre for Research on Colonial Culture
- Member of Steering Committee of Catchments Otago.
Projects
Current projects
- Boundaries and Coastal erosion in the face of climate change - Sea level rise and storm events
- Property and title to rivers and lakes
- Property boundaries and Monumented cadastre.
Supervision
Recent Honours dissertation (SURV490/590) students
- James Berghan – (co-supervisor with David Goodwin) – Striking a Balance: cultural and productive uses of Māori land
Julian Thom - Subsurface rights in tunnels - Michael Lister - Property rights in informal occupation sites
- Mitchell Holyoak - Protecting Outstanding Landscape
Professional Project (SURV470)
- Julian Thom - Subsurface Rights in Tunnels.
Responsibilities
School:
- Kaiāwhina – Māori student support
- Pacific Islands student support
- Disabilities coordinator
- Tutor Coordinator
- Undergraduate committee (Chair)
- Course advisor
Professional Activities
Awards and Achievements
- Awarded the Fulton Medallion A-2 by the NZIS in recognition of a published paper of interest to the profession.
Memberships
- Member of NZIS
- Member of NZ Coastal Society - Organising Committee for 2016 NZCS Conference
- NZIS Research Committee
- NZIS Publications/ Editorial Board
Publications
Strack, M. (2017). Land and rivers can own themselves. International Journal of Law in the Built Environment, 9(1), 4-17. doi: 10.1108/IJLBE-10-2016-0016
Strack, M. (2017). Draw conclusions on the wall: Defence of the monumented cadastre. Australian Property Law Journal, 26(1), 1-23.
Strack, M. (2014). 'They'll be drownded in the tide': Reconsidering coastal boundaries in the face of sea-level rise. Geography Research Forum, 34, 23-39.
Strack, M., Wheen, N., Lovelock, B., & Carr, A. (Eds.). (2018). Riverscapes: Research essays on the social context of southern catchments of Aotearoa New Zealand. Dunedin, New Zealand: University of Otago, 102p.
Strack, M. (2018). Natural boundaries, legal definitions: Making room for rivers. In M. Strack, N. Wheen, B. Lovelock & A. Carr (Eds.), Riverscapes: Research essays on the social context of southern catchments of Aotearoa New Zealand. (pp. 65-80). Dunedin, New Zealand: University of Otago.
Edited Book - Research
Strack, M., Wheen, N., Lovelock, B., & Carr, A. (Eds.). (2018). Riverscapes: Research essays on the social context of southern catchments of Aotearoa New Zealand. Dunedin, New Zealand: University of Otago, 102p.
Strack, M. (Ed.). (2013). Survey marks. Dunedin, New Zealand: School of Surveying, University of Otago & the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors, 206p.
Chapter in Book - Research
Strack, M. (2018). Introduction. In M. Strack, N. Wheen, B. Lovelock & A. Carr (Eds.), Riverscapes: Research essays on the social context of southern catchments of Aotearoa New Zealand. (pp. 1-6). Dunedin, New Zealand: University of Otago.
Strack, M. (2018). Natural boundaries, legal definitions: Making room for rivers. In M. Strack, N. Wheen, B. Lovelock & A. Carr (Eds.), Riverscapes: Research essays on the social context of southern catchments of Aotearoa New Zealand. (pp. 65-80). Dunedin, New Zealand: University of Otago.
Strack, M. (2013). Our relationship with the land. In M. Strack (Ed.), Survey marks. (pp. 111-116). Dunedin, New Zealand: School of Surveying, University of Otago & the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors.
Strack, M. (2013). Surveyors, Māori land and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. In M. Strack (Ed.), Survey marks. (pp. 95-99). Dunedin, New Zealand: School of Surveying, University of Otago & the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors.
Shephard, K., Harraway, J., Lovelock, B., Skeaff, S., Slooten, L., Strack, M., & Jowett, T. (2012). Monitoring changes in the sustainability attributes of higher education students in a New Zealand university. In W. L. Filho (Ed.), Sustainable development at universities: New horizons. (pp. 117-126). Frankfurt, Germany: Peter Lang.
