Endorsement last night by Auckland City Council of the replanting plan for the One Tree Hill summit paves the way for the resource consent to be lodged on a notified basis.

The plan calls for multiple planting later this year of pohutukawa seedlings, followed by totara seedlings either in the winter of 2002 or 2003, depending on when they are ready.

They will be surrounded by a protective shelter-belt of native shrubs and a new fence to assist their growth. The seedlings will be locally-sourced from suitable parent trees and include the five pohutukawa seedlings retrieved from the trunk of the felled Monterey pine.

The planting proposal was arrived at following consultation by Auckland City with local iwi, the Cornwall Park Trust Board, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust and the general public.

Mayor Chris Fletcher says Aucklanders have demonstrated their sense of involvement with their "icon" hill through their continuing strong interest in the choice of a replacement planting. "The Monterey pine was a symbol of the quality of the relationship of the people of Auckland – and I believe we can look forward to its replacement being an even stronger symbol."

Wide-ranging statutory and technical considerations have been taken into account in arriving at the preferred option – multiple planting.

Multiple planting is favoured over a single, semi-mature tree planting because it enables the use of culturally-appropriate plants which have the greatest chance of success and is the most sustainable option, long-term.

Natural and managed selection will ultimately see the survival of a tree of regional landscape and cultural significance, growing and maturing across several human generations.

Now that the plan has received the support of the full council, an application for resource consent will shortly be lodged with Auckland City Environments.

The consent will be publicly notified, giving members of the public a six-week or 30-working day period during which they will be able to make submissions on the application.

Once submissions have been received, a report will be prepared by ACE for the independent commissioners who will consider the planting plan.

A hearing is expected to be held in June, with the commissioners’ decision due about three weeks later.

Provided there are no appeals against the decision, the first pohutukawa seedlings could be planted as early as August or September, with totara planted in subsequent winter seasons once they have reached a sufficient size.

ENDS

For further information contact:
Jude Leitch, Auckland City, tel: 379 2020.

or visit www.akcity.govt.nz where the full planting proposal and other relevant information can be found by typing in ‘One Tree Hill summit project’ in the search box.

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