A new vision for our trees

City treescape

Love them or hate them, our street trees are here to stay.
Council is replacing its 2008 Tree Policy with a Tree Strategy to manage the future of our urban tree scape.
The heated public debate to remove 130 year-old trees in Taupo Quay highlighted the need to have a clearer vision and guidelines.
As a councillor, the significant cost of managing this asset is also front-and-centre in my mind, making this is an important strategy to deliver value on several fronts.
In order to provide early community engagement on the proposed strategy, the Tree Advisory Group (TAG) was established, consisting of locals with tree knowledge and those with valuable experience in other areas to round off the group with a range of diversity.
Members of TAG and council parks officers have debated all the various competing interests of trees, birds, people and council budgets, trying to find some solutions that will satisfy most interests.
A vision for tree filled streets is competing with the cost of tree management, the need for safe footpaths, clear drains, excessive shading and excess leaf litter.
It's my expectation that a draft Tree Strategy will be presented to councillors in August/September and may therefore go out for public consultation by September/October.
I'm heartened that council parks staff and TAG members have thoroughly debated the strategy for your review.
The strategy won't please everyone, even TAG members disagree on many points and there is always room for improvement.
The strategy is designed to improve our already wonderful tree scape which complements our river, urban heritage environment, parks and residential streets and provide a liveable and loveable place for our people and businesses to thrive. I wish to thank our TAG members for their continuing enthusiasm and voluntary time: Gareth Carter, Kelly-Jean Kerr, Fiona McGowan, Marie McKay, Cath Watson and Phil Thomsen. Colin Ogle, Marc Higgie and Bruce Dickson very generously keep a watching eye on proceedings and add their valuable input.
If you have any specific tree issues you should continue to log them at Council reception or online at Wanganui.govt.nz - "Request It" section. General issues and thoughts can be submitted to either of us via council also, but you may wish to await the draft Strategy later this year to formally lodge your input.
Cr Helen Craig - TAG Chair & Visit Whanganui representative, Cr Martin Visser - Spokesperson Parks and Infrastructure