Concerns after large branch falls on busy road
Safety concerns have been raised after part of a large tree fell on to a road near several schools in Richmond, causing traffic chaos.
Salisbury Rd was closed for over two hours on Monday because a big branch from the protected gum tree in between Waimea College and Waimea Intermediate had fallen on to the main thoroughfare.
The branch fell just after 3pm, a time when children would normally be leaving school.
“I heard it come down, and I didn’t realise what it was,” said Gwenyth Hodge, the manager of First Years Richmond, an early childhood education centre.
At the time, children were playing outside in the playground at the centre directly opposite the tree when it fell, she said.
“It wasn’t till the kids started coming in and started yelling about it that we realised what was going on, and then we went out to the streetside to watch the drama.”
The branch was “a good foot” (30cm) in diameter, she said.
“[I’m] glad it wasn’t a school day, because that would have been really scary.”
Salisbury Rd was “incredibly busy” at that time of the day during term time, and it was still busy during the school holidays, Hodge said.
The tree stands at the entrance to the bus bay and student parking at the south entrance to Waimea College, a high school of 1600 students.
St Paul’s Primary and Salisbury School are opposite, with Henley School around the corner.
The tree is a protected Eucalyptus globulus, or Tasmanian blue gum, which stands next to another tree of the same species and size – seen by some as a landmark.
People on social media reported having passed the tree not long before the branch fell, and questioned if the tree had been maintained properly.
Waimea College principal Fraser Hill said safety was paramount, and he was taking immediate steps to understand what the risks were and if additional measures needed to be taken.
Hill, who became principal midway through last year, said he needed to talk to his property manager about what action was taken after the incident, and he was checking whether the trees belonged to the council.
“My understanding was that the council used heavy equipment ... to test out the remaining branches on the tree.
“But, certainly, I want to get the information from the council, just to understand what the risks are.
“We need to make sure [the trees] are safe in all weather.”
MetService said there were southeasterly gusts of up to 60kph on Monday, but the strongest gusts occurred in the evening.
The Tasman District Council said it was so far unclear why the branch fell.
“A preliminary inspection showed no indicational damage that would have offered a
reason,” spokesperson Tim O’Connell said.
The tree was in the grounds of Waimea College and listed in the Tasman Resource Management Plan as a category A tree, he said. “The tree belongs to the college, and this means that the council will undertake the maintenance with the college’s permission.
“We are engaging with our consultant arborist to inspect the tree and, if needed, to recommend a pruning regime. Any pruning will consider the tree’s health and form as well as the high traffic area in which it is located.”
The council was unaware of any cars being damaged in the incident, he said.
Massey University agronomist James Millner said the species of gum tree was commonly planted around New Zealand.
Tūī used its flowers as a nectar source, and it could “be attacked by insects which cause loss of foliage, weakening the tree”.
Asked if gum trees – termed “widowmaker” by some in Australia – posed more of a risk than other species, Millner said all trees could drop branches.
Old trees could become moribund and needed assessment to determine if there was deterioration in the wood, he said.
“You can’t eliminate risk from every situation, and if you want shade and you want shelter from the wind, trees are a pretty effective way of doing it.
“So it’s just a question of being aware of the risks and assessing the quality of the tree that you’ve got there.”