December 2012
Kauri trees, New Zealand’s largest tree overall, can grow to be massive: up to 165 feet high, with the largest recorded girth of 88 feet. Their life span is estimated to fall between 1000 and 2000 years. Kauri forests once covered much of New Zealand, but a century of logging has greatly reduced their numbers. Today these trees and forests are highly protected.
Mature kauri trees have a unique appearance: a long, smooth trunk topped by a crown of branches near the top of the tree. While the biggest kauri trees are on the west coast of New Zealand, there is is a remnant of original Kauri forest in Whangarei, where the generous benefactor, A. H. Reed, has provided for their preservation. A nifty elevated “treetop” boardwalk has been built amid the trees and is part of the walking trail through the forest. –Cyndi
