One hundred years after his death, Robert Cummingham Bruce is remembered as a Turakina legend.
After his death, the former Ngaruru farmer left his estate to help fund the reforestation and maintenance of New Zealand domains and national parks.
A number of organisations, including the Whanganui Hospital, were also beneficiaries of his money.
A public commemoration of the centenary of his death will take place at the Bruce Memorial Reserve on Turakina Valley Road this Sunday, April 23, at 1.30pm.
Event organiser Roslyn Grant said Mr Bruce was a remarkable man who did a lot of work for national forestation among other causes.