Established in New Zealand in 1994

About Edgemasta

Protecting young trees for more than 30 years

Edgemasta was founded in New Zealand by Paul Wright with a simple purpose: to help protect young trees from avoidable damage caused by routine mowing, line trimming and grounds maintenance.

What began as a practical solution to a common landscaping problem quickly developed into a recognised tree-protection system used and evaluated by councils, schools, contractors and arboriculture professionals in New Zealand and overseas.

The Edgemasta story

1994

Founded in New Zealand. Auckland City records show Edgemasta Tree Surrounds were in use from September 1994.

1995

1,000+ installed. More than one thousand surrounds had been installed around new street and park trees in Auckland's Tamaki-Maungakiekie area.

1996

International connections. Paul travelled to the United States in connection with arboriculture and urban-forestry events linked to the TreesAmerica initiative.

1998–99

Industry recognition grew. Edgemasta's international arboriculture connections, UK trials and industry recognition continued to expand.

Today

The same practical purpose. Protect young trees, reduce avoidable damage and make maintenance easier.

1994–1995

From a New Zealand idea to council use

Edgemasta Tree Surrounds were being used by Auckland City from September 1994 to assist with the establishment of newly planted trees.

By the 1995 planting season, the product had been installed with new street trees, with more than 1,000 surrounds installed around trees in streets and parks in the Tamaki-Maungakiekie area.

In a 1995 letter, an Auckland City arborist described the surrounds as highly effective, noting their role in protecting young trees from mechanical damage, supporting healthier establishment and reducing maintenance costs.

1995

Early recognition

In November 1995, Edgemasta was awarded Merit in the Retail category at the Ellerslie Flower Show.

The recognition came during a period of rapid early adoption, as Edgemasta moved from a practical New Zealand idea into established use in urban tree planting and maintenance.

1996

Growing beyond New Zealand

During the 1990s, Edgemasta developed connections within the international arboriculture and urban-forestry community.

In May 1996, Paul Wright travelled to the United States in connection with the International Society of Arboriculture Research Trust's TreesAmerica initiative.

Contemporary coverage from The Arlington Journal records that on May 7, 1996, former U.S. President George H. W. Bush dedicated the America the Beautiful Memorial Grove at Arlington National Cemetery — a grove of 100 new trees planted in honour of Persian Gulf War veterans and established as a TreesAmerica “living lab” for urban-forestry research.

During the United States visit, Paul met President Bush. Photographs and newspaper material from this period are preserved in the Edgemasta archive below.

The photograph is included as a historical record and is not presented as an endorsement of Edgemasta by President Bush.

1998

Connected to the arboriculture community

Edgemasta's international connections continued to grow. In 1998, respected arboriculture author and University of California professor emeritus Richard W. Harris, co-author of Arboriculture: Integrated Management of Landscape Trees, Shrubs, and Vines, personally inscribed a copy of the book to Paul.

His note thanked Paul for his help in “making it international” — a small but meaningful piece of the Edgemasta archive that reflects the relationships built within the wider arboriculture industry.

1999

Industry recognition in the United Kingdom

Edgemasta Treeguard was featured in the 1999 Saltex New Product Awards nominations in the United Kingdom.

That same year, Britain's Defence Estates requested Edgemasta products for trials after a demonstration generated strong interest. The letter requested twenty Edgemastas, including two sizes, so the products could be assessed further and shown to procurement colleagues within the Ministry of Defence.

Also in 1999, Edgemasta was listed as Principal Sponsor – International Speakers for the New Zealand Arboricultural Association Annual Conference, Arboriculture in a Changing Environment.

Proven in real-world environments

Edgemasta's archive includes testimonials and correspondence from organisations that used or evaluated the products in practical settings.

Auckland Grammar School praised a guard installed around a ceremonial tree for its tidy appearance, easier mowing, mulch containment, watering access and protection of the tree trunk from line trimmers. Together with council use and overseas trials, these records show a product developed around a genuine maintenance problem and tested where it matters — around real trees in real landscapes.

More than 30 years of practical tree protection

From New Zealand streets and parks to international arboriculture events and overseas trials, Edgemasta has spent more than three decades focused on helping young trees establish successfully.

Today, Edgemasta continues to build on that original idea with practical tree-protection solutions for councils, contractors, arborists, landscapers and grounds-maintenance teams.

Protect the tree. Reduce avoidable damage. Make maintenance easier.