Native tree avenue

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 525, 1 March 1994, Page 4

Native tree avenue

• Ihe miormation about nignway tree pianung in last week's Bulletin interested me and I have a proposal which I hope will interest other readers. Last year I travelled in Western Canada and through Washington, Oregon and California States. Trees formed noteworthy parts of the landscapes which I saw. I remember three in particular. In Vancouver my room was on the 12th floor of the hotel, yet when I looked dOwn I could not see the street itself. Branches of Iarge trees on each side of the street met and that was all I could see. I walked along that street and it was very pleasant to do so on a sunny day . In Palo Alto, south of San Francisco, I stayed with an old friend who drove me around several suburbs and the city itself. The weather was hot but in most suburbs trees along the streets provided shade and relief from the glare of the sun. The early

settlers evidently had foresight as far as trees were concerned. Similarly in Redlands, west of Los Angeles and in nearby towns there were trees everywhere, along streets and in gardens. Shade was at a premium. My friends took me out to the surrounding arid region and to Palm Springs. Trees established a demarcation between the developed area and the scrub-land. The climates of those three places are considerably different from one another and from the climate here, and none is more conducive to tree growth. In my opinion Goldfinch Street and Mangawhero Terrace are fine broad streets which have the potential to form a splendid approach to the National Park. I imagine that in not many years they could form a marvellous avenue of native trees; trees such as rimu (which many New Zealanders regard as one of the most beautiful of all trees) miro, hinau, kowhai, tawa, etc, perhaps interspersed with lower-growing species like hoheria, tarata, ngaio, etc. Such an avenue would, I am sure, impress tourists. Nowdays I cannot identify all the native trees I have mentioned since I was born about a fortnight before the ANZACS landed. However in the midthirties when I was a student we had a martinet of a lecturer who would march us around the botanical gardens and have us identifying trees, particularly native trees. I do remember how striking and handsome they v/ere. I have felt sad when, while walking in the bush, young people, both Maori and Pakeha, have asked me what a certain tree or bush was called. Names like whauwhaupaku or putaputawetu always intrigued them. One sometimes hears a criticism that native trees are too slow growing. About six years ago I

planted several hoheria saplings along my frontage. They are now about five metres high. I also planted a rimu sapling about four years ago - it has put on a couple of metres, Growing trees could benefit the children of Ohakune and perhaps engender an interest in affairs of conservation. I hesitate to suggest how this proposition could be implemented. I suppose much would depend on the thoughts of the apparatchics in Taumarunui. But perhaps the Departments of Conservation and Tourism would concern themselves and at least advise.

Frederic E

Woods.