Riccarton Bush to close for oak felling

Press, 26 June 1984, Page 7

Riccarton Bush to close for oak felling

Riccarton Bush will close to the public for 10 days so felling of 50 oak trees can be completed. Mr R. W. J. Harrington, the Mayor of Riccarton and chairman of the Riccarton Bush Trustees, told the Riccarton Borough Council last evening that the decision had been made after a petition, signed by more than 500 people, had been presented to the trustees. “After due consideration, we came to the conclusion that we would be wrong to stop a policy we started some years ago.” A bush management plan, made 10 years ago, would continue and action be taken to ensure than the

recommended work was done, he said. The bush will close on Thursday. Mr Harrington said that the management plan was to take the oaks on the perimeter of the bush out and replace them with native bush. The first stage, on the south boundary,, had been done 10 years ago and had proved successful.

The trustees were satisfied that the plan was a good one, he said. “The rejuvenation we got in line with the planting we did was remarkable.” Some of the native trees were now about eight metres high, he said. The second stage was

started in the north-west corner two years ago. “This is also going exactly the way we thought it would develop.” The last stage was under way now, said Mr Harrington.

Forest Service staff had been employed to do the felling because they were specialists, he said. Mr Harrington admitted that there had been some damage but “felling cannot be done without damage” and the service was keeping it to a minimum. The trustees had met the people who were complaining about the trees being felled, but had not resolved anything, he said.

After a man sitting in one of the trees had stopped the work and the petition had been presented, the trustees had decided to have a meeting to discuss the next move.

They had then decided to continue with the management plan and the felling of the trees, he said.

“The plan has proved to be good and it is a plan that I am absolutely certain is going to benefit, not this generation, but generations in years to come,” Mr Harrington said. The grounds of the Riccarton Bush homestead and the cycleway would not be affected by the closing, he said.