Podocarpus Totara – Tree of the Month

Growing tall and proud, but rather alone: Totora in the playground.

By Martin Freeth – Trees of Martinborough

Hot summer days help us appreciate trees like this one – the 70 year old totara in the Waihinga Centre grounds. The tree is looking very healthy, providing shade to play areas and gives high “amenity value” (visual appeal) to the grounds. 

In 2019, a letter signed by 83 Martinborough residents formally asked South Wairarapa District Council to ensure preservation and protection of this totara. Council officers had suggested removing the tree for the health and safety of children: Tree roots were said to be causing damage to the concreted basketball court and skate park next to its trunk. A subsequent arborist’s report said “remedial options are available to retain the tree,” without significant affects on the court or skate park. The arborist put a value of $23,000-$28,000 on the tree, considering all its benefits. Nearly five years on, this totara is looking better than ever – and the concrete appears in good shape too. 

Have a look for yourself! 

Facts: 

Totara, a New Zealand native, grows up to 30 metres high with a diameter of up to 2 meters. It has a juvenile, adolescent and mature form. Starting with spindly, almost weeping branches covered in fine needle-like leaves through a pyramidal tree phase, to eventually acquiring a massive trunk and branches that bear dense foliage. 

Totara trees, also known as Podocarpus totara, can live 800 to 1,800 years.

Do we do well in welcoming newcomers?

Of the 1.047 people who moved into South Wairarapa district last year, four out of seven (57 percent) felt “sort of” (43 percent) or “not” (14 percent) welcome to the community, research presented to the Martinborough Community Board shows.

Newcomers range from those who have “extremely positive” (43 percent) experiences in moving here, to the rest whose experience was “not so much.”  

The research, funded by the government’s Welcoming Communities initiative, shows four in 10 arrivals “believe (the south) is inclusive and accepting of people from different cultures, and 11 percent believe it is not.”

The project acknowledges that as a rural community there are no established “formal mechanisms” to meet, greet and help integrate new arrivals.

“Welcoming in South Wairarapa is done at the individual level and it relies on locals and neighbours being welcoming, inclusive and helpful to newcomers, as well as relying on newcomers to ‘put themselves out there,’” the report notes.

“For newcomers to be welcomed, included and integrated … it will require intentional and coordinated effort; rather than the assumption that it should just happen unassisted. 

“There is an opportunity for council to lead, partner with, and empower, local groups, organisations, marae and enthusiastic individuals so there is active welcoming, visible inclusion and on-going cultural conversations happening across the district.”

Examples of what newcomers told the researchers about how they often feel less than welcome or accepted:

*What did you find difficult about settling in? 

Respondents:

“How on earth do you connect with people?’

“It was difficult to know where information was shared.”

“The lack of a community centre, a hub … with organised activities, craft, social service etc.”

“Who’s who. Lots of things are relationship based rather thasn public knowledge.”

“Almost everything (we) have found about the community is from Facebook.”

*What made you feel welcome/not welcome? … Continue Reading

Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve headlines 2023

Milky Way straddles the Wairarapa coast’s dark sky. Photo: Pete Monk.

Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve heads the world list of new dark sky places set out by the international body which gives the world-wide dark movement it’s formal status – itself renamed as DarkSky.

The former International Dark Sky Association (IDA) made the name and logo change to DarkSky during a year which saw 17 more places sign up to the world-wide dark sky movement.

The group has named Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve at the top of that list of 17 new communities, parks, sanctuaries and reserves – lifting the total world-wide to 210 by year end.

In its annual report, DarkSky notes what it calls “a successful year” for its advocacy as it “continues to make incredible strides to protect the night” – despite light pollution growing at “an alarming” 10 percent a year.

“We are confident these destructive trends of light pollution can and will change,” with “more places and people committed to preserving the natural night light as never before.”

The latest signs of change include: 

* astrotourism continues to grow, with the industry worth half a billion dollars world-wide;

* dark sky-related terminology like “light pollution and “skyglow “ has nearly doubled in on-line mentions and searches over the past two years;

* success stories continue to pour in from communities and places committed to protecting their dark skies.

As DarkSky also notes in its annual report, Antarctica remains the one continent without a dark sky place or advocacy group – and it’s put out a challenge to Antarctic scientists to volunteer.

In New Zealand, there are at least 20 locations where volunteer groups have confirmed their interest in creating a dark sky place.

They are: Dunedin, Fiordland, Takaro (near Te Anau), Naseby, Moeraki, Geraldine, Kuaotunu Peninsula, Selwyn, Oxford Observatory, Rekohu (Chatham Islands), Kaikoura, Wainuiomata – Orongorongo,  Raetahi, Whakatane – Eastern Bay of Plenty, Waitakere Ranges, Waiheke Island,  Russell, Far North District. Masterton currently is working to join/expand the Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve.

https://darksky.org/news/a-stellar-year-for-darksky-2023-achievements-at-a-glance/?fbclid=IwAR0KNGpjSzRjVU5muXhkHC9RNYYsiOiPyRCiJlyvVr_mKD2r2szJcpnWwWU

Featherston Amateur Wrestling Club