Decisions on Owen Delany Park tree replant to be made

Taupō District Council has formed a working group to make decisions about replanting trees at Owen Delany Park after strong winds caused significant damage to existing pinetree plantations. The plantations will be harvested and the income will go toward replanting or landscaping the damaged areas.

The short-rotation forestry was planted in the 1980’s to provide shelter for the sports fields, generate income from un-utilised land and reduce the amount of active maintenance required. However, last month’s strong easterly winds, which left some without power for a period of time, has caused significant damage to trees, many of which are now unsafe and need to be felled, or have fallen over in the wind.

The trees need to be removed immediately for safety reasons and to protect the value of those trees that have fallen, but decisions about what and where to replant would require more time and thoughtful discussion, as well as consultation with park users and lease holders. Council staff presented various options at the 24 April Council meeting including replanting with the same short-rotation pine, long-rotation timber such as Redwood and Douglas Fir, a permanent decorative wind-belt made up of native and exotic trees, re-grassing some areas or a mixture of the above. The pinetrees are expected to return a net income of $25,000 which will go toward the recovery of the trees as well as the redevelopment and replanting of the land.

Group Manager Operational Services, Gareth Green, says that while the damage suffered is unfortunate, the replanting presents an opportunity to Council. “We have the opportunity to do something really special with these areas.”

Council resolved to create a working group, which will be made up of Councillors Downard, Hickling, Henderson and Johnston, Council officers, as well as members of the Taupō Rugby Sub-Union, to make decisions on what replanting and landscaping the affected areas will undergo after the logging has been completed.

Deputy Mayor Mike Downard, says the decision is not something that can be rushed. “There are a lot of people who frequently use and enjoy Owen Delany Park, so this decision affects a lot of people. While it is imperative that the existing trees come down as quickly as possible to ensure safety, what they are replaced with needs careful consideration – when you plant trees you expect them to be around for a long time.”