Manukau’s trees left to fend for themselves

Submissions for nominating tree protection in urban Manukau finished on the 31^st of March and the future for our urban trees do not look good.

On the 22^nd of March Manukau Courier voiced the pleas of the Manurewa, Otara-Papatoetoe and Mangere-Otahuhu local boards to local residents to lodge submissions nominating trees for protection. 

When Manukau Courier’s article was release only a total of two trees in Manukau “had been nominated for protection under the district plan”. This is a major worry because after January 2012 all current general rules protecting Manukau’s trees will be removed and replaced by the new plan that does not embody a general trees protection rule.

Below are direct quotes, which were interesting from this Manukau Courier article (2011):

• ·         Auckland Council says any trees identified and protected under previous councils' existing district plans will continue to be protected.
• ·      To date there are around 630 trees protected under the former Manukau City Council's existing plan.
• ·      Only trees in outstanding condition that are renowned for their heritage and contribution to the community landscape will be considered.

The worry among some residents in these urban areas is that once the general tree protect rule is removed people will cut down trees unnecessarily without acknowledging their amenity value and wider role in the environment.

While 630 trees will continue to be protected in Manukau, thousands of others are unprotected by law. Think about it this way Manukau covers about 683 km² within this area there are thousands of trees. Of these thousands of trees, only 630 individual trees have legal protection from anyone trying to cut it down, the rest could be cut down without consequence after 2012.

Personally, I think Manukau’s beautiful urban and rural environment is testament to the success of the general tree protection rule, without it trees in urban areas specially those facing major development pressures are likely to be cut down for the sake of development. Trees modify derelict urban areas into pleasant livable spaces and more importantly, they are part of a larger ecosystem that should be protected.

Reference:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/manukau-courier/4791835/Time-running-out-for-trees