Stride of New Zealand: ancient ‘walking tree’ wins tree of the year

A large twin-trunk northern rātā growing near Karamea has won New Zealand's tree of the year competition. Photograph: Gareth Andrews

A lone rātā that appears to be striding across the landscape has taken gold in New Zealand’s tree of the year competition.

The New Zealand Arboricultural Association – which runs the competition to celebrate New Zealand’s trees – said the “extraordinary” northern rātā had earned the name “The Walking Tree” because of its resemblance to one of JRR Tolkien’s sentient tree-like Ents.