Notable Trees of the Strath Taieri In 2001, a group of three trees on the Starth Taieri were registered as Notable Trees by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture (RNZIH). The trees are an English oak, a beech and a silver birch located at Strathburn on the property of Mr and Mrs Wilson, Gladbrook Rd, Middlemarch, and are visible from Settlement Rd (see Heritage Drive). What is a 'notable' tree? Trees considered notable are inspected by and receive registration from NZ Register for the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture with the support of the New Zealand Arboricultural Association Inc. Registration is based on a number of indices using the guidelines drawn up for STEM, the standard tree evaluation method, where points were awarded according to a tree's height, trunk circumference, general health, rarity, importance to the community and impact on the local environment. Anything scoring more than 145 total points was deemed significant. Over 2500 trees have been recorded within 353 registrations held in the RNZIH Notable Trees Register, which is lodged at Lincoln University Library. The recording of significant trees is an attempt to locate and identify trees significant to New Zealand's heritage. By registering and labelling the outstanding trees, public attention is drawn to them and in this way they receive a measure of protection by being acknowledged as very important, as many trees are lost because their significance is unknown.

The Oak at Strathburn This tree was planted around 1870 when Sir John Roberts settled in the Middlemarch area. After living in Middlemarch, Sir John moved to Dunedin. Sheltered from the winds by a large shelterbelt of English Elms and in the company of a large English Beech this tree has a good chance to live for many more years. At over 27m in height and 3.8m in circumference this is the largest of the species found in the area. A few large old fruit trees are also here, the remains of an orchard planted for the farm. Several trees are gone due to old age, wind throw, and in one case condemned and removed by an Arborist. This was a large Copper Beech, and the owners have several seedlings of this tree growing on the property. The owners, Mr and Mrs Wilson, love and care for their trees and are pleased to have this tree registered as a Notable Tree. While the Tree is not easy to see from Gladbrook Rd, it is visible from Settlement Rd (see Heritage Drives), where it can be seen for the landmark that it is. To visit the site, please phone 03 464 3797. This tree was found during a survey of Dunedin trees carried out by the Dunedin City Council, by David Baird and Peter Lamsdale. Botanical name: Quercus robur Common name: English Oak Year Planted: 1870 (estimated) Planted for Sir John Roberts  Notable Tree measurements: Single tree Height: approx 27m Girth of trunk: 3800mm measured at 1.2m height STEM score: 120 (see Tree Evaluation Score Sheet) Notable Tree Registration Number: 369a The Beech Tree Botanical name: Fagus Sylvatica Common name: Common Beech Year Planted: 1870 (estimated) Planted for Sir John Roberts  Notable Tree measurements: Single tree Height: approx 27m Girth of trunk: 3500mm measured at 1.2m height STEM score: 180 (see Tree Evaluation Score Sheet) Notable Tree Registration Number: 369b The Birch Tree Botanical name: Betula Pendula Common name: Silver Birch Year Planted: 1870 (estimated) Planted for Sir John Roberts  Notable Tree measurements: Single tree Height: approx 19m Girth of trunk: 3100mm measured at 1.2m height STEM score: 162 (see Tree Evaluation Score Sheet) Notable Tree Registration Number: 369c << Return to What to do