Moonlight cherry chop cuts deep

Pukekohe residents are incensed about the destruction of the main-street trees, but the local district council says it gave a year's warning. ALAN PERROTT reports.

United States President George Washington chopped down his mother's cherry tree and got away with it.

The Franklin District Council is not quite so lucky. It has been lambasted since ordering Pukekohe's trademark cherry trees to be destroyed under cover of darkness two weeks ago.

The 15-year-old trees made way for an upgrade of the central shopping area.

They will be replaced by evergreen natives.

The blossom-laden cherry trees were once the pride of Pukekohe, brightening many a postcard.

They could now become postcards themselves after being transformed into a large pile of mulch.

Only one sad old tree remains and its days are numbered.

The public backlash began swiftly as puzzled residents worked out what was different about their main street.

Trees are the talk of the town and the local newspaper, the Franklin County News, has run pages of angry letters.

The reaction shows no sign of weakening as mayor Heather Maloney prepares to launch her pet project, the Pride in Franklin campaign, tomorrow.

Resident Marlene George says she moved to Pukekohe because of the trees.

"They really drew me. They gave Pukekohe a really old-fashioned character.

"But when I came around the corner and saw what had been done, I was disgusted," she says.

"Honestly, I could have gone back round the corner and gone home. I could feel the tears coming."

Mrs George says the council may think it is modernising the town, but it will just make Pukekohe look like everywhere else.

The treeless streets almost caught another resident, Tania Senn, in a car accident.

"A lady driving in front of me got such a shock she slammed on the brakes and I almost hit her.

"But she was right - it does look horrible.

"How are we supposed to have pride in the place now?"

Council spokesman Ken Dyer says no one should be surprised by the axing of the trees - the council warned people for a year.

More than 300 people took part in the consultation campaign.

Only two people expressed concern about the trees, says Mr Dyer.

"Anybody who took part in that programme would have been quite clear that the trees were coming down.

"I honestly wish all this attention had come in the middle of that campaign."

Mr Dyer says the trees were old and needed replacing before they damaged footpaths and streets.

"The town has been screaming out for this work, but the trees couldn't stay there while we do it.

"All sorts of clichaacés with omelettes and breaking eggs come to mind."

A more unusual mourner of the culling is a United States film crew working in Pukekohe on No One Can Hear You. The trees were to feature in some scenes.

But Mr Dyer says the crew never applied to film the King St trees.

The film-makers have since tracked down "stunt" trees from outside Pukekohe to stand in for the originals.

But some people are happy to see the trees go.

Shopkeepers have grumbled about the mess the pretty cherry blossoms made when they fell.

Jeweller Norris Wright supports the sprucing-up work and is looking forward to seeing what replaces the old trees.

Still, he is surprised by the public anger.

"Somebody could have been stabbed in the street or been run over and there wouldn't have been this much reaction."

The issue has put Ian Barton, chairman of the Auckland region's Tree Council, in an awkward position - he is also a Franklin District councillor.

He says the Tree Council is pushing for long-term protection of trees throughout the region.

However, the Pukekohe cherries were not protected.

The felling of trees around the region has become an issue in recent years, especially with more intensive developments such as infill housing.

It is also becoming more accepted that some trees have historical significance.

But Mr Barton says the Tree Council has to be pragmatic about the Pukekohe cherries.

He is more concerned about their replacements.

Forget candidates such as cabbage trees, rewarewa and totara. If Mr Barton has his way Pukekohe will soon be able to run off a batch of postcards graced by a new set of cherry trees.