75th anniversary of the NZIF

The New Zealand Institute of Forestry was founded in 1927.  75th year anniversary celebrations included the planting of a rimu in Otari-Wilton's Bush Native Botanic Garden and Forest Reserve in Wellington.  

Above: Lindsay Poole BForSc, MSc, FRSNZ, CBE and Tim Thorpe, NZIF President address the gathering at Otari-Wilton Bush. Right: Lindsay Poole plants the rimu next to a plaque that records the event for posterity. Photographer: Dr Hugh Bigsby

This beautiful park houses the grave of Leonard Cockayne, a famous botanist and also an Honorary member of the Institute of Forestry.  Cockayne persuaded Stan Reid to survey the vegetation of Otari-Wilton’s bush for his MSc thesis, which was completed in 1934, the year of Cockayne’s death.  Stan later became an NZIF member.  He spent his career with the NZ Forest Service and lectured at the School of Forestry for several years after he retired from NZFS.  Stan’s son, Alan is an NZIF member and was at the tree planting ceremony.  (Background information supplied by Dr Andrew McEwen).