John and Bunny are well known as practising farm foresters, John also serving as National President of the NZFFA. They have won the award for best North Island Farm Foresters of the year. Thirty years ago they built and managed what is now the Park International Golf Course in Hamilton and on the adjoining property started the Taitua Arboretum. Extensive planting on these properties, plus a 40ha radiata plantation, has give them plenty of experience in establishing, managing and harvesting trees. John has written extensively on forestry and related matters.
Articles include a series on the utilisation of alternative timbers, now published as a separate booklet. For the last ten years John has been involved in recovering, processing and marketing special purpose timbers.
Bunny is active in conservation organisation, was a Waipa County Councillor for ten years and a QE11 National Trust Director for seven years. Their Trees for the New Zealand Countryside -- A Planters Guide, reprinted four times, has been an invaluable guide to users. Proceeds from radiata harvesting enabled them to travel extensively with the International Dendrology Society, thus widening their knowledge of trees and enabling them to take photographs for their new book.
They have covenanted 40ha of native bush under the QE11 National Trust and in 1966 were each awarded a Queens Service Medal for community services.
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