English photographer John Johns migrated to Aotearoa New Zealand in 1951. He photographed the natural environment in his new homeland, and over the years became increasingly concerned with forestry erosion and introduced pests. As the New Zealand Forest Service’s official photographer, his job was the promotion of forestry, but his images reveal the devastation of Westland forests and the dramatic impact of forestry on the Tairāwhiti Gisborne district. Later attempts to combat erosion through planting are captured in his images from the 1970s. Recent fires and flooding across the country reinforce how difficult, expensive and time consuming it is to repair and reforest the land.

He Kapuka Oneone – A Handful of Soil (from August 2024)