Almost nothing can eat them, they smother growth on the forest floor, and they tend to burn in dry periods.

Disclaimer: this is independent knowledge not endorsed by @TraschcanOfIdeology@hexbear.net

New Zealand still has tree ferns and shit, crazy unique flora there. They are objectively the correct choice, because they look cool as fuck. They aren’t technically trees though.

Here’s a super fun stitch, depending on location the answer is “pine trees” but from a totally disperate clade of gymnosperm that is almost 100% not what they’re talking about in the tweet

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agathis_australis

Araucariales is such a sickass clade.

I had a hard time finding ecosystem maps in a form I’m familiar with but this site was a good level for my familiarity with NZ, and I think in time I’d find a plant list on here https://environment.govt.nz/publications/environment-aotearoa-2019/theme-1-our-ecosystems-and-biodiversity/