On the way back to Auckland we headed down the West coast of the Northland. We spent a day in the Kauri Forrest, checking out massive trees like the ones above. Kauri trees are really huge (think Redwoods) and used to cover much of New Zealand’s North Island. They were extensively logged, and now there aren’t that many. But some very big ones remain. Beth could tell you more about them I am sure.
WOW!!! Those are HUGE!!! Wouldn’t have gotten it if you hadn’t included the pic of Beth. The photo of the four trees is really striking. What an angle. Great eye. Will we hear more from you as you make your way south? Love you, love you, love you.
The trees are gorgeous and HUGE!!!!!!! Like Peggy, I’m glad you included the photo of Beth “hugging” the tree to give us an idea of the size of the trees. I’ll have to do some research to find out how old the trees might be. Your photos are great–great angles, great texture and color, great feeling.
The kauri trees were amazing. The largest (and probably the oldest as well) was called the “God of the Forest” and estimated to be about 2000 years old. The trees are measured by total volume, so even though the second largest tree seemed wider at the base, the largest tree was taller. Kauri trees are broadleaf conifers, meaning they have seed and pollen cones, no flowers or fruits. In warmer times kauri grew throughout the country, however today it is restricted to the Northland region and Coramandel penisula, favoring shallow, stony, infertile soils such as ridge crests and plateaus. The kauri’s silvery bark is constantly flaking off, making it difficult for vines and epiphytes (plants that are not attached to the ground with roots, rather they simply perch on upper branches of the host plant to get sunlight) to grow up the trunk of the tree. However, the massive horizontal branches in the canopy provide suitable long term sites for epiphytes and vines, some epiphytes even being young kauri trees themselves! The kauri was extensively milled after European settlement for their straight grained, decay resistant timber and also for “gum”, the sap of the tree which was used as polish and varnish. As a result the kauri forests are largely fragmented and few “giants” remain. The ones that do however, are protected in national parks.
Hi Beth! Fun to hear from you! You must be loving doing all kinds of identifying and taking in all the new species. Have you seen many mushrooms? Maybe Jeff could look for them in his NZ mushroom book. Hugs.
These trees are great! Never heard of them before. Didn’t realize there are trees that old in NZ. So the wood is used sort of like redwoods? Decay resistant. The trees themselves must be sort of fire resistant to last that long. I love being around trees that big and that old.
12 Comments »
Comment by josh — May 3, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
Getting back to our trip…
On the way back to Auckland we headed down the West coast of the Northland. We spent a day in the Kauri Forrest, checking out massive trees like the ones above. Kauri trees are really huge (think Redwoods) and used to cover much of New Zealand’s North Island. They were extensively logged, and now there aren’t that many. But some very big ones remain. Beth could tell you more about them I am sure.
Comment by josh — May 3, 2007 @ 4:00 pm
Here are a couple of more pictures of some REALLY big ones:
Father of the Forrest – the 2nd largest Kauri tree in the world, and the largest in girth (16.41m)
Beth hugging a “smaller” Kauri tree for a bit of size reference
Comment by Peg Moore — May 3, 2007 @ 7:47 pm
WOW!!! Those are HUGE!!! Wouldn’t have gotten it if you hadn’t included the pic of Beth. The photo of the four trees is really striking. What an angle. Great eye. Will we hear more from you as you make your way south? Love you, love you, love you.
Comment by josh — May 3, 2007 @ 10:44 pm
Yeah I should have WIFI for the trip down.
Comment by Clara — May 4, 2007 @ 2:03 pm
The trees are gorgeous and HUGE!!!!!!! Like Peggy, I’m glad you included the photo of Beth “hugging” the tree to give us an idea of the size of the trees. I’ll have to do some research to find out how old the trees might be. Your photos are great–great angles, great texture and color, great feeling.
Comment by Clara — May 4, 2007 @ 3:10 pm
One source said these trees were 1,000 to 2,000 years old. Another said 3,000.
Comment by beth — May 8, 2007 @ 10:50 am
The kauri trees were amazing. The largest (and probably the oldest as well) was called the “God of the Forest” and estimated to be about 2000 years old. The trees are measured by total volume, so even though the second largest tree seemed wider at the base, the largest tree was taller. Kauri trees are broadleaf conifers, meaning they have seed and pollen cones, no flowers or fruits. In warmer times kauri grew throughout the country, however today it is restricted to the Northland region and Coramandel penisula, favoring shallow, stony, infertile soils such as ridge crests and plateaus. The kauri’s silvery bark is constantly flaking off, making it difficult for vines and epiphytes (plants that are not attached to the ground with roots, rather they simply perch on upper branches of the host plant to get sunlight) to grow up the trunk of the tree. However, the massive horizontal branches in the canopy provide suitable long term sites for epiphytes and vines, some epiphytes even being young kauri trees themselves! The kauri was extensively milled after European settlement for their straight grained, decay resistant timber and also for “gum”, the sap of the tree which was used as polish and varnish. As a result the kauri forests are largely fragmented and few “giants” remain. The ones that do however, are protected in national parks.
Comment by Clara — May 8, 2007 @ 3:04 pm
Very interesting! Thanks, Beth, for sharing your research.
Comment by josh — May 8, 2007 @ 3:18 pm
Beth knows a lot more about plants and trees than I do.
Comment by Peg Moore — May 13, 2007 @ 6:38 pm
Hi Beth! Fun to hear from you! You must be loving doing all kinds of identifying and taking in all the new species. Have you seen many mushrooms? Maybe Jeff could look for them in his NZ mushroom book. Hugs.
Comment by dad — May 14, 2007 @ 12:06 am
These trees are great! Never heard of them before. Didn’t realize there are trees that old in NZ. So the wood is used sort of like redwoods? Decay resistant. The trees themselves must be sort of fire resistant to last that long. I love being around trees that big and that old.
Comment by josh — May 15, 2007 @ 5:38 pm
I’m not sure how the wood is used exactly. I know that they were logged extensively until it was outlawed because they were going extinct.
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