Rob Douglas's long association with the memorial oaks scheme in North Otago has received national recognition.
Mr Douglas (68) has been presented with the New Zealand Arboricultural Association's Ronald Flook Award - given to elevate and recognise high standards of practice in arboriculture.
It is the preeminent award bestowed by the NZAA and is named after Nelson-based landscape architect Ron Flook.
North Otago men and women who died in World War 1 are remembered with commemorative oak trees around the district.
In 1991, the late Beverley Ross received a list of memorial oaks and found they needed care and attention if they, and particularly the markers, were not to disappear.
The memorial oaks committee was responsible for the surveying of the oaks in North Otago and finding out for whom they were planted and getting crosses placed under the appropriate trees.
Mr Douglas, who was the foundation secretary-treasurer of the committee, also compiled a book, Mighty Oaks From Tiny Acorns Grow, to explain the scheme and outline where to find the oaks.
His grandfather, Dr Alexander Douglas, was the instigator of the project.
He was president of the Oamaru Beautifying Society and proposed a tree be planted for each individual dead soldier, from Shag Point to Kurow, and Maheno to Livingstone.
It was special in that most memorial groves were collective.
The committee was now trying to investigate some of the soldiers who were on war memorials but not recognised with a tree, he said.
Arboriculture students from Otago Polytechnic, led by lecturer Jerry Lynch, have been getting hands-on experience at pruning trees by working on the oaks.
Mr Douglas, who also received a Waitaki district Citizens Award this year, said he did not receive awards for himself, but for the organisations he represented.
He has also been a member of the North Otago Tree Planting Association since 1974.
