Field Testing – Birdsong Recorder

I started work on building an off-grid bird recorder back in mid-2018. In the last nine months a number of practical issues have been resolved and a series of field tests have been completed with the prototype unit. We now have a good understanding of the unit’s abilities and constraints. There were failures along the […]

Exploring NZ Native Birdsong using Open-source tools

Introduction For many people in New Zealand our native birdsong is drowned out by the sounds of modern life. Whilst our cities are unavoidably noisy places, many rural areas also experience man-made noise from road traffic, agriculture and other activities. The OurTrees forest is located in a remote part of the West Coast. The unsealed […]

Cyclone Gita vs NZ Beech Forest

“Tropical Cyclone Gita was the most intense tropical cyclone to impact Tonga since reliable records began.” After bashing a path through our Pacific Island neighbours, Gita headed for the western coast of New Zealand, officially downgraded to a “strong ex-tropical cyclone” I was at our land on the NZ’s West Coast when the storm hit. […]

Funghi in our Forest

Funghi play a crucial role in native southern beech forest (Nothofagus) and manuka and kanuka forest (Leptospermum and Kunzea). These are New Zealand’s only native tree species to form mycorrhizal associations with mushrooms. Living on the tree roots, the fungi take sugars while in return the beech tree absorbs nutrients which the fungus has absorbed from the surrounding […]

Visit Our Forest

Enjoy a few minutes of video shot in the OurTrees Forest.. Listen to the Birds singing in the early morning on this audio clip.. Where on earth is the OurTrees forest? A playful Fantail pays a visit. Some Virtual Reality Views inside our forest .. and a small gallery of photos Be sure and check […]

Why you need Our Trees

With a mixture of native New Zealand tree species (including NZ Beech, Kahikatea, Rimu) our trees absorb and store CO2, provide habitat for our native birds and animals and express the visual beauty of our natural environment

Our Goals

OurTrees has the following goals: Raise awareness of Indigenous Native Forests as a vital component in our response to climate change. Restore the natural habitat for our Native Birds and Animals via targeted pest-control initiatives. Survey and catalogue our indigenous forests and create a permanent and public record of the data using Blockchain technology. Create […]