Latest news with #TreeoftheYear


Otago Daily Times
18 hours ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Chook Tree top of the pecking order
North Otago's Chook Tree has been crowned the winner of the Tree of the Year New Zealand competition. Photo: supplied The owners of North Otago's Chook Tree say it is "egg-cellent" to have been crowned the winner of a national competition. The tree in Waianakarua, north of Palmerston, was voted the winner of the Tree of the Year New Zealand competition by the public from among a pool of six finalists. "It sort of makes all that work and effort that we do every year rewarding," owner Johnny Rusbatch said. His wife Hayley said they were "honoured" to have been named the winner. "We keep saying it seems egg-cellent being named Tree of the Year." The 6.6m-tall chicken-shaped tree sculpture was created by local poultry farmers Norman and Evelyn Clarke after it was damaged in 1978 by a storm, its remnants resembling that of a giant hen. Mr Rusbatch said his parents bought the property and its distinctive macrocarpa tree — or "Big Chook", as he referred to it — from the Clarkes in 1991, which he since inherited about nine years ago. When they first bought it, his parents probably saw it as "a bit of a gimmick". "It was a great socialiser. "They'd bring friends down, and I know Dad had a lot of great mates that used to come down, and they'd have a few beers and trim the chook." Once he knew it was going to be a finalist in the competition, he had an arborist give the tree a few touch-ups — including a new beak and around its eyes. It usually had a trim once or twice a year, and in the past had been dressed up with lights during the rugby season. The Chook Tree also came with its very own "egg". "Everyone thinks it's a Moeraki boulder, but it's not. It's literally just a big, hollow plastered egg, really, he[Norm, a plasterer by trade] created that." When asked the fated question of which came first — the chicken or the egg — the pair agreed it was "technically the chicken". In a statement, the New Zealand Notable Trees Trust, which has run the annual competition since 2022, said the Chook Tree secured the win "by a comfortable margin". Trustee Brad Cadwallader said it garnered a total of 3000 votes, beating runner-up Canterbury's Rangiora Borough School Redwood with 1714 votes.


Scoop
2 days ago
- General
- Scoop
The Otago Chook Tree Wins 2025 Tree Of The Year New Zealand
The NZ Notable Trees Trust is thrilled to announce that The Chook Tree, a remarkable macrocarpa (Hesperocyparis macrocarpa) in North Otago, has been named the 2025 Tree of the Year New Zealand. Shaped as much by nature as by imagination, this one-of-a-kind tree has delighted passersby for nearly 50 years with its unmistakable resemblance to a giant hen. Originally damaged in a storm in 1978, the tree's unusual silhouette caught the eye of local poultry farmers Norman and Evelyn Clarke. Rather than remove it, they carefully shaped what remained—coaxing out a feathery, full-bodied form that has since become a beloved regional landmark. More than just a quirky tree, The Chook Tree is a celebration of creativity, resilience, and the charm of the unexpected. Its story clearly struck a chord—Otago voters got behind their local legend in large numbers, securing the win by a comfortable margin. This year's competition saw the highest level of public engagement since the award began in 2022, with spirited voting across all six finalists. The runner-up was the much-loved Rangiora Borough School Redwood; another tree deeply embedded in its local community. The Tree of the Year campaign is organised by the NZ Notable Trees Trust and proudly sponsored by Delta. Each year, the campaign celebrates outstanding trees that are part of New Zealand's cultural and natural heritage—trees that shape our communities and stand as living landmarks. Brad Cadwallader, Trustee of the NZ Notable Trees Trust, said: ' This year's result shows just how much New Zealanders love a great story—and a tree with real personality. While all six finalists were remarkable in their own right, there was something about The Chook Tree's quirky shape and down-to-earth origin that really struck a chord with the public. It's a reminder that trees don't have to be ancient or enormous to be meaningful—they just need to make us smile, spark curiosity, or remind us of who we are. This tree did all three.' Tree of the Year New Zealand is an annual celebration of the country's most loved and remarkable trees. Run by the NZ Notable Trees Trust, the contest invites public nominations from across Aotearoa, with six standout finalists selected each year for their significance, character, or unique story. Voting takes place throughout the month of June, giving New Zealanders the chance to show their support and help crown a tree that holds a special place in our national landscape For more information on The Chook Tree and other historic and notable trees in New Zealand, please visit the NZ Tree Register at [ About NZ Notable Trees Trust and NZ Tree Register Established in 2007, the NZ Notable Trees Trust documents and celebrates New Zealand's arboreal heritage. It maintains the NZ Tree Register—an open-access online database showcasing notable and historic trees throughout Aotearoa. About Delta Utility Services Delta is a proud sponsor of Tree of the Year NZ, supporting initiatives that celebrate and protect New Zealand's natural heritage. As New Zealand's smart-thinking infrastructure specialists, Delta helps communities thrive—keeping the lights on, the parks green, and the trees trimmed.


Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Climate
- Otago Daily Times
On tenter-chooks
PHOTO: SALLY RAE The Chook Tree will be getting its last trim today in time for the announcement of the Tree of the Year competition. One of six finalists, the macrocarpa tree from Waianakarua, north of Palmerston, took on its unusual form nearly 50 years ago after a storm in 1978 left behind an unusual silhouette. Local poultry farmers Norman and Evelyn Clarke saw potential in what remained and trimmed it to shape accordingly.


