Napier vandals destroy street tree

Vandals targeted this tree on Carlyle St, Napier, one of several in wooden planters recently introduced to the street. Photo / Paul Taylor

Napier's street of a dozen large pot-planted trees has been reduced to 11 after vandals struck during the weekend.

The hybrid rata/pohutukawa trees were planted along Carlyle St in late May, as part of a beautification programme put in place by the Napier City Council.

Local resident Eddie Wilson came across the damage during an early morning walk on Sunday.

"It would have taken at least two people to break it off," Mr Wilson said.

The tree was snapped off about a metre from its base, with the broken top branches left lying in a heap on the road.

Like many in the area, he had grown used to the trees, and he believed the vandalism was not carried out by someone who was against them being placed on the street, but rather "just some hoons after a night out".

The $48,000 project, sparked by the council wanting to "soften" the semi-industrial look of the street, drew some controversy when the specially built macrocarpa tree pots and 3-metre trees were set in place at 100m intervals.

Facebook comments were aimed at the pots taking parking spaces, as well as creating a potential hazard for motorists.

Both were scotched by council planning manager Alistair Thompson, who said only a dozen parking spaces along the whole street were affected and the pots were no more of a hazard than any car parked there.

Council reserves asset manager Tony Billing was left shaking his head yesterday. "It is a depressing thing to see."

He agreed with Mr Wilson and suspected it was simply "wilful vandalism" likely to have been fuelled by too much alcohol, rather than someone not liking the trees being there.

"We suffer a lot of vandalism to trees around the city.

"We spend a lot of time trying to do something aesthetically pleasing and this sort of thing happens."

Mr Billing said the trees were very strong and it would have taken a lot of effort, and probably some time, to snap one off.

He appealed for anyone seeing any suspicious activity or vandalism taking place to call police straight away.

The tree would be replaced.