Wood Water Soul - Ancient Kauri 2.0
Conservation for all of us
This is the 54th edition of Wood Water Soul. There is a lot going on for me right now, I’ll share more in a couple of weeks when things smooth out a little bit.
It seems senseless to me to write about the conservation of our forests. The land that we walk on is only ours for a very short time in retrospect. Some California Redwoods have stood tall in their roots for over 3000 years. The Kauri can be over 50,000 years old in some cases. We are a mere speck in time. At times, it feels hopeless to me that we can save our forests. It’s difficult for a person living in an apartment on the 50th floor in New York City to imagine a forest that needs to be preserved. And yet, their daily view is the same view as one of our tallest trees. When I walk in New York, or any big city, I try to imagine those towers of steel to be towers of ancient wood, and it gives me peace to know some of our forests remain.
Many continuous, large, rich forests cover our planet. The Amazon rainforest, for example, is home to an estimated 390 billion individual trees, representing around 16,000 species. The reason forest conservation and biodiversity are important is a numbers game to me. In the Amazon, there are over 40,000 different species of plants and around 2.5 million species, including insects, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Forests are being cut down for precious wood and human land uses. If we continue down this path, trouble is knocking on our door. Habitat loss, deforestation, and climate change threaten biodiversity, and the loss of large forests like the Amazon (often called the lungs of the earth) will affect every human on earth. We have no idea what amazing benefits might be discovered within this wonderland of diversity. What wonderful and life-changing drugs might be discovered? Every forest on the planet is a unique ecosystem, with endemic species of plants, animals, insects, etc.. Forests such as the Amazon or the Kauri Forest in New Zealand host an amazing variety of tree species and wildlife. We have no idea what is possible because we don’t know the full extent of what’s really there. Forests give our spaceship Earth life, with beauty and some resources, if we are judicious.
Leaving the Amazon and returning to New Zealand, I offer this overview and key specifications and information:
Species: Agathis australis
Age: Some trees are over 2,500 years old.
Height: They can grow up to 66 meters (217 feet) tall.
Diameter: The trunk can reach over 4 meters (13 feet) in diameter.
Habitat:
Kauri trees primarily grow in the northern regions of New Zealand, particularly in the Northland area.
They thrive in well-drained, fertile soils and are often found in mixed forests.
Ecological Importance:
Kauri trees play a crucial role in their ecosystem, providing habitat for various species.
Their leaves and bark contribute to the forest floor's nutrient cycle.
Conservation Status:
Kauri trees face threats from a soil-borne pathogen called Phytophthora Agathidicida, which causes kauri dieback disease.
Conservation efforts are in place to protect these trees, including restricted access to infected areas and research on disease management.
Cultural Significance:
Kauri trees hold cultural importance for Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, who use the wood for carving and construction. The wood is tightly controlled by the tribe and the country of New Zealand.
If you want to visit the Kauri Trees:
Popular sites include Waipoua Forest, home to the famous Tāne Mahuta, the largest known living kauri tree.
Visitors are encouraged to follow guidelines to prevent the spread of disease. Visitors are encouraged not to walk too close to the living trees because the base forest around the trees holds seedlings and other important nutrients. Good advice for anyone visiting a forest preserve of any kind.
If it sounds like I am passionate about forests and trees, you’re right! I ask you for awareness of the importance of the kauri and all trees are to our short lives here on earth. Just think about it. Will our children, great children, and beyond be able to walk under the canopy of these great giants?
I appreciate you reading this and thinking about it. I’ll be back in 2 weeks with some big news, at least for me. I wish you peace in these times in which we live.
I appreciate you taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoy the film and all of the full-length interviews. We do have some pretty cool things in the shop these days. Please share this Blog with a fellow surfer or with a friend who needs some Joy in their lives.
I invite you to watch Addicted to Joy for free. Aloha.
