By ROSALEEN MacBRAYNE
The Rotorua Crimson Trail - a series of lake walks showcasing pohutukawa and rata trees - has been unveiled.
It is the seventh Crimson Trail to be developed by the Project Crimson Trust, and features the only truly inland stands of the traditional coastal species in New Zealand.
A
trustee and local resident, Gordon Hosking, said the latest trail was "a Rotorua treasure waiting to be discovered".
It visited three areas - the shores of Lake Rotorua, eastern Lake Okataina and the Tarawera Falls.
What made the trail special was that "pure" pohutukawa stood alongside a northern rata/pohutukawa hybrid, Dr Hosking said.
Over time, the cross-breeding had resulted in more upright trees with flowers that ranged from typically crimson to pinkish-orange.
Although the trail was opened officially on Saturday, the trees had not quite burst into bloom yet.
The new trail was unveiled to coincide with a Big Red exhibition at the Rotorua Museum, which pays tribute to Project Crimson's work to protect the pohutukawa.
To run until the end of February, the exhibition is a multi-media display of historical and contemporary art, photography, poetry, literature, and audio-visual presentations.
A charitable trust set up in 1990, Project Crimson has planted more than 300,000 pohutukawa and rata trees with the help of 500 community groups.
Herald Feature: Conservation and Environment
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