[imageA chance conversation and the persistence of a Southland woman has led to Southland being given two Gallipoli pine seedlings grown by New Zealand scientists.
About 50 seedlings have been raised at the Scion Crown Research Agency in Rotorua and made available to RSAs nationwide to commemorate this year's centenary of the World War 1 Gallipoli landings.
They were grown from the Turkish red pine (Pinus brutia) at Paeroa Golf Course, the only authenticated New Zealand descendant of the original Gallipoli Peninsula Lone Pine.
The golf course tree traces back to a pine cone brought home by Australian soldier Sergeant Keith McDowell. Edendale resident Angela Gibbs was a guest at a wedding about a month ago when she heard about the seedlings from another guest, who worked at Scion.
She enlisted the support of Invercargill RSA chairman Norm Wilson and others and successfully applied for two. One will be planted on April 24 near the Invercargill Cenotaph and the other will be planted in Edendale.
Mrs Gibbs said it had taken many telephone calls and emails to secure the seedlings and people had asked her why she had taken on the project.
Her answer was: ''Why not?''''When an opportunity arises, you take it. It is lovely to think the trees will be treasured by future generations as living memorials.''
Invercargill City Council parks and reserves manager Robin Pagan said the Invercargill seedling would be planted in a protected area until it grew larger.
While Turkish red pines had not been grown in the city before, he expected the tree to do well.
Scion scientist Toby Stovold, who collected the seeds and helped grow the seedlings, said he got involved in 2009 when approached by the Hawkes Bay Regional Council, which wanted to donate seedlings from the Paeroa tree.
He said the seedlings would be planted in many parts of the country this year, including at the National Army Museum in Waiouru, in Christchurch's Park of Remembrance, and in the Government Gardens in Rotorua.
