13 trees for the chop in revamp of city gallery

While the oak tree behind him will be felled, art gallery director Chris Saines says the result will be "great for the gallery and park users alike". Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

Safety is being cited as the reason behind the loss of a "significant" 115-year-old english oak tree in Albert Park, opening up more parkland for the $90 million redevelopment of the Auckland Art Gallery.

The 25m-tall oak is one of 13 trees due for the chop.

Nine, including the oak, are part of a review of the vegetation in the vicinity of the 1887 French-style colonial building. The four other trees - a pohutukawa, a birch, a golden ash and a smaller oak tree that has lost two of its three main trunks - are directly related to the redevelopment.

Six totem cypresses outside the gallery will be relocated, costing more than $70,000, even though experts agree they have little chance of surviving the move.

There are also plans to prune 13 trees, including a large pohutukawa that will lose a large limb and need propping up as a result.

Gallery director Chris Saines said the aim of the restoration and expansion project was to keep as many trees as possible, maintaining the engagement between the park and gallery.

Part of the plan involved planting nine new trees - a mix of native and exotics - and measures to protect the roots of existing trees.

"The way that the park meets the building edge is going to be one of the most distinctive characteristics and features of the new building," Mr Saines said. "That will be great for the gallery and park users alike."

The gallery originally planned its extension around the old oak tree. However, arborists said the tree had a recent history of losing large branches, was "potentially hazardous" and was due to be removed at some stage.

Plans show the area will be used for an outdoor amphitheatre.

The resource consent application for the redevelopment shows the six totem cypress trees were planted in 1984 as part of an external refurbishment.

They are healthy examples and, at 10m tall, are among the largest in Auckland. While not scheduled, they have some heritage significance.

A report on the cypress trees by ArborSolutions said there was a high risk they would not survive being moved. It would cost more than $70,000 to remove and maintain the trees in a nursery for two years.

Lesley Max, who led the Save Auckland Trees campaign in Queen St, yesterday said the public needed detailed information and drawings on what the gallery redevelopment would look like to decide whether it was worth the loss of the trees.

She said the Auckland City Council, as owner of the gallery, needed to provide detailed and unambiguous information through its weekly newspaper, City Scene, and on its website.

"A trade-off could be justified but I don't have enough information to form a view," she said.

"It might be better to create something at the Tank Farm and avoid having to mutilate Albert Park."


Trees being ...

Felled for art gallery redevelopment
1 pohutukawa
1 english oak
1 silver birch
1 golden ash

Transplanted for gallery redevelopment
6 totem cypress

Felled for Albert Park management
2 lawson's cypress
1 birch
1 karamu
2 acmena
1 pohutukawa
1 english oak
1 himalayan cedar

Pruned
1 english oak
2 pohutukawa
1 liquidambar
1 himalayan cedar
1 leyland cypress

Planted
1 pohutukawa
3 tulip trees
3 kawaka
1 liquidambar
1 totem cypress