Redwood Memorial Grove. Rotorua. New Zealand. - Sequoioideae Trees on Waymarking.com

Of the original 12 hectares of Californian Redwoods that were planted in 1901, only six hectares remain today. This stand of trees is named the Redwood Memorial Grove, which is a special part of the Whakarewarewa Forest. These Redwoods are a memorial to the men of the New Zealand Forest Service who died in the two great wars of the 20th Century. History - In the 1890s the NZ government attempted to replace the native forests that were being cleared rapidly by European settlers for farmland and timber and purchased some blocks of land off the Maori landowners in 1896. In 1899 seeds were imported on sailing ships from around the world and the first of 170 different species of trees were planted in a trial area by the NZ Forest Service and prison labour. In 1901 the first Californian Coast Redwoods were planted. The first harvests in 1915 were used for firewood and mine props for gold and coal mines. In 1925 the Rotorua grove of Redwood trees was declared a memorial to commemorate NZ Forest Service members who died in World War I and in 1947 it was dedicated to those who also died in WWII. A loop track from the Information Centre and back is an easy half-hour walk through the lovely Redwood Grove with its deep green canopy overhead. Soft, burnt-sienna bark of the redwoods’ trunks and branches adds warmth to the shaded trails that are suitable for leisure walkers, strollers and people who need wheelchair access. Botanical name - Sequoia sempervirens Location - The Redwood Memorial Grove surrounds the Visitor Centre on Long Mile Road. Other Redwoods planted at a later date can be seen near the Green Lake and off Pohaturoa Road. Plantings - The Redwoods were pruned up to 15 metres in 1939. Of the original 12 hectares, only six hectares survive today. Overall, around 4000 hectares were planted throughout New Zealand in the 1920s and 1940s. Approximately one percent of those plantings remains today. Size - The largest Redwood in Whakarewarewa Forest is approximately 67 metres tall and 169 centimetres in diameter. Timber - In North America the timber is widely used for general building purposes and is sought after for weatherboards, outdoor decks and decorative uses. It is imported into New Zealand for joinery and exterior finishing. In New Zealand the timber is not useful for many purposes as the trees tend to grow rapidly therefore have large cores of soft, brittle, low density wood. Website: Hours - The main gates are open for vehicle access at 5.30am and close at 8.30pm. You can walk or bike in at any time, but are encouraged to safely use the forest in daylight hours only..

Gattung / Species: Küstenmammutbaum (Sequoia sempervirens) Anordnung / Arrangement: Baumgruppe / Group of trees Webseite / website: [Web Link] Baumhöhe / Height of the tree (m): 70 Baumdurchmesser / Diameter of the tree (m): 170 Alter / age: 110 Standort / Location: Wald / Forest Eintrittsgebühr / Fee: Free Parkkoordinaten / Parking coordinates: N 38° 09.404 W 176° 16.346

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Date Logged Log   01/28/2013 Trail Blaisers visited it 08/30/2010 Punga and Paua visited it

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