Strack, M. (2011). Bounding the land: Cadastral framework on the Taieri. In J. Ruru, J. Stephenson & M. Abbott (Eds.), Making our place: Exploring land-use tensions in Aotearoa New Zealand. (pp. 101-114). Dunedin, New Zealand: Otago University Press.
Strack, M. (2010). Coastal erosion and property rights in New Zealand [Case study]. In I. Boateng (Ed.), Spatial planning in coastal regions: Facing the impacts of climate change. (pp. 43-44). Copenhagen, Denmark: International Federation of Surveyors.
Journal - Research Article
Coutts, B. J., & Strack, M. S. (2019). Is there still a (land) surveying profession? Survey Review, 51(366), 244-249. doi: 10.1080/00396265.2017.1416730
Strack, M., Shephard, K., Jowett, T., Mogford, S., Skeaff, S., & Mirosa, M. (2019). Monitoring surveying students' environmental attitudes as they experience higher education in New Zealand. Survey Review, 51(366), 257-264. doi: 10.1080/00396265.2017.1399526
Innes, S., Shephard, K., Furnari, M., Harraway, J., Jowett, T., Lovelock, B., Strack, M., & Skeaff, S. (2018). Greening the curriculum to foster environmental literacy in tertiary students studying human nutrition. Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, 13(2), 192-204. doi: 10.1080/19320248.2016.1255693
Strack, M. (2017). “Teachers teach that knowledge waits”: But what knowledge? Connecting technical training and professional education. New Zealand Surveyor, 304, 2-25.
Strack, M. (2017). Sustainable coastal development: Protect or retreat? WIT Transactions on The Built Environment, 170, 63-72. doi: 10.2495/CC170071
Strack, M. (2017). Land and rivers can own themselves. International Journal of Law in the Built Environment, 9(1), 4-17. doi: 10.1108/IJLBE-10-2016-0016
Goodwin, D., & Strack, M. (2017). Tenuous foundations: Historical lessons for modern land agreements. New Zealand Surveyor, 304, 2-28.
Strack, M. (2017). Draw conclusions on the wall: Defence of the monumented cadastre. Australian Property Law Journal, 26(1), 1-23.
Shephard, K., Harraway, J., Lovelock, B., Mirosa, M., Skeaff, S., Slooten, L., Strack, M., Furnari, M., Jowett, T., & Deaker, L. (2015). Seeking learning outcomes appropriate for 'education for sustainable development' and for higher education. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 40(6), 855-866. doi: 10.1080/02602938.2015.1009871
Shephard, K., Harraway, J., Jowett, T., Lovelock, B., Skeaff, S., Slooten, L., Strack, M., & Furnari, M. (2015). Longitudinal analysis of the environmental attitudes of university students. Environmental Education Research, 21(6), 805-820. doi: 10.1080/13504622.2014.913126
Jowett, T., Harraway, J., Lovelock, B., Skeaff, S., Slooten, L., Strack, M., & Shephard, K. (2014). Multinomial-regression modeling of the environmental attitudes of higher education students based on the Revised New Ecological Paradigm Scale. Journal of Environmental Education, 45(1), 1-15. doi: 10.1080/00958964.2013.783777
Strack, M. (2014). 'They'll be drownded in the tide': Reconsidering coastal boundaries in the face of sea-level rise. Geography Research Forum, 34, 23-39.
Shephard, K., Harraway, J., Lovelock, B., Skeaff, S., Slooten, L., Strack, M., Furnari, M., & Jowett, T. (2014). Is the environmental literacy of university students measurable? Environmental Education Research, 20(4), 476-495. doi: 10.1080/13504622.2013.816268
Strack, M., Jowett, T., Shephard, K., & Harraway, J. (2013). What impact do higher-education experiences have on the environmental attitudes of surveying students? New Zealand Surveyor, 302, 36-42.
Berghan, J., Goodwin, D., & Strack, M. (2013). Striking a balance: Balancing cultural and productive uses of Māori freehold land. New Zealand Surveyor, 302, 4-12.
Strack, M. (2013). Watching the river flow: The law, rights and ownership of rivers in New Zealand. New Zealand Surveyor, 302, 28-35.
Coutts, B. J., & Strack, M. S. (2012). Surveying education at the New Zealand National School of Surveying. Survey Review, 44(324), 53-58. doi: 10.1179/1752270611y.0000000002
Strack, M. (2011). Using and stopping unformed legal roads. New Zealand Surveyor, 301, 11-14.
Strack, M., & Jeffery, E. (2009). Access to landlocked Maori land. New Zealand Surveyor, 299, 31-35.
Strack, M. (2009). Lines on the land. New Zealand Surveyor, 299, 14-23.
Strack, M. (2006). Maori land loss: A study of the process of alientation - The Taieri Native Reserve. New Zealand Surveyor, 296, 13-19.
Strack, M. (2005). Back to the land: Walking access to the outdoors. New Zealand Surveyor, 295, 18-25.
Strack, M. (2004). Customary title over the foreshore and seabed of Aotearoa: A property rights perspective. Trans Tasman Surveyor, (6), 44-51.
Bedford, L., & Strack, M. (2004). The legal and administrative frameworks for offshore windfarms in New Zealand. New Zealand Surveyor, (294), 31-36.
Strack, M. S., & Chisholm, C. E. (2001). Ownership or control of our rivers. Butterworths Resource Management Bulletin, 4(5), 52-56.
Strack, M. S., & Rosie, D. P. (2001). Maori land: Kicking around the football. New Zealand Surveyor, 291, 15-19.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Strack, M., & Davies, N. (2017). A fee stratum title to a lake: Does it make sense? Surveying+Spatial, (91), 19-21.
Strack, M. (2016). Before it is washed to the sea? Coastal development and erosion. Civil Engineering Surveyor, July/August, 34-39.
Strack, M. (2004). Access, navigation and property rights in the foreshore and seabed. Survey Quarterly, (39), 37-39.
Bedford, L., & Strack, M. (2004). Catching the sea breeze: Offshore wind farms. Survey Quarterly, (37), 6-7.
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper
Strack, M. (2016). Before it is washed to the sea? Coastal development and erosion. Proceedings of the FIG Working Week: Recovery from Disaster. Retrieved from https://www.fig.net/fig2016/proceedings.htm
Strack, M. (2011). Preparing for the invasion: Retreat from the coast. Proceedings of the Surveying & Spatial Sciences Biennial Conference. (pp. 385-393). Rotorua, New Zealand: Scion. [Full Paper]
Coutts, B. J., & Strack, M. S. (2010). Surveying by degrees: Educating New Zealand surveyors. Proceedings of the FIG Commission 2 Symposium: Workshop on trends in surveying education and training. [CD-ROM] International Federation of Surveyors. [Full Paper]
Strack, M. (2010). Property rights for a new world: Adapting to an ethic of sustainability. Proceedings of the XXIV FIG International Congress: Facing the challenges: Building the capacity. (pp. 1-18). Retrieved from http://www.fig.net/pub/fig2010/techprog.htm
Strack, M. (2010). Property loss due to coastal erosion: Judicial, legislative and policy interventions. Proceedings of the Construction, Building and Real Estate Research Conference (COBRA) of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. [USB Memory Stick] London: RICS. [Full Paper]
Strack, M. S. (2004). Rethinking property rights in New Zealand. Proceedings of the FIG Working Week 2004: The Olympic Spirit in Surveying. [CD-ROM] [Full Paper]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Strack, M. S. (2013). Conflicts on the coast. Proceedings of the Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy (CASLE) Conference: Management of Land and Sea Resources: What's New? [USB Memory Stick] [Abstract]
Conference Contribution - Edited volume of conference proceedings
Denys, P., Strack, M., Moore, A. B., & Whigham, P. (Eds.). (2013). Proceedings of the 125th New Zealand Institute of Surveyors (NZIS) Annual Conference and the Spatial Information Research Centre New Zealand (SIRC NZ) GIS and Remote Sensing Research Conference: Celebrating the Past: Redefining the Future. Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Institute of Surveyors. 225p.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Strack, M., & Goodwin, D. (2018, April). The Crown and Rangatiratanga: A persistent colonial agenda in Treaty settlements? Verbal presentation at the Crown Property Forum: The Crown Estate: Challenges, Opportunities and Our Responses, Wellington, New Zealand.
Strack, M. (2018, May). New tenure arrangements are changing Maori interests in land and water: Surveyors take heed. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors (NZIS) 129th Conference, Nelson, New Zealand.
