Waikouaiti tree harvesting starts later this month

Dunedin (Friday, 10 June 2016) – Harvesting of the remaining 9ha of trees at the Waikouaiti Beachfront Reserve is due to begin later this month.

Dunedin City Council Asset and Commercial Manager Tom Dyer says, “These remaining pine trees are reaching the end of their prime harvest window and so need to be felled to maximise returns. Also, in high winds some of the trees may pose a safety risk to users of the reserve.”

At the same time, an area of wilding pines on the Karitane Spit will also be removed.

“We have worked closely with the Waikouaiti Coast Community Board on this project. We are also working with affected parties and will be keeping the community up to date with what’s happening.”

Board Chair Gerard Collings says,”The Board is pleased the Council has reaffirmed its commitment to the restoration of the site post harvesting and is looking forward to working with the Council and our community to ensure the reinstatement meets community expectations.

“Furthermore, we thank the Council for honouring the agreement to ensure that surplus funds are reinvested in the Waikouaiti Domain.”

The harvesting will begin about 20 June and take about six weeks. Contractor Laurie Forestry Ltd will start at the northern end of the reserve (closest to the car park at the end of Beach Street). That work will take about three weeks and then trees at the southern end will be harvested.

The pine plantation and wilding pines will be replanted with native trees.

Mr Dyer says there will be traffic and pedestrian management in place during the harvesting operation. During felling, there will be restricted access to sections of the beach and Matanaka Drive. Trucks are only permitted to operate between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Saturday.

The trees were planted about 40 years ago. Harvesting the forest began in 2014 and was to be in two stages. Stage one involved harvesting a section of the reserve used by DCC Water and Waste Services as a wastewater disposal field. Native plantings have been included in the area where possible.

Profits from the harvesting will be reinvested in improvements to the Waikouaiti Domain. The surplus from stage one was $125,853. The revenue available from stage two is estimated to be $250,000.

ENDS

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