Photo from 1975 showing health canopy. Note fire in the background and car parking

The Waitakere Ranges Local Board voted tonight (29 November) to adopt the option of removal of a few bollards and a speed hump to save Piha Pohutukawa. For this option were Judy Lawley, Neil Henderson, Greg Presland and Denise Yates, against were Janet Clews and Mark Brickell, who had previously posed in the tree with a chain saw.

Several community members spoke in support of the tree, including Beach Valley Road property owner Jan O’Connor, Helen Pearce for Protect Piha Heritage and Mels Barton for the Tree Council. Grant Moffat, whose family has owned property next to the tree for many years, showed Local Board members photographs of the tree in 1975 and 1991 showing that it was then part of a healthy canopy. Subsequently one tree died, a demise Grant put down to a dam built to provide water for dune building, which Grant believes flooded its roots.

Bobbie Carroll read out two messages from people supporting the removal, from Pat La Roche on behalf of Piha Coastcare Trust and from Yvonne Dufaur. La Roche contended the tree was a “poor specimen”, due to being “in the wrong place…far too close to the road in a residential area”. Trees that protrude into the road, she said, should be cut off.

Fortunately, the majority of the Board did not agree with this view, and voted to retain the tree and provide the funds to pay for the speed hump.

Piha Pohutukawa has a Facebook page which you can join to help keep her safe. Put Piha Pohutukawa into search

1991 view showing health canopy. When one tree died, Piha Pohutukawa was isolated and has suffered wind damage