New Zealand's Tree of the Year award goes to the 105ft 'Walking Tree'

 

Talking trees are also characters in the Hollywood movie 'Lodge of the Rings', which was a hit with children. There is a tree in New Zealand that resembles the character trees in the movie. This tree won New Zealand's 'Tree Award' this year. This tree is known as 'walking tree'. The tree is so named because it looks like walking through a field. This is a northern rata tree known by the scientific name Metrosideros robusta. They are New Zealand's tallest flowering tree and can live up to 1000 years.

The tree stands alone in the middle of a large field next to a cemetery near Karamea on the west coast of the South Island. Standing about 105 feet (32 m) tall, the tree is like walking with one foot in front and the other behind. The height of the building is seven storeys according to the New Zealand Tree Register. The 2024 Tree of the Year Award has been announced by the New Zealand Arboricultural Association. There were five other trees in the competition, but the 'Nandukuna Maram' got the award with 42 percent of the total votes.