And now Delta arborists were making sure children could play in the tree for generations to come, Dunedin City Council consulting arborist Mark Roberts said.
The tree had developed a large crack in one of its limbs and required cable-bracing and props to hold the limb in place to help the tree live for the next 100 years or so, Mr Roberts said.
The crack in the limb had started about a year ago, but it was noticed recently that the crack had changed direction and was now problematically going across the tree’s grain.
The rata was not quite in flower and some flowers would be lost in the process of stabilising the tree.
Mr Roberts said that when he was on site, passersby asked about the tree.
He wanted to assure people the crews were not there
to fell the tree, but rather to try to save it.
The rata was planted probably about the time the 1872 church was built, he said.
