Today we learned that this time 100 years ago 15,000 New Zealand men entered the Battle of the Somme. Marking the first major entry into WW1 6000 New Zealanders were injured and 2111 were killed...
At Land & Tree Works we're not particularly into war. We love trees! And today we've begun to plant 2300 at the Stella Evered Memorial Park as part of a contract we have with Thames Coromandel District Council in commemoration of WW1's fallen soldiers.
The Stella Evered Memorial Park is a far cry from the battlefield of the Somme but perhaps it was matched in name because of its steep trench-like gully into which the trees are being planted?! The park, created by Eric Evered in memory of his wife, Stella after she died in 1981, is now in trust with the Perpetual Guardians.
Today is glorious with only birdsong and the sound of spades digging holes for trees, not trenches. 
There are five New Zealanders, one Australian, two British and one Italian all working with the vision that in 100 years the trees may have become a forest.
We remember...  
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they'll never sit in - Greek Proverb.