Little neighbourly love over birches

Staunch tree defender and city councillor Mary Dillon has been called "inconsiderate" and "stubborn" by one of two neighbours fed up with the nuisance of living next to her 10 silver birches.
Pensioner Bill Woodmore blames his sinus problems on "Mary's trees" and has taken to wearing a mask whenever he ventures outside to do the garden.
The 78-year-old is behind one of two complaints against the silver birches that line both sides of the driveway leading to Mrs Dillon's Maungatapu property.
Mrs Dillon is a staunch defender of trees around the Tauranga council debating table.
Bill and Maureen Woodmore's land borders one side of the drive. They have lived in Tutauanui Crescent for 10 years and say it is them rather than Mrs Dillon who have to cope with the trees.
The birches are less than five metres from their home and prevailing winds blow in debris, dust and seeds. They have asked her to top the trees to the roof line of their double level house but without success.
Another major problem was from seeds and debris filling up spouting. Blocked guttering and drains resulted in water entering the house during the May 18 storm, although the $3400 repairs were covered by insurance.
Mr Woodmore was no longer confident enough to climb a ladder and pays a plumber $80 three or four times a year to clean out the spouting.
"Mary is very inconsiderate ... she is being too stubborn about this."
The Woodmores say the pollen was so bad that friends refuse to return to stay because of allergic reactions.
Another resident who lives about 70m from the trees, Michael Kontze, said the masses of seed sacs shed by the trees got everywhere, entering his house and getting into car ventilation system. He has lived in the area for 25 years and said there had been problems before the current neighbours moved in.
Mr Kontze cited a recent article in the pharmacy publication, the Family Health Diary, in which silver birches were linked to asthma.
A resident the other side of the driveway, Gaye Woods, said Mrs Dillon had been obliging by trimming overhanging branches and even raking leaves. But she felt sorry for her neighbours who "got it really bad" because of the prevailing winds.
She felt the Woodmores' request to top the trees was not unreasonable.
Mrs Woods said they still had a problem in the summer when leaves and seed were "all over the show".
"It's a nuisance, but you can't do anything about it."
The council no longer plants silver birches around city streets.
City arborist Shane Moohan said seed falls were so fine that people could not even leave their windows open. They also dropped a lot of leaves and shed very fine twigs. "They are a stunning tree, and people like them, but the debris caused too much frustration."
Mrs Dillon refused to discuss the issue with the Bay of Plenty Times, saying neighbours complained from time to time.
"It is not a subject I have any intention of discussing in the news media. Both the neighbours have approached me at various times, I have had discussions with them and the only thing you need to know is that I have been here for 27 years and both of them came into the neighbourhood when the silver birches were fully mature. End of story."