​New trees receive council protection

 An additional 21 trees have been added to the notable tree schedule in Auckland Council's latest plan changes.

At the planning committee on August 4, the members voted to add the trees to the schedule and remove 51 trees.

The committee report said the removal of trees from the schedule was either because of poor tree health or the tree no longer being present.

Policy planner Teuila Young said that many tree nominations had been sitting for quite some time before being assessed by an arborist.

“When the arborist is going out to assess them, their health may have deteriorated,” Young said. “I am not an arborist, I may think a tree looks healthy but an arborist may look at it and say it does not meet the criteria.”

Cr Richard Hills said the current way of protecting trees was not sustainable and acknowledged the need for better protection from central 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,” Hills said.

Hill said the public nominating a tree was not all that was needed to add a tree to the schedule.
“It is far more complicated than people realise.”

Hills said it cost up to $2000 for a tree to be added to the notable tree schedule.

Cr Pippa Coom commended work from the Tree Council and advocates for trees in Auckland.

“There’s a lot of anxiety about our urban canopy and trees being removed for urban development,” Coom said.

Coom said it was a small number but scheduling was one of councils best tools to protect trees.
“We must continue to advocate to government to restore tree protections.”
​
The committee report said the schedule changes impacted all of Auckland and had been generally supported by local boards.