I’ll start my Cambridge chair report with an acknowledgement of the great work done by everyone of you. Those who come along on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays, those who come when their busy lives permit and those who do Tree Trust stuff just about every other day there is. Thank you all for your hard work and commitment.

This year three members have resigned from the Cambridge Tree Trust Board: Eric Todd, Sue Morrissey and Bruce McComb. I thank all three of you and acknowledge your valuable contribution over the years. Eric has also decided to step down from his role as project manager so that he and Jan have a bit more time to themselves. Eric has been in the role since before I started at Tree Trust, has done a fantastic job and has, by his actions left nobody doubting his absolute commitment to Tree Trust. Thank you, Eric very much for everything. Bob Allwood has agreed to take over the project manager role.

You probably know that for several years now I’ve been keeping a rough tally of members who turn up on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In the period March-November in 2023 the average was: 30 members/week; in 2024 29, and this year 26, I am not overly concerned by this drop off.

In an effort to grow membership Tree Trust joined the organisation Volunteering Waikato. From their website we’ve received a total of 11 referrals (including several large groups wishing to volunteer as one offs), nine of whom have come and worked with us. As yet we have no new members join via this initiative. We have, however, gained a couple of new members via other routes, including our website.

Regarding our website, I mentioned in my last Annual Report that we were in the early stages of re-developing it. David Phillipps has single-handedly worked away updating the site to the stage where we now have a modern website that we can all be proud of. Thank you very much David for all your hard work on this project.

We had a stand promoting Tree Trust at the Autumn Festival in late March.

In late 2024 the Tree Trust was the lucky recipient of a grant of $1600 from Craigs Investment Partners (CIP) staff workplace giving scheme. Along with this grant there was an offer of CIP staff volunteering to help out and see what we do. After several false starts caused by the weather, on June 3rd three women and one bloke from CIP turned up at Payne Park and spent the morning with us weeding around some very wet tussocks.

We also had a very nice young fellow named Mason McTamney from Cambridge Intermediate come along and work with us on ten different occasions as part of completing his William Pike Challenge.

We made two written/spoken submissions to the Waipa District Council (WDC) Long Term Plan (LTP). The one on Lake Te Koo Utu was prepared by Judy Brown and Bob Allwood and the one on Planting on the Approaches to Cambridge by Jane Moodie.

Amongst our usual maintenance work we’ve managed to start three and a half new projects. The full projects are

(1) along the drain between the Kahikatea Grove and Jane’s Lane (would someone like to suggest a name for this?),

(2) at Bluebridge along Victoria Road and

(3) the ex RDA paddock at the base of the bank below the Community Garden at Resthaven.

The half project was plant, mulch and walk away at the new Menzshed site on Carlyle Street.

Since May 2024 we have engaged with WDC on placing on our site a seat memorialising the late Joan McCathie and have, for all sorts of reasons, made little progress. However, I’m pleased to report that we may be starting to get some traction, I recently completed and submitted the WDC’s Memorial Seat Application Form. So, who knows, we might even have a seat installed by this time next year.

Around the Nursery we’ve done a bit of work: we improved drainage at the south end; there is an area next to the shade house that could use the same treatment. The Nursery drive had gravel laid right up to the Stake House, Greenscapes very kindly did this for us free of charge.

After a bit of too-ing and fro-ing over what to do with Scott Base, we got rid of some accumulated clutter, made a couple of simple alterations/additions and it is now fit for purpose.

Overall, I think we have had a pretty good year and I have no major concerns regarding what we can control. However, something that we cannot control like the death of some rimu (both young and old trees) in our Rimu Grove is concerning, more so as the cause has not been conclusively identified. From photographs sent to them, experts at Scion have suggested “environmental causes’ (drought) but…. A couple of Tree Trustmembers have seen similar symptoms on a rimu near Hamilton Gardens, so I have asked the WDC arborist to follow up with his colleagues in Hamilton. Watch this space.

To conclude this Cambridge chair report I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2026.

Peter Fisher