Deember 11 2015

Another Climber Back Up Paturoa Kauri to Stop the Chop

As dawn breaks a new climber, Jonno Smith has successfully reached the canopy of an ancient Kauri in a daring effort to stop it being felled at Paturoa Road in West Auckland.

The climber safely traversed to the Kauri and in the process all Kauri Die Back protocols were adhered too.

“The local community is appalled and disappointed that the developers have made no attempt to keep their original word of not cutting down the tree. I understand that the climber intends to stay as long as it takes to ensure the safety of our Taonga” says Aprilanne Bonar, Save Our Kauri Community Group spokesperson.

After exhausting every avenue, the Save Our Kauri Community Group believes that the tree protest is a last ditch effort.It’s hopeful that the developer will resume mediation and honour a promise so a sale can be negotiated in good faith with the trees standing.

The group wish to encourage Waitākere councillor and Deputy Mayor, Penny Hulse who supported the granting of the resource consent permitting the tree to be felled on a non-notified basis to change her rigid stance and support her constituents.

Facebook and an online petition combined have attracted over 40,000 Kiwis actively voicing their concern about the resource consent granted without public consultation which resulted in a potential future death sentence to the 500 year old tree that was dependant on the developer’s discretion.

“The Paturoa kauri is a beacon of light and hope for all trees in our environment” says Bonar.

She wants to try all feasible avenues to avoid setting a precedent of “death by a thousand cuts” in the Waitākeres, triggered by chopping the Kauri and hopes a resolution can be found in mediation.

ENDS

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