CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
Ra Hammer
The Tree People
SPEAKER BIO
Raoni Hammer is Managing Director of The Tree People, a Christchurch-based arboricultural consultancy and contracting business. Passionate about tree conservation, assessment, and heritage trees, Raoni has developed a strong reputation for his work documenting notable trees and advancing knowledge of New Zealand's tree heritage. His recent research into the Lyttelton (Whakaraupō) Harbour Basin significantly expanded the New Zealand Tree Register, uncovering previously undocumented native and heritage specimens. Raoni combines practical arboricultural expertise with a keen interest in history, ecology, and community engagement to promote the long-term protection and appreciation of remarkable trees.
TALK TITLE
NZ Notable Trees Trust talk: Enhancing the New Zealand Tree Register: A Lyttleton Case Study
ABSTRACT
Many of New Zealand’s most significant trees remain undocumented, particularly native trees hidden in remote gullies, private land, and remnant forests. This presentation outlines a project to enhance the New Zealand Tree Register (NZTR) across the Lyttelton (Whakaraupō) Harbour Basin through field surveys, historical research, and community collaboration.
The project verified existing NZTR records and added 37 new trees to the Register, the majority of them native species. Highlights included several national champion trees, previously unrecorded native remnants, and an estimated 800–900-year-old kahikatea.
The presentation demonstrates how combining local knowledge, systematic fieldwork, and historical records can uncover important ecological, cultural, and heritage values. It also explores the underrepresentation of native trees in existing records and the role that arborists, landowners, and communities can play in identifying and protecting New Zealand’s remarkable trees for future generations.