Author: John Halkett (Page 4 of 7)

Williams good Christian venerable old pear tree. — The Williams good Christian venerable old pear tree, the oldest surviving exotic tree in New Zealand, is now entirely hollow, but still going strong.

New Zealand’s oldest exotic tree still going strong

February 1, 2019 / John Halkett

Just before launching into this month’s column I want to express my appreciation to the Forestry Corporation of NSW for agreeing to continue to support and sponsor this column in 2019. So thanks to chief executive Nick Roberts and staff.

Right, well thinking of exotic trees in a New Zealand forestry context radiata pine immediately springs to mind. However, the country’s oldest exotic tree, a Williams good Christian pear tree near Kerikeri in Northland, is still going strong as it enters its third century this year.

When the Maori warrior chief Hongi Hika granted European missionaries some … Read more “New Zealand’s oldest exotic tree still going strong”

Umbrella thorn acacia trees pump toxic substances into their leaves to rid themselves of browsing giraffes.

They speak a language that the strangers do not know

October 23, 2018 / John Halkett

This blog begs the question do trees talk? Or perhaps more specifically do they communicate with each other? According to the dictionary definition, language is what people use when we talk to each other. Looked at this way, humans are the only beings who can use language, because the concept is limited to our species. But do trees communicate with each other? If so how, they definitely do not produce sounds, so there’s nothing to hear. It turns out trees have a completely different way of communicating – they use scent.

Scent as a means of communication? The concept is not totally unfamiliar to us.… Read more “They speak a language that the strangers do not know”

New Zealand beech forest. — New Zealand beech forest … three species were collected by Banks and Solander when Captain Cook’s Endeavour was anchored in Queen Charlotte Sound, at the northern end of New Zealand’s South Island.

False beeches still evoke tales of Gondwanaland and exploration

August 7, 2018 / John Halkett

Southern beeches, or Nothofagus, are a genus of 43 species of trees and shrubs native to the Southern Hemisphere and found in southern South America, southeast Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and New Caledonia. They are sometimes dominant in temperate forests in these regions, and were once a feature of coastal regions of Antarctica.
Although separated by 10,000 kilometres of Pacific Ocean from eastern Australia and New Zealand, southern beech occurs along the west coast and the tip of South America. There southern beech forests grows on the western side of the Andes Mountains for about… Read more “False beeches still evoke tales of Gondwanaland and exploration”

Distinctive umbrella form, mature Araucaria araucana trees a feature of the streets of Buenos Aires.

Araucaria trees feature of Paris of the South

June 26, 2018 / John Halkett

Driving around the streets of Buenos Aires the capital of Argentina, as you do, it is easy to see why it is call the Paris of the South. Wide boulevards, extensive parklike gardens, and heaps of statues. Striking and so South American are the frequent mature Araucaria trees.
A distinguishing feature of many South American landscapes is the Araucaria araucana trees, commonly called monkey puzzles, or Chilean pines. An evergreen tree native to central and southern Chile and western Argentina, they grow to five metres in diameter and up to 40 metres in height.
Araucaria araucana is the hardiest … Read more “Araucaria trees feature of Paris of the South”

Book Cover — Book details how, through the miracle of photosynthesis trees and wood can confront climate change.

New Book Now Available

April 27, 2018 / John Halkett

My sixth book: By the light of the Sun: Trees, wood, photosynthesis and climate change has now been published. The mission of this book is to detail how to better harness the power of the products of photosynthesis to offset adverse climate change. Specifically this book asserts that trees and forests, plus wood products, will be even more important in assisting to tackle climate change, and in contributing to a sustainable energy and carbon neutral future.
This book details how trees and forests will be a critical ingredient in the search for a zero net carbon emissions future. Not only do trees… Read more “New Book Now Available”

John in Antarctica that may in fact have once hosted forests. — Visiting Antarctica that may in fact have once hosted forests.

Antarctica forests

March 12, 2018 / John Halkett

Just back from southern South America and Antarctica having a firsthand look at climate change impacts.
With a surface area in excess of 14 million square kilometres Antarctica is larger than Europe, and almost twice the size of Australia. As much as 98 per cent of the continent’s surface is covered in thick, compacted ice, reaching an average depth of over a two kilometres.
Recent scientific discoveries suggest that this ‘forgotten continent’ – sometimes nicknamed the Great White Desert – may in fact have once hosted forests.
Sarah Feakins, a biogeochemist from the University of Southern … Read more “Antarctica forests”

Fig (Ficus spp.) tree in front of a Catholic church. — Fig (Ficus spp.) tree in front of a Catholic church displaying a banner promoting the upcoming visit by Pope Francis, Lima, Peru.

Jungle trees and Pope Francis

December 6, 2017 / John Halkett

Recently been working in Peru where there is much excitement about the upcoming visit by Pope Francis in this almost universally Catholic country. Also of course Peru is famed as Amazon jungle country.
Peru is the fourth largest tropical forest country on the planet. Half of Peru’s land base is classified as forest, the vast majority of which is in the Amazon basin. Its Amazon forests are one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. Deforestation in Peru has traditionally been very low, 0.2-0.4 per cent annually, largely due to difficulty of access.
Current logging activity is concentrated in… Read more “Jungle trees and Pope Francis”

Cover Images of trees — The new book details how, through the miracle of photosynthesis trees and wood, can confront climate change.

By the light of the sun

November 2, 2017 / John Halkett

This is a bit of advanced warning about my new book soon to be published. By the light of the Sun: Trees, wood, photosynthesis and climate change is about how, through the miracle of photosynthesis trees and wood, can confront climate change.
The aim of this upcoming book is to detail how to better harness the power of the products of photosynthesis to offset adverse climate change. Specifically this book asserts that trees and forests, plus wood products, will be even more important in assisting to tackle climate change, and in contributing to a sustainable energy and carbon neutral future.
This… Read more “By the light of the sun”

Singapore’s 18 Supertrees have become shorthand for Singapore itself, in much the same way that the Eiffel Tower says Paris.

Singapore’s concrete and steel Supertrees

September 19, 2017 / John Halkett

Known for doing things on a grand scale, the stylish city of Singapore has created the ultimate green space, but with a difference. Its city forest, built from concrete and steel is nonetheless a celebration of trees, and now the city’s distinguishing tourist attraction.
The city’s futuristic Supertree Grove of 18 Supertrees has become shorthand for Singapore itself, in much the same way that the Eiffel Tower says Paris.
Each Supertree consists of a trunk core made of reinforced concrete wrapped with a steel frame. Panels on the trunks are planted with of a ‘living skin’.
With ‘trunks’ enveloped… Read more “Singapore’s concrete and steel Supertrees”

Red gums sentinels to First Fleet arrival

August 4, 2017 / John Halkett

The only surviving eucalypts from the natural forest in the garden are two twin red gums perched up on the cliff behind the Opera House on the Bennelong lawn. No doubt they were mere saplings in 1788 when the 11 tall, wooden ships of the First Fleet arrived in Sydney. Incredibly, this Bennelong twins alone have survived so close to the city. Referring to them, Ashley Hay (Gum, 2002 Duffy & Snellgrove, Potts Point, NSW, Australia.) wrote:

The view from [its] crown began to change from the canopies of other eucalypts growing along the land’s ridges and streams, from clear distance running