North Shore residents split over tree felling

Neighbours of Centennial Park say the reserve is one of the great joys of living in Campbells Bay, on the North Shore.

But the community is divided over a move to fell several hundred pine trees which tower over the park's lovingly planted and groomed native bush.

Residents group the Centennial Park Bush Society says the pines are hampering 30 years of replanting the 28ha of gully in native bush and wants resource consent to have them cut down.

But other residents say the pines are a striking feature of the park and have formed the Alternative Bush Society to save them.

The park was renamed in 1940 to celebrate 100 years after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

It is the only big wild landscape left for the suburban East Coast Bays, which were once covered with kauri.

The two sides put their arguments to North Shore City councillors this week.

Centennial Park Bush Society chairman Richard Hursthouse said about 200 wilding pines grew within the regenerating bush area and if felled would allow the natives to grow more rapidly.

The society also wanted to clear Australian wattles and acmena and replace them with native species.

Dr Hursthouse said the exotic trees were menacing weed pests.

He said $20,000 obtained from the Lion Foundation for clearing would be lost if the consent was delayed.

Don Service, who has helped care for the park for 40 years, said the acmena trees were planted in 1940 and as such were historic.

The wattles were big, old trees with yellow flowers and with the pines they formed a pleasant grove surrounded by grass.

"Exotic trees should be able to live alongside natives," he said. "The inherent assumption that natives are superior to exotics seems rather chauvinist and politically correct."

Resident James Clyde said he was a descendant of Eruera Patuone, the Nga Puhi chief, who was a central figure in signing of the treaty.

He was concerned about falling trees harming the natives below, and how they would fare without the protective canopy.

Artist Jonathan Coates said the exotic trees were not harming the native bush and were full of feeding birds.

He obtained 27 residents' signatures on a petition against the felling.

Dr Hursthouse said the society was not against other pines staying in the park and, in fact, treasured its large collection of six pine species.

"This is not an exotics versus natives debate."

He was happy with a council staff recommendation of a staged clearance of the pines and acmena, but he wanted the wattles cleared in one hit.

The North Shore Council will consider its decision after a future site visit.