Auckland Council has found itself in hot water after a controversial tree-felling operation on Great Barrier Island’s picturesque Gray Road. Local landowners are up in arms, accusing the council of recklessly chopping down perfectly healthy pine trees under the guise of safety concerns.
The council, led by Regional Arborist David Stejskal, claims the trees were “immediate hazards” due to their condition. However, the landowners dispute this, insisting the trees were fine and had even been given a clean bill of health by an arborist after Cyclone Gabrielle last year.
“Yep. No dead trees that I know of,” one landowner told AoteaGBI.news “We’ve had an arborist going through and cutting down trees damaged in the cyclone at our expense. They really are arrogant.”
Adding to the growing discontent, this isn’t the first time the council has targeted the trees.
Council approached the landowners earlier this year with a proposal to use metsulfuron, a potent herbicide, to takeout the non-native pines, it was rejected.
“Pine trees are a major issue around the country and are colonising unique landscapes and sensitive areas.” Council representative Liz Kirschberg said at the time.
With the trees gone, residents fear increased flooding and erosion on their property.
“Initially it sounds like a load of coverup,” the resident said, adding it’s the second time council contractors have been deployed to fell their trees.
“Not the fault of the contractor, but this has happened twice now on the same land, two separate arborists.” they said.
AoteaGBI.news has requested visual evidence from the council to substantiate their claims of the trees being dead.
Following the unconsulted removal, the council issued an apology. “I’d like to apologise for carrying out the work without consulting you first. I will certainly make sure we do so with any future planned removals along Gray Road,” stated a representative.
The council maintains the trees were on the boundary of the private land, and that the law permits them to cut down trees on private land without consultation if they deem them dangerous.
The landowners praised locals who chopped up the felled trees and gave them away as firewood, they remain furious with the council’s actions.
“We’re still pretty fired up about it.”, they said.
