Police action after woman chops branch

A Tauranga woman feels like she is being treated like a criminal for cutting some branches off a tree on her property.

Catherine Thompson cut some branches off a tree on her Fraser St property but has been told her actions were illegal.

After she cut some of the branches she was told the tree was on the City Council's Notable Tree register, making it protected.

Earlier this week a council worker came to her house to collect the cut limbs but Ms Thompson refused, she has now been told police will be coming to her house today with a search warrant to collect the branches.

I feel like I am being treated like a criminal.

She claims the family was never told the tree was put on the Notable Tree register and the entire process is unfair.

I don't think they know what this tree is, she said.

I have done my research on this tree and it is classed as a noxious weed. I need to make a stand.