A Walk in Coastal Redwood Trees, New Zealand

Cool Tree Platforms in Trees that Don't Belong Here

March, 2016

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The last thing we expected to find in Rotorua, New Zealand, was a bunch of California Coastal Redwoods. But find them we did. The British and their far-flung relatives are notorious for transplanting botany around the world, and a bit over a hundred years ago they brought a bunch of coastal redwoods to New Zealand. They are now pretty darn tall and some folks in Rotorua have made a bunch of cool tree platforms so you can walk around in them. While it is advertised as a "canopy walk," it is not even close to that. The canopy of a coastal redwood is way the heck up there at around 60m (200ft) feet or more, and these were about 12m max.

In the visitor's center there is a round cut out of a Radiata Pine (another native of California) grown in New Zealand that is about five feet in diameter and only 46 years old! The growth rings on that sucker are the size of my thumb! Why it is in the museum for the redwoods was beyond me, but it was pretty cool anyway...

Tree Walk Gary 46Yr Radiata Pine Pinus Radiata
Gary with 46 Yr Radiata Pine (Pinus Radiata)

Here's what the redwood forest looks like today. The small trees are not redwoods; I can't remember what they are. Recent research has shown that there is a very large variation in how well individual redwood trees do in New Zealand's soils and climate. By careful selection they are breeding trees which will do well, produce good lumber, and grow reasonably rapidly. One of the things they have discovered is that a moderate growth rate produces better trees than rapid growth.

Tree Walk Forest Tree Walk Forest
Forest

The rest of these photos are mostly reference material for me as I'm in the process of building a similar tree platform around one of the big Ponderosa Pines behind our house.

Tree Walk Platform Tree Walk Platform Bridge
Platform Platform and Bridge
Tree Walk Platform Length Relationships Tree Walk Platform Underside
Image to Estimate
Platform Cable Length
Relationships
Platform Underside

Tree Walk Platform Net
Platform Net

The platforms are suspended from the trees by large "chokers", nylon / polyester straps wrapped around the trunk. A cable is attached to the choker and then to the platform. There are no nails or lag screws in the tree itself, so the tree is not harmed in any way. There is a separate choker for each cable. The chokers in the images below are part of walkways (suspension bridges) between platforms.

Tree Walk Tree Straps Tree Walk Tree Straps
Tree Straps (Chokers)

Tree Walk Platform Tree Collar
Platform Tree Collar

The platforms are held away from the tree proper by blocks which can be adjusted in and out. This allows the blocks to be let out as the tree grows.

Tree Walk Platform Tree Block Tree Walk Platform Tree Block Underside
Platform Tree Block Platform Tree Block Underside

I can't remember how many platforms there are in total; something like 30. The platforms start out about 20 feet from the ground and get up as high as 45 feet or so. You get from one platform to the next via a suspension bridge.

Tree Walk Platform And Straps Tree Walk Straps Tree Walk Straps
Platform And Straps Straps
Tree Walk Bridge To Platform Tree Walk Bridge
Bridge To Platform Bridge
Tree Walk Bridge Platform Joint Tree Walk Bridge Platform Joint
Bridge to Platform Joint

Tree Walk Bridge Support
Bridge Deck Support
Tree Walk Bridge Support Joint
Bridge Deck Joint
Tree Walk Bridge Support Flex Joint
Bridge Deck Flex Joint

Tree Walk Bridge Joint Underside Tree Walk Bridge Flex Joint Underside
Bridge Deck Joint Underside Bridge Deck Flex Joint Underside

Tree Walk Bridge Rail Joint Tree Walk Bridge Rail Joint
Bridge Rail Joint
Tree Walk Bridge Rail Joint Tree Walk Bridge Rail Joint
Bridge Rail Joint

Tree Walk Bridge Suspension Tree Walk Bridge Net Tree Walk Bridge Net
Bridge Suspension Bridge Net

Tree Walk Picnic Tables
Picnic Tables