The information here underpins why we feel the exotic trees have a valuable role to play in the native reforestation of Ōwairaka/Mount Albert and the other maunga across Auckland.
ECOLOGIST SAYS TREES TALK TO EACH OTHER IN A LANGUAGE WE CAN ALL LEARN
Within this article, ecologist Suzanne Simard, who has researched Canadian forests for 30 years states;
‘When a mother tree is injured or dying, she has to pass along her wisdom to the next generation. However, this is impossible if all of the trees are destroyed at the same time. Suzanne hopes that her research will change the way we handle the forests. It is possible to remove one or two trees but that should be the maximum; if too many are taken out the entire system will collapse. By doing so, we will make our forests weaker. Also just planting one or two species is not enough. All of these actions have a tremendous impact on the environment.’
This article also suggests four ways we can avoid damaging our forests further:
We have to spend more time in our local forests.
We need to save our primary forests because they store mother trees, genes, and mycelium networks
In the forests we do cut, we have to keep the mother trees and networks in order for them to pass on their wisdom to the next generation.
Our forests should be regenerated with a diversity of species.
By Josien Hofman, 24th December 2018
THE WOOD WIDE WEB
This short video explains how older trees (Mother trees) nourish the shaded seedlings beneath them, increasing their chance of survival.
FACILITATION IN A TIME OF CHANGE
In his blog post, dated 22nd October 2019, Mark Roberts of Roberts Consulting eloquently argues the case for retaining the exotic trees on Auckland’s maunga. He states;
“The easiest way for the TMA to establish native trees on their ancestral mountains and to restore their Tūpuna Maunga to a pre-European like state is to keep the exotic trees. An easy way for Auckland Council to establish a climate-ready and zero-carbon Auckland is to keep the exotic trees; in the long term, these trees are expendable – but currently, they are providing an ecological service.”
Mark is an Arborist with over 25 years experience, working in all facets of the aboriculture industry. In 2015 Mark was awarded the Ronald Flook Award by the New Zealand Arboricultural Association. The Ronald Flook Award is given to recognise exceptional management of trees, whether functional or aesthetic in any stage of development.
THE BENEFITS OF PINE FORESTS
A comprehensive article written by Steve Pawson and Eckehard Brockerhoff. They discuss the merits of Pine forests and acknowledge how they provide a haven for New Zealand’s native plants and contribute to the food and nesting grounds for many endangered or threatened species including the New Zealand falcon, rifleman, fernibrd and long tailed cuckoo.