No more head-hurting cones

A LANDMARK grove of trees beside Otumoetai's historic Maungawhare Homestead received high-level maintenance yesterday when arborists went to the top of towering Norfolk pines to remove dangerous coconut-sized cones.
They plucked off heavy, spiky cones capable of causing serious head injuries to anyone unfortunate enough to be standing under the trees when one dropped off.
The pines are in a grove of protected trees which includes massive pohutukawas, a Northern Hemisphere beech and a puriri.
Arbor Care tree experts had the bonus of spectacular city views from being hauled up to 40 metres aloft in a bucket on the end of a crane.
City council arborist Brian Rickey said the de-coning was partly to protect residents whose properties bordered the pines and was also a proactive measure to reduce weight on branches rather than wait for the branches to break.
Tauranga's protected trees have all been inspected by the council and are now maintained to keep them in a safe and healthy condition.
Norfolk pines grow a new crop of cones every two or three years.
Maungawhare Homestead sits at the end of Parkvale St off the top of Grange Rd.