It is time to acknowledge and celebrate all the people, mostly unknown, whose foresight has made Cambridge the beautiful Town of Trees that it is today. When the heat of summer approaches, we really appreciate the beauty and coolness of our wonderful trees, such as the handsome oak by St. Andrew's church.

Some of the earliest plantings are the magnificent plane trees in Victoria St., many of which were planted nearly 150 years ago. Similarly, the trees around the square, which include, across the street from the clock tower, the amazing Californian redwood. This is one of the longest-lived of all trees, at well over 2 000 years. To make plantings such as these speaks of our forebears' hope and confidence in their future. It reminds me of the saying: "All is well with the world when old people plant trees, knowing they will never sit in their shade." Despite the problems of the world today, the Cambridge Tree Trust shares this belief, and we plant and nurture both native and exotic saplings, some of which we hope will grow to the stature of those we admire today.

We would like to acknowledge all those who have helped in this endeavour in the past with their labour and their donations. We also thank the Waipa District Council for their support, and Mitre 10, who sponsor our monthly articles in the Cambridge News and support us in other ways as well.

Become a financial member, for even if you are unable to join our workdays, your membership will help us. 

In 2002, an Arboriculture student, John Reid, identified 52 notable trees in and around Cambridge.  The Waipa District Council has its own list, which includes most of John's, but adds those considered notable by its own arborists since 2002, and extends the area under consideration.  The Tree Trust is checking both works to update and expand them.  We already know that some trees have been removed through death, disease or bad siting.

For instance, the soft, sandy pumice soil around Lake Te Koo Utu has proven unable to hold big trees. Several have fallen in recent winters. In 2013, the Waipa District Council started implementing a plan to remove them and replace them with more suitable species. One such collapse killed a dog and missed its owner by the length of the leash. Another fell neatly between two cars in the carpark. We have replaced many of such fallen trees.

This is a big page, but after all, Cambridge is the Town of Trees.

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