Upper Harbour Local Board members recently voted 4 to 2 to remove 13,700 trees planted by the community in Sanders Reserve because of concerns they would obscure views. This is despite a survey of the community where 94% wanted the trees to stay and the board being presented with the options of relocating the trees or just removing the taller species. Instead, all of the trees were mown down.

Since 2018, local volunteers have contributed 3450 hours planting the trees. A key volunteer group was Sustainable Paremoremo, as well as students from Kristin School and the Chinese Conservation Education Trust. Conservation Volunteers also held multiple volunteer days for planting in the reserve.

The plants cost the council $16,813 and many of them were provided by the Mayors Million Trees, Rotary, and Trees for Survival.

Read the New Zealand Herald article here.

Image: Supplied to the Herald