Glossary

A guide to acronyms (and abbreviations), words and phrases used throughout the Environment Canterbury website. Look in the 'By Subject' tab to find groups of terms relevant to a specific topic.

Some terms might have definitions in addition to those in this glossary.

Use the online Māori Dictionary to help with translating words between Te Reo Māori/English.

Ecological health
refers to the condition of an ecosystem and its ability to function normally supporting the life-forms and processes naturally associated with it.
Ecology
the relationship between organisms, and between organisms and their physical surroundings, and the study of them.
Ecosystem
the interactions between plants and animals and the places in which they live—streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, drylands, forests and bush and the coastal marine environment.
Endemic
taxa that are naturally restricted to within a certain area.
Engineering lifelines
transport, energy, communications, water, and wastewater facilities and networks.
Environmental incidents
calls to the Pollution Hotline are logged as environmental incidents. Types of incidents reported include pollution in waterways, unauthorised water usage, dumping of hazardous materials and domestic waste, earthworks disturbing waterways, and outdoor fires.
Enviroschools
the Enviroschools programme supports children and young people to plan, design and implement sustainability actions that are important to them and their communities. The programme provides pathways from early childhood through primary, secondary school and beyond. Using our collaborative approach of building strong relationships and sharing information, we are growing a collective puna mātauranga or pool of knowledge.
Enviroschools Canterbury
in Canterbury, Enviroschools is coordinated by Environment Canterbury in partnership with the Department of Conservation, Waimakariri, Selwyn, Timaru, Hurunui, Mackenzie and Christchurch City Councils.
Erosion
the physical, chemical or biological processes that wear the land surface away by detaching and moving particles of soil.
Erosion and sediment control guidelines
provide guidance for minimising the adverse effects of erosion and sedimentation while planning, constructing and maintaining a project.
Ethnicity
is the ethnic group or groups that people identify with or feel they belong to. Ethnic groups are not mutually exclusive, because people can and do identify with more than one ethnicity. Where people do identify with more than one ethnicity, they may identify more strongly with one ethnicity than another, but this cannot be assumed. People may also change their sole or main ethnic identity over time.
E
East
E. coli
Escherichia coli bacteria
ECan
Environment Canterbury (the Canterbury Regional Council)
ECan Act
Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Act 2010
ECC
Emergency Coordination Centre
ECE
Early Childhood Education
EDS
Environmental Defence Society
EECA
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
EfS
Education for Sustainability
EFTPOS
Electronic Funds Transfer at Point Of Sale
eg
exempli gratia = for example
EMA
Emergency Mobile Alert
EMS
Environmental Management System
ENSO
El Niño Southern Oscillation
EOC
Emergency Operations Centre
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
EPT
Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies) and Trichoptera (cased and free-living caddis flies)
ERMA
Environmental Risk Management Authority
ERP
Estimated Residential Population
ESR
the Institute of Environmental Science and Research
et al
et alii = and others
etc
et cetera = and the rest
ETS
Emissions Trading Scheme
EVT
Evapotranspiration
Expo
Exposition
ext
extension
extn
extension