Mandy Brooke looks at the 36.2-metre tall rātā tree. Photo / Bevan Conley
Mandy Brooke looks at the 36.2-metre tall rātā tree. Photo / Bevan Conley
The world's oldest known rātā tree has been nominated for Rākau o te tau tree of the year.
Rātānui is a contender for the first annual competition by the New Zealand Arboriculture Association (NZ Arb), up against five others across New Zealand.
The tree is among the tallest rātā in the world, standing at 36.2m in Tarapuruhi Bushy Park, the 89-hectare forest sanctuary north of Whanganui.
Keith Beautrais is an educator at Tarapuruhi Bushy Park and said people come just to see Rātānui.
"We love the sense of awe and peace that it engenders," Beautrais said.
There was evidence that Ngā Rauru were clear in the knowledge there was something very special about Rātānui.
This was absorbed by the Moore family who purchased the land, and although they prospered from the "forest to farm" gold rush, the ancient tree and 100ha of forest were preserved.
It became an attraction for visitors and the Moore family left the park and its homestead to Forest & Bird to keep the natural heritage intact.
"Rātā have this wonderful story where the seed normally germinates on top of another tree, and then they send their roots down," Beautrais said.
"More and more of the roots come down and they brace the other tree, eventually fading it away as the rātā tree takes over."
He said the host tree usually can live for over 100 years with the rātā onboard.
"When you look at Rātānui you can see quite a complicated trunk. And now, other trees and plants sit on top of Rātānui. You can see a puka tree sending its roots down.
"To me it's part of the joyous profusion of life that you get in the rainforest."
Rātānui the giant rātā in Bushy Park has been nominated for Tree of the Year. Photo / Bevan Conley
He said it's not just about the one tree Rātānui, it's about the whole forest.
"When you've got one tree that's particularly big and beautiful it can be a representative."
From a conservation perspective, often a key animal or feature (in this case a tree) will become a central reason to value that patch of forest, he said.
There are many other reasons to protect the forest, but rather than trying to explain how amazing the whole ecology is, that tree becomes a symbol, Beautrais said.
Rebecca Hatch is the content adviser for Kiwi Conservation Club and said Rātānui was nominated because it is a fantastic climate warrior, and an awesome ambassador for our native ngāhere (forest).
Thanks to Project Crimson there is now a deck, so visitors don't trample on the roots, and seating so they can sit and admire Rātānui.
Beautrais said Bushy Park had an ecosystem that was very well adjusted.
"There are relationships going on in the soil and the birds and the trees which are very sustainable and which provide oxygen and fresh water.
"Trees can't talk, but you have to listen harder to hear them 'talk'. They're telling you about time and looking after each other."
Nicki van Asch is the New Zealand Arboriculture Association executive officer, and said the idea for Rākau o te tau had been brewing for a while.
"Everyone in our industry are passionate tree people and understand the benefits of what trees do for us," van Asch said.
"Trees are a really important part of our community and we just want to highlight that, and also highlight the stories with trees and how interwoven they are with our everyday lives.
"What we want to highlight is it's not necessarily about the biggest or the most beautiful or famous tree, it's actually about the human connection and the stories and heritage behind the tree."
To vote for Rātānui visit https://www.treeoftheyear.co.nz/. Voting closes on May 31 and the winner will be announced on June 5.
