Whakatāne District Council will begin harvesting pine trees at two Council-owned sites on Valley Road from next week. The trees are well overdue for harvest and are now at a size and age where they are posing a health and safety risk to road users, and to a lesser extent, nearby residents and businesses.
Rolling road closures will be in place throughout the operation to ensure public safety during the harvest. While access will remain available for residents and businesses, short periods of full road closure may be required when trees are being felled near the road. Detours will be created via Goulstone Road, Arawa Road and Douglas Street throughout the operation, which is expected to be finished by the end of February.
Acting General Manager Community Experience, Alexandra Pickles, says the Council acknowledges the potential inconvenience to those accessing Valley Road.
“We’re committed to reducing the impact to residents, businesses and road users,” Mrs Pickles explains. “The staged approach for the road closures, enabling access to residents and businesses and mostly operating Monday to Friday are all designed to minimise disruption for the community.”
The Council has worked closely with Te Rununga ō Ngāti Awa, which supports the removal of the trees. Additionally, Heritage New Zealand has granted archaeological authority to protect a known terrace site within the project area.
Mrs Pickles says many factors had been taken into consideration for the operation, including the protection of local kiwi.
“We are working with Whakatāne Kiwi Trust and Tieke a Mua to identify kiwi in the area,” she says. “Whakatāne Kiwi Trust has carried out an initial survey and identified some kiwi sign. As a result of this, a survey with a ‘kiwi dog’ has been arranged. This survey will take place before the operation and any kiwi found will be relocated.”
There is also an intention to replant the sites with native species after the harvest operation is finished.
Find out more about the Valley Road tree harvesting project »