Blog on Forest Health

By Cielito Marbus

I’ve spent some time recently reflecting on the amount of attention given to the different tree species we study at the Centre. Particularly, I’ve been pondering why we have funding to spend on researching the decline of all the important south-west tree species, except marri.  Jarrah has long been a focus, and more recently tuart and wandoo, while a funding agreement to examine peppermints came into place just a few months ago. So marri research isn’t funded, yet we receive a lot of calls from concerned community members about marri trees on their block or in their town. Many people are aware of the contribution that marri trees make to our native ecosystems. The canker disease in marri has been known since 1939 and became widespread by the 1970s, while a leaf and flower blight pathogen has become widespread over the last decade or so. I recently completed my honours thesis studying this blight pathogen, and during my field studies I found it difficult to find a truly healthy and happy marri tree.

I touched on a point in my thesis, duly picked up by my examiner, where I commented roughly that marri was not, historically, a valuable timber tree. What I meant was that it was not perceived as a valuable timber, despite the appreciation by some for the interesting results that came from the kino (gum) veins. What I leave to be considered here, is that our appreciation for marri is driven largely by sentimental and intangible values, as opposed to monetary or economic. We love marri for the honkey nuts that we grew up with as kids, for the native, cute and cuddly fauna that the trees support, for the unique ‘flaws’ in the timber, and for the masses of beautiful flowers produced each year. Personally I have fond memories of the Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, and Little Ragged Blossom.

May Gibbs brought us the characters and adventure stories of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie

Marri timber is in truth stronger than jarrah, and the honey produced from its flowers has as much nutritional and antimicrobial potential as jarrah honey. I find it interesting also that the production of kino, which has served the tree so well in the past (it has certainly been a strong point in its evolution and adaptation), is now working against it favour. The scarring it leaves in the timber causes us to undervalue the tree, which may have influenced our lack of attention to the species. Should we seek value in economic terms now? Should we glorify the merits of this tree by the dollar value on the furniture we make or the honey it provides? Or can we continue to love it for the good old fashioned reasons.