Kerikeri redwoods won’t be felled
By Peter de Graaf Trees appear to have scored a rare victory over bureaucracy in a Far North District Council decision not to fell a stand of redwoods in Kerikeri.
The trees, on council land beside Hawking Crescent, have long been the subject of impassioned debate.
The council, acting on a recommendation from the local community board, voted early last year to let them stay. Only those found to be weak or diseased in annual inspections would be felled.
That was applauded by locals, who say the trees are an attractive feature of the Kerikeri skyline and help preserve the town’s microclimate, but decried by the Kerikeri Retirement Village trustees, who say the trees deny residents sunshine in winter and put them in danger every time a storm hits. One tree fell in last year’s storms, albeit within the stand.
There are about 140 trees, planted 80 years ago.
The redwoods’ time finally appeared to be up last December, however, when councillors were told the council’s insurer might not pay out if a tree damaged property or claimed a life. Opinion was divided, so it was agreed to delay a decision while the council sought legal advice. The matter finally returned to the council table in April.
The legal advice was that, since the council had been informed that the redwood trees were a potential risk, it could be liable for damage to property if it had failed to take “reasonable steps” to mitigate that risk. In other words, the trees should be cut down.
Cr Ann Court, however, said felling the redwoods would set a precedent, threatening all trees on council land. If the advice was taken to its logical extreme, anytime someone complained that a council tree was a risk it would have to be removed.
“It’s not in anyone’s interest to do that. It wasn’t about the redwoods per se, it was a principle position,” she said.
Councillors voted to retain the trees and continue the annual inspections. Two arborists’ reports last year found the trees were in good health. One report recommended on-going checks, the other that the trees be cut down because there was no guarantee they would not fall in a major storm.
Councillors also voted to retain a pedestrian ford across Kerikeri River near the Stone Store despite complaints that it is a health and safety risk.
Two concrete slabs were placed across a gap between rocks after the road bridge was removed and before the pedestrian bridge was built, so people could still cross the river at low water. Kerikeri identity Charlie Smellie maintains the ford encourages people to walk where they could slip on wet rocks and should be removed. It is, however, well used, particularly by children.
Legal advice was that the council would not be liable for injuries caused by people slipping on the rocks, but it could be liable to civil action if someone slipped and dropped a phone or camera, for example, into the river.
A warning sign may be installed instead.