Western Springs pines: Arrest as protesters move in to stop felling of woodland

Monday, 12 April 2021

Four protesters have been trespassed and one arrested in their bid to stop the felling of dozens of pine trees at an Auckland park.

Auckland Council voted last year to fell the 95-year-old pines at Western Springs, which have been closed off to the public since 2018 due to safety risks resulting from falling trees.

Workers started clearing a path to begin felling work on Friday, which included removing some native trees and vegetation.

Five protesters, including activist Steve Abel who was arrested, moved onto the site on Monday to oppose the work, claiming the felling of the pines would ruin the ecology of the area.

* Auckland's Western Springs pines saved from the axe by local board vote

* Western Springs pines: Decision on felling delayed amid public backlash

Activist Steve Abel says work to clear a path to fell the pine trees has resulted in some native trees, such as this pōhutukawa have been cut down.

“There’s decade old trees in this forest. It’s a regenerating matter forest,” Abel said.

“It will completely change the structure of the forrest. Native tree ferns will dry out without the canopy. Pine trees provide habitat for birds and insects, and there’s hundred of tons of carbon stored in these trees.

One of several native trees that have been cut down in Western Springs as Auckland council starts pine felling.

“The structure, character and ecology of this forest should be respected.”

Abel claims a 15-year-old kauri tree and a 30-year-old pōhutukawa tree were among the natives that had been cut down to clear a path for the felling.

Last year, Tree Consultancy Company (TCC) assessed each of the 198 standing pine trees in the forest and found 57 trees were at risk of falling. That prompted the council to make a decision to remove those affected.

Auckland Council Director Customer and Community Services, Dr Claudia Wyss, confirmed native and exotic vegetation was removed to create a path for the felling work under the guidance of an ecologist and arborist.

Wyss said some pines, despite having healthy foliage, had internal decay, so removal of only the obviously unhealthy trees would not adequately address the safety concerns.

“Our teams on this project care deeply about achieving the best possible outcomes for our communities and Aucklanders. We have the important responsibility of protecting public safety, managing the trees that pose this safety risk, meeting our obligations set out in the local board resolution and enabling safe access to the park for the community.”

After the pines are removed, up to 8,000 native trees and shrubs, such as kauri, taraire, kohekohe, puriri, titoki, kanuka, mahoe, and karamu would be planted at the site to create a “thriving habitat” for wildlife.

Area Commander of Auckland City West Police, Inspector Grant Tetzlaff, confirmed four people were trespassed and one arrest was made when a person refused to leave.

The arrested person is set to appear at Auckland District Court at a future date.