Tree fans slow to catch on to council's plans

Aucklanders had early chances to challenge the culling of exotic trees for natives in the city's premier street - but almost no one twigged.

The paper trail on the Queen St upgrade consultation indicates that although concept plans released for public comment in April 2004 did not signal the trees' removal, there was no calculated effort by the Auckland City Council to disguise the move.

The plan to introduce more natives first appeared in publicity in October 2004 outlining changes in response to the first round of consultation.

A newsletter on progress noted: "The species chosen are likely to be native and to allude to the lush green gully that once was Queen St."

The revised plans were released for final consultation in March last year, promising "more natives on the valley floor between Aotea Square and the original foreshore, and no trees on the reclaimed land in the lower section [below Fort St]."

But it seems few people realised this would mean the removal of existing liquidambars - even though that was spelled out in a final report.

The upgrade plans were publicised in press releases, the council's weekly City Scene newsletter and posted on its website.

As well as seeking public feedback, the council formed a streetscapes reference group, met "stakeholders" including business groups and Ngati Whatua, held a workshop, set up displays in the Central Library, Britomart and civic building, obtained input from its urban design panel, posted brochures to ratepayers and interviewed 179 pedestrians.

The strongest feedback was from retailers and property owners about traffic and parking restrictions.

Herald columnist Brian Rudman took issue with the plan after final submissions closed in April.

He quoted the final report: "Because of the desire to better reflect Auckland's place in the world, it is proposed to change the exotic trees within Queen St from [liquidambar] to suitable native trees."

Rudman's column queried the wisdom of planting natives in favour of exotics, noting that neither cabbage trees nor nikau palms could provide the shade or shelter of a working street tree.

But it was not until a week before Christmas, when the council announced a January 4 start on the upgrade, that opposition flourished.


Tree fever
* October 2004: Auckland City Council first indicates it wants to replace established exotic trees in Queen St with natives.
* March 2005: Widely advertised plans promise native trees from Aotea Square to Fort St and no trees between Fort St and the waterfront. There is little public reaction.
* December 2005: The council announces the completed plan to a storm of protest.
* January 2006: In a succession of gradual backdowns, the plan to replace exotics with natives is shelved for the time being.