Last month, John Elliot said that the Western Springs Forest should proceed like the highly successful volunteer project on Tiritiri Matangi.
Not all the pines are dead and diseased. Many are fine, healthy trees that may live a full span of years. One in South Island is 159 years old and still healthy. Many of ours may have another 50-60 years.
Monterey pines usually fail by loosing branches that get too heavy. It is unusual for them to fall over. During the recent storm, one tree fell because its roots had been undermined by flooding of the streams. This relates to lack of maintenance of the forest. Far from producing 'a number of expert reports', the Waitemata Local Board decision to clear-fell the forest, was made in 2015 based on one report, followed by two reports. The assumption throughout is that clear-felling the forest is the best solution.
A meeting in 2015 of four ‘key stakeholders’ noted concerns. These remain valid today but have never been addressed. Consultation was also envisaged and a geotechnical report was called for. To date there has been no consultation with key stakeholder residents and residents have been denied sight of the geotechnical report despite repeated requests.
A geotechnical report is vital given the scale of works envisaged. A 8m-wide road cut from the old Parks Depot into the forest, levelling a knoll on the way. Three skid tracks up to 40m wide are envisaged. And some 70% of the existing bush could be destroyed. Then 15,000 plantings are planned. All in a three-four month time frame.
In April, the Local Board informed residents of the plan to clear-fell the forest.
A Frequently Asked Questions sheet informed residents that "approximately 70%" of the understorey may be damaged by the clear-felling. A replanting scheme would follow to “turn the site into a healthy... forest dominated by kauri, puriri, taraire and tanekaha.”
This is wildly ambitious, failing to mention that a ‘forest’ needs at least 50 years to establish. And that’s only subject to council properly maintaining the new plantings for many years. Maintenance represents a massive flaw in this plan.
Replicating the Tiritiri Matangi success is an aspiration but there are crucial differences. It is impossible to eradicate the pests before replanting. Plants were properly ecosourced for Tiritiri. And planting was spread over many years with expert long-term management working with volunteers. None of these vital factors apply in Western Springs.
A project of this magnitude would, normally, take a number of years to prepare for after a clear plan is made with all parties. Local residents were informed of the plan in April 2018. Since then WLB appear to be changing their minds.
Our super city lacks the safe, expert council we used to have. Local residents are not confident that council and WLB have the necessary expertise to ensure that this project does not end up as an environmental disaster, especially for them.
Importantly, John and I are on the same page when it comes to how to make a success of this project. Locals want the forest properly managed and because they are realistic about relying on council, they are proposing to work in partnership with council.
We have set up a petition to prevent the disaster of a massive clear-felling:
www.toko.org.nz/petitions/save-western-springs-native-forest
Interested in working on the project? Contact: westernspringsvolunteers@gmail.com
Wendy Gray, Ponsonby