NZ Herald
21-06-2025
- General
- NZ Herald
The Good Life: The mighty Greytown gum
Greytown has been celebrating trees generally for much of its life. Photo / Greg Dixon Greg Dixon is an award-winning news reporter, TV reviewer, feature writer and former magazine editor who has written for the NZ Listener since 2017. The sign is emphatic. 'Historic Tree', it declares, pointing at the tree in question, an old gum which is so enormous it almost certainly doesn't require a sign to get you to notice it. The giant exotic must be as tall as a four-storey building. This is the sort of thing you expect to find when promenading in Greytown, the most genteel of South Wairarapa's three main townships. The townsfolk appear to be very, very proud of their colonial heritage and are quite meticulous about labelling it. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that every house and business on the main street, which happens to double as SH2, has a small sign on it describing the building's provenance, proclaiming things like, 'This tōtara cottage was built in 1853 by the Rev James Cuckoo, the town's first religious crank. He was hanged in 1888 for blasphemy.' I might have made that up, but you get the olde worlde picture. In a town so interested in celebrating its colonial built-history, it comes as no surprise to the visitor that the village's current burghers also honour – and festoon with signs – the more notable colonial plantings, as well. This isn't something new. Greytown has been celebrating trees generally for much its life; the country's first Arbor Day was marked in Greytown on July 3, 1890. Which brings us back to the 'Historic Tree'. It, along with a slap-up lunch at the White Swan Hotel (make sure you have the dumplings and the crème brûlée) was what brought us to fair Greytown on a fair winter's Saturday. Listed as 'the Greytown Gum', the Eucalyptus regnans is one of the six finalists in the fourth annual Tree of the Year competition, a contest run by the NZ Notable Trees Trust. Also competing this year is a Morton Bay fig in Auckland Domain called 'The Fairy Tree', the 'Phantom Rātā' in Bay of Plenty, a redwood at Rangiora Borough School, 'Te Herenga Ora', a cluster of tī kōuka (cabbage trees) in Christchurch and 'the Chook Tree' at Waianakarua in North Otago. The last is a macrocarpa which looks a bit like a giant chicken. To strengthen that claim, it has a giant fake egg next to it, which is chicanery if you ask me. To qualify for the competition a tree has to be 'special' to a community and also have a bit of a story to it, which Greytown's 'Historic Tree' most certainly has, according to one of its three signs. It reads: 'Samuel Oates Gum Tree 1856'. The story goes that our gum tree was one of 12 seedlings pushed in a wheelbarrow over the Remutaka Hill track from Wellington in 1856 by a bloke called Samuel Oates, a task given to him by one Charles Rooking Carter, whose name now graces nearby Carterton. As anyone who has ever driven over the Remutakas will tell you, they're bloody steep. So it is no surprise that on arriving with the seedlings in Greytown, Samuel Oakes decided to wet his whiskers at the Rising Sun Hotel (since deceased). It was while slaking his thirst with local ale that three of the 12 seedlings were pinched from his wheelbarrow by person or persons unknown. What is known is that all three were then planted in various parts of Greytown. Now, 169 years later, only the one with the three signs remains, making the Greytown Gum the sole survivor of not just history, but of a highway robbery. Which means the emphatic road sign has it all wrong. It shouldn't say 'Historic Tree', it should say 'Historic Crime Scene'. While Michele and I were admiring the Historic Crime Scene, two young women stopped to have a gander at it as well, so we told them about the gum being in the Tree of the Year competition and encouraged them to vote for it before the ballot closes on June 30. One shook her head. 'I'm going to have to vote for a native,' she said earnestly. There was a pause. Then she turned to the giant gum. 'Sorry,' she said.


Otago Daily Times
06-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Chook Tree a finalist in national competition
The Chook Tree in Waianakarua in North Otago is a finalist in the Tree of the Year competition. Photo: ODT files Three trees from the North Island will go up against three from the South Island, including a tree from North Otago, in a national competition. The Chook Tree in Waianakarua, north of Palmerston, has been named as a finalist in the Tree of the Year competition. The competition was launched this week and the public was invited to vote for their favourite from a shortlist of six trees across the country. In a statement, the NZ Notable Trees Trust, which runs the competition, said the Tree of the Year was a celebration of the iconic trees that shaped the country's landscapes, memories and communities. The competition shared stories of trees that held cultural, historical, and personal significance — drawing inspiration from the long-running European Tree of the Year competition. Last month, New Zealanders were encouraged to nominate a single tree that held special meaning — not a whole species, but one tree with a unique story. The aim was to highlight the deep-rooted connections we share with these living treasures. NZ Notable Trees Trust trustee Brad Cadwallader said the heart of the competition lay in community engagement. "These trees are part of our shared story — they hold our memories, mark our histories and shape our landscapes." Voting has opened and will close at midnight on June 30. This year's winner will be announced on July 5. Last year the award was given to a northern rātā (Metrosideros robusta) nicknamed ''The Walking Tree''. The distinctive tree is near Karamea Cemetery on the West Coast. Tree finalists The Fairy Tree, Auckland Domain St Luke's Gum, Greytown Rangiora Borough School Redwood Te Herenga Ora, Burnside High School, Christchurch The Phantom Rātā, Lake Ōkataina The Chook Tree, Waianakarua, Otago — APL