Re: New Zealand
John Schlesinger wrote:
>
> Knowing that there are some New Zealanders in this group, I pose the following
> question:
>
> Am travelling to New Zealand shortly, and wondering if there were anywhere to
> see Kauri trees south of Auckland (the northern-most point of my trip). Also,
> can anyone tell me where would be good places to find native stands of tree
> ferns (or are they so common, that this is like asking whre to find Pinus in
> the western USA?)
Hi John,
All the remaining really giant kauris are well to the north of Auckland.
AFAIK, their natural range only ever came about halfway down the N.I.
from Auckland. There is at least one small grove of very large Kauris in
the Coromandel, this is a relatively isolated area, south and east of
Auckland. It is on the tourist track, but not on the main routes. These
trees would be - from memory - perhaps 10-12 feet in diameter at (human)
head height.
There are planted kauris, of various ages up to about a century, all
over the North Island, although not numerous. There are some fine, but
young, specimens in the Otari Native Plant Museum (which is in effect a
large Botanic Garden) in Wellington. these may be 50-60 years old, they
are perhaps 25-30 feet high and about the girth of a telephone or power
pole - mere skinny teenagers!
Is Wellington on your itinerary? If it is, and if it fitted in, I am
sure Moira would be happy to meet you and take you to Otari - and the
main Botanic Gardens of Wellington.
Tree ferns are common, I think you will find them everywhere there are
substantial gardens, even domestic ones, or remnants of bush. To see
them in a convincingly natural setting, the latter is best. Around
Auckland, you could ask someone to take you to the Waitakeres, a hilly
area not far north of the city. Around Wellington there are a number of
places where you could see them, apart from the two public gardens
already mentioned. We have about four or five species growing in the
bush near us - especially in a "forest park" (once cleared, but now good
quality recovering native forest) that is about 6 miles from our home.
If you have other questions, feel free to ask!
Tony
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata,
New Zealand (astride the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
