Protestors oppose tree felling

---

20 Sep, 2021

 

JULIA WADE

On the southern side of the Brynderwyn ranges, a private development has once again come under the spotlight following a protest about the plight of a copse of old trees.

In the morning hours of August 9, a group of locals braved the rain and banded together in preparation to halt the axing of decades-old kahikatea, tall totara and puriri living along Kapawiti Road – adjacent to the entrance of the road leading towards a 47 hectare development project, which ascends into the bush-covered Brynderwyn hills.

Kapawiti resident Martina Tschirky organised the protection protest after she became aware that a number of tree trunks bore a pink spray dot, potentially the mark of trees destined for felling.

“One of the people living near the trees noticed a lot of commotion around the area and when we checked we saw 19 trees had been marked,” she says. “The roading contractor told me he had marked 12 and we also saw a very large totara that apparently Northpower wanted cut down.”

However, it appears the trees were in no imminent threat according to a Kaipara District Council (KDC) spokesperson Tschirky contacted, who stated the trees should not have even be marked for removal, because ‘the work to widen the road has not yet been finalised’.

The Kapawiti Road development, owned by Mangawhai Heads Holdings Ltd (MHH), is an authorised subdivision comprising of 15 lots as well as an upgrade of a farm track which provides access to the developing property and four other neighbouring lots.

Key applications for the subdivision were publicly notified back in January 2012 after a number of resource consent applications were sought to achieve the development, and were deliberated and decided on by an independent commissioner on behalf of council. The developer/applicant had appealed the decisions via the Environment Court, and a modified consent of reduced lots granted by council was upheld, a KDC spokesperson says.

“The recent concerns raised by the community regarding tree felling related to road widening on part of Kapawiti Rd, have not been confirmed. Northland Transport Alliance is responsible for that work, not the developer or his contractor, and are currently discussing this with local residents as well as the developer.

“A solution is also being developed to improve road safety and improve line of sight around blind corners and the proposed approach does not affect any trees. Once confirmed, roadworks will be carried out by Ventia, the council’s roading contractor.”

Brynderwyn Hill country holds an assortment of forestry land, managed by Hancock Forest Management, and privately-owned bush sites with many earmarked as large public reserves. Classed in the Northland Regional Plan as an ‘outstanding natural landscape’, ‘the Bryns’ as the ranges are colloquially called, are under the collective care of Piroa-Brynderwyns Landcare (PBL) whose main aim is to rid the forest of predators and create a safe sanctuary for kiwi. Comprising of a number of local groups, including

Marunui Conservation Limited (MCL), Kapawiti Kaitiaki, The Sanctuary, Bream Tail Farms and private owners, with support and involvement from Northland Regional Council, Whangarei and Kaipara district councils, local Iwi, Friends of the Brynderwyns Society (FBS) and Weed Action, the PBL groups work autonomously to protect, preserve and restore biodiversity throughout the 22,374-plus hectare ranges. Mangawhai Tracks Charitable Trust also have a Department of Conservation contract to form tracks and trap predators.

MCL and FBS, along with the former Mangawhai Ratepayers and Residents Association, presented a joint case against MHH in the Environmental Court appeals, and neighbouring residents have had ongoing concerns regarding developments in the Bryns due to the conservation efforts of the ranges’ natural environment and heritage.

Although Kapawiti locals appear to understand that some trees might have to be removed to make access safer for those who currently reside along the metal road leading to MMH’s development, as well as potential future residents, how environmentally-friendly the clearing and felling will be conducted is the issue. Tschirky says the protesting group is also pushing for the future perpetual protection of old trees in the road reserve.

“We are concerned that they will cut many more trees than necessary – I just don’t think KDC have looked at options properly,” she says. “I urged council’s chief of infrastructure, Wendy Robinson, to talk to a local who is a qualified earthmover himself, as he straight away saw that there would be better solutions without so much tree loss. I have confirmation they are working on a solution, so I am very happy but will only count the chickens when they’ve hatched.”

“We are concerned that they will cut many more trees than necessary.”

- Martina Tschirky

 

 

1

Unified for the trees; Kapawiti residents and locals gathered to ensure the old kahikatea, totara and puriri remain standing. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

2

Kapawiti Road cul-de-sac: Contractors work on enhancing the farm track leading up to the development site as the trees (far right) watch on and await their fate. PHOTO/JULIA WADE

---