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A total of 21 new trees have been added to Auckland Council’s protected (Notable) tree schedule, while 51 were removed.
Locally, two Notable Trees were removed from the schedule in Whangaparāoa – a macrocarpa at 27 Moreton Drive, Manly, which was felled after resource consent approval was granted, and a totara at 24 Glengarry Ave, Manly.
The changes were approved by Council’s Planning Committee this month.
The Planning Committee report said the removal of trees from the schedule was either because the tree was in poor health, or it was no longer present.
There had often been delays between the time when a tree was nominated, and when it was actually assessed by an arborist for possible inclusion on the schedule.
Cr Richard Hills said this way of protecting trees is not sustainable and there needs to be better protection from government.
“We are moving backwards in the number of trees in private spaces and we know the Medium Density Residential Standards are a further threat,” Cr Hills said. He said it costs up to $2000 for a tree to be added to the schedule, and the process is complicated.
Cr Pippa Coom commended work by the Tree Council and other tree advocates.
“There’s a lot of anxiety about trees being removed for development,” Cr Coom said. “We must continue to advocate to government to restore tree protection.”
