A giant redwood has been nominated for Waimakariri’s Tree of the Year competition.
The competition is being run by the Waimakariri District Council’s greenspace team and was established to find candidates for the 2025 New Zealand Tree of the Year competition.
The giant redwood, which is believed to be the oldest tree in the Ashley Gorge Reserve, was nominated by the council’s senior biodiversity ranger, Mike Kwant.
Everyone nominating a tree for the Waimakariri Tree of the Year will go in a draw to win a copy of Peter Wohlleben’s The Hidden Life of Trees: The Illustrated Edition.
Every tree nominated will also be entered in the 2025 New Zealand Tree of the Year.
The Ashley Gorge Reserve Advisory Group's chairman Robert Judson said the redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum) is believed to be about 128-years-old and is a "worthy nomination because it is a fine specimen and is on a newly laid track, especially made for wheelchairs which will enable accessibility for all.
"Redwoods are also prized for their beautiful, very thick bark which is fire resistant to forest fires."
A second Ashley Gorge tree, a totara outside the reserve which is a popular feature on the recently opened Ashley Gorge Totaranui Track, has also been nominated for the competition.
It was nominated by Ashley Gorge Tracks manager, John Burton, who said he believed the totara, which is surrounded by other old forest giants including a matai, and a native tree fuchsia/kotukutuku, could be 1000-years-old.
"It is a real focal point on the track," Burton said.
Waimakariri District councillor Brent Cairns and his wife Shirley, who are Kaiapoi Food Forest trustees, nominated "the lovely ornamental cherry tree that is now surrounded by the koru mosaic tree", which was formerly in the garden of one of the homes red-zoned after the 2010 earthquake.
"This tree was a centrepiece to one of the gardens and Michael de Hamel worked with the digger driver, who was tasked to demolish the house, but not damage the lovely mature tree," Cairns said.
"There are a number of trees we could nominate at the food forest, but this tree has been in the background of food forest planting days, events, educational programmes and, of course, is a lovely location for visitors to sit under."
- Waimakariri Tree of the Year nominations can be made by emailing parksandfacilities@wmk.govt.nz
