New Books: A Path Through the Trees

Mary Sutherland graduated from the University College of North Wales (now Bangor University) in 1916. She was the first woman forestry graduate in the world, and during WW1 she worked with women in Britain’s forests; on a Scottish Baronet’s estates, then with the developing British Forestry Commission. Mary came to New Zealand in 1923 and was employed by the NZ State Forest Service. An educated woman with practical skills working in an entirely male-run industry created challenges. 

After losing her position for the second time following the 1932 Economic Commission report, Mary forged a new career in botany at the Dominion Museum. During World War 2, she supervised at the YWCA-administered War Workers’ Hostel in Woburn and at the end of the war, she was appointed the Department of Agriculture’s first farm forestry officer.

A conservationist, and life-long lover of trees, Mary maintained her membership with the New Zealand Institute of Foresters throughout life: she served on the NZIF council in 1935-36, and as vice president during 1941-42. Interested in the world and in travel, Mary was proud of her university training. Believing all women deserved higher education, she served on various committees and the executive, for the Wellington Branch of the Federation of University Women.

Vivien is grateful to the Stout Trust, and the New Zealand Institute of Forestry for enabling Mary’s story to be published.

Tauranga connections

Mary Sutherland’s niece was the late Frances Glendenning, who lived in Welcome Bay, and was a friend of the Tauranga Library. Known as Frankie, she collected Sutherland family information, which included nine letters written by Mary, her 1952 diary and photographs.

Marion Stewart, who was Margaret Mackersey’s aunt, was a friend to Mary Sutherland. Marie, as she was called, owned the chicken farm ‘Cheriton.’ She set up the Tauranga Egg Marketing Cooperative which supplied American forces in the Pacific with eggs and chickens, and she was a long-standing member of the Tauranga Hospital Board. Mary and Marie’s cruise together in Fiordland in 1950 is a chapter in the book, written using information taken from Marie Stewart’s diary and Mary’s family letter.

Violet MacMillan was born in Katikati in 1902 and died in Tauranga in 1981. She was the first supervisor at the Woburn War Workers’ Hostel in World War 2 and  returned a year later to her position at Otago University College. Mary Sutherland who had been working as assistant supervisor, then took over as supervisor.

The author

Originally a trained nurse, Vivien Edwards worked as a freelance writer for over 20 years. She used to be a regular contributor to New Zealand Forest Industries magazine, hence her interest in how a woman came to be working in this country’s forests in the 1920s and 30s. Vivien has an interest in research, and Mary Sutherland’s story is her third book. The others were ‘Winkelmann: Images of Early New Zealand’ (Benton Ross 1987) and ‘Battling the Big B: Hepatitis B in New Zealand’ (Dunmore Publishing Ltd. 2007). As many readers will be aware, Vivien is also an active member of the Society and a past contributer to this blog.

A Path through the Trees has been reviewed on Kete Books and is available from Books A Plenty or directly from the author (Email).