Clear felling of the invasive pines at the Bridge Hill entrance to Alexandra should be undertaken during April-May and finished by the end of June. 

The logs will be harvested, and the remaining slash will be chipped on site, leaving a cleared area. 

A spokesperson for Central Otago District Council (CODC) said the “timeframe also fitted in with the government funding allocated for wilding conifer control and for the council to meet its obligations for control on its own land”. 

In addition, the felling would eliminate hazards posed by trees that needed immediate removal due to age and those undermined by pests. 

The estimated cost of removing the trees would be $110,000, less potentially $35,000 from the log sales. 

In November 2021, the public was shown a concept plan for the rehabilitation of the Half Mile Reserve could look like after the trees removal. 

CODC will use this plan to provide further detail, including the types of plantings proposed and the irrigation required to ensure plant survival.

At this week’s Vincent Community Board (VCB) meeting (March 21), CODC’s position on wilding conifer removal on council-owned or managed land was confirmed.

Read more: Pine tree campaigners critical of democratic process

The VCB’s previous support of a staged approach to the tree removal could not be permitted under this existing council policy. 

VCB members agreed with this conclusion, meaning removing trees at the Half Mile Recreation Reserve would need to be conducted in a single operation and not staged.

The VCB will contribute $20,000, and the Wilding Conifer Control Group $65,000 toward the tree felling and clearing up of the site.

At its May meeting, VCB members will be presented with the redraft of the previous landscape plan to consider.

The VCB will see a new landscape plan at its May 19 meeting.

PHOTO: The Central App