Dob in city tree killer, urges council

POISONED: The tree on the corner of Ngatai Rd and Vale St.

Tauranga City Council is calling on the community to dob in the tree killer who poisoned a large copper beech on a reserve in Otumoetai.

Parks operations team leader Steve Webb said the tree, on the corner of Ngatai Rd and Vale St, had 12 holes, each 20cm deep, drilled into its base. The holes had been filled with weedkiller.

A member of the public contacted the council on Tuesday, concerned that the tree was not leafing properly.

"Council contractors also noticed it did not look healthy. When they had a closer look, they could still smell a strong chemical smell and could see fresh sawdust on the ground.

"The grass around the tree was dead too. It must have been poisoned fairly recently."

Mr Webb said the member of the public who had alerted him to the tree believed the only people who could benefit from it dying were residents of Maxwells Rd or Andrew Place.

"There is an elevated ridge up there and the person who called us believed the tree was blocking someone's view.

"They are probably right.

"However, the problem is unless someone saw this happening or knows who did it, we cannot do anything about it."

He said damaging the tree was a criminal offence and the council was keen to follow it up.

"At this stage we do not know what will happen to the tree. It could die completely but we are hoping it will survive and only a section of it dies. It is just a matter of waiting and hoping for the best. It all depends on how good a job the person did poisoning it."