Airport runway trees become a cultural stand in Rotorua

By JO-MARIE BROWN

Three tall kahikatea which threaten the safety of large aircraft taking off at Rotorua Airport still face the chop despite some locals seeking a court injunction to save them.

The Rotorua Regional Airport Company chairman, Johnny Lepper, said about five metres needed to be trimmed off the top of the trees because they protruded into the safety zone of aircraft, effectively decreasing the length of the runway.

Luggage had already been offloaded this summer on hot days when there was less lift to help whisper jets - the largest aircraft at Rotorua - take off and clear the trees.

An agreement to trim the three kahikatea was reached late last year between the airport, the Rotorua District Council and the Ngati