

Brought to you by NZ Arb
The search for Aotearoa's most interesting tree
WINNER ANNOUNCED 5 JUNE
Rākau o te tau / Tree of the year NZ Aotearoa
We invite you to be part of Aotearoa's first-ever Rākau o te tau / Tree of the year Aotearoa.
Rākau o te tau / Tree of the year Aotearoa is for all New Zealanders. An interactive celebration of the special trees that are part of our lives and communities.
Tree of the Year is not about the most beautiful tree, but about the stories and heritage that connects us to our trees.
Voting closed on 31 May.
Vote counter hidden throughout final week.
Winning tree announced 5 June (NZ Arbor Day).
The aim of Rākau o te tau / Tree of the year NZ Aotearoa is to highlight our significant trees and share what makes them important. Inspired by the ‘European tree of the year’ which has been running since 2011, this competition is about telling our cultural tree stories. We want you, Aotearoa, to nominate and vote for the greatest trees in the country. It’s not about the biggest or oldest, it’s about trees that play a part in our lives, our history and our future.
This year we have selected some trees for you to vote on to get the ball rolling. These are just a snapshot of some of the many very cool trees and stories in Aotearoa. Next year we want you to tell your stories. So, get together with your hapu, iwi, family, kura or community and show us that you are the guardians of the next Rākau o te tau Aotearoa.
2023 Tree Finalists

Which tree will it be?
Nominations for the 2023 Rākau o te tau / Tree of the year NZ Aotearoa are closed. Voting opens soon! In the meantime, consider making a contribution to the New Zealand Tree Register.
Subscribe to our emails when you vote to stay up to date with the latest Rākau o te tau / Tree of the year NZ Aotearoa news.