Pine trees being removed on Auckland volcanic cone to create native bush

Ageing pine trees are being removed by helicopter in Auckland's Mt Wellington from today to establish a native bush ecosystem in the quarry area.

Around 100 pine trees will be removed from the quarry area at the southern side of the maunga over two years, making room for 10,000 native trees to be planted in their place on the volcanic cone.

The long-term aim is to establish a native bush ecosystem in the quarry area, reflective of what was originally present on the maunga. New natives will include kānuka, karo, māhoe, pōhutukawa and pūriri.

Trees being removed from the summit of Mt Wellington. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Once the replanting has been completed, the quarry area will be one of the largest concentrated expanses of native bush in the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board area.

According to the Tūpuna Maunga Authority, which manages 14 maunga, or volcanic cones, in Auckland, the project will be carefully staged to limit erosion risk on the steep slope.

A number of the pines are being removed over the next few weeks and the soil will be replanted during winter. The remaining pines will be removed in late summer next year.

All trees will be cut at the base or above, so there will be no earthworks. No scheduled or protected trees will be removed.

Maunga Authority chairman Paul Majurey said the project was another significant step to enhancing the maunga in Auckland.

Tupunga Maunga Authority chairman Paul Majurey.

"Maungarei [Mt Wellington] is one of the better-preserved Māori volcanic pā sites in the Auckland region. While the quarrying of the southern side has destroyed the archaeology there, this native planting programme and removal of exotic species will go some way toward restoring the authenticity and visual integrity of the maunga as an important indigenous landscape," he said.

Majurey said there is also a practical element to the project with the pine trees being removed at the end of their lives and trees falling at the quarry face and causing ground damage in every major storm.

The trees are being removed by helicopter lifts and manual felling. The maunga is closed to the public on weekdays the helicopter is working from 9am to 5pm.