Unlucky tree gets the chop

Community

2 Apr

**The unfortunate tree on Taupahi Rd will now be removed after a miscommunication saw an arborist accidentally begin removing the protected specimen last year.**

A protected oak tree in Tūrangi has been recommended for removal after it was accidentally over-pruned last year.

The large red oak in Taupahi Road was severely pruned instead of just having two overhanging branches trimmed as requested.

Taupō District Council commissioned independent investigator Bill Wasley to look into the cause of the accident.

Wasley concluded the request for work passed to the contractor was not clear enough; and the pruning had been “an unfortunate one-off incident where the arborist had made an assumption about the work to be done without fully considering and understanding the service request from the council.”

The review recommended refinements to the council’s tree maintenance process and request process, to more clearly state the work required.

“The service request to be referred to the contract arborist should only contain sufficient background and clear instruction to the arborist, of what is required to be done,” the report says.

Wasley also recommended that the process include the contractor providing written confirmation to the council after finishing the job, including photographs proving that the work had been done as requested.

He also recommends improving council’s processes for managing protected trees.

The council’s general manager strategy and environment, Warrick Zander, says while the investigation found a misunderstanding is the main cause of the damage to the tree, suggestions for improving the process of instructing contractors and managing protected trees were welcomed and would be implemented.

“We sincerely regret the damage to this amenity tree and acknowledge and apologise for the upset this has caused to the Tūrangi community.”

A specialist arborist’s assessment has shown the tree is severely damaged and recommended it be removed. This has been approved by the Tūrangi Co-Governance Committee, although a resource consent for removal is needed.

The council and the contractor will work together to replace the tree with an appropriate specimen.

TreesTurangiEnvironmentalTaupo District Council

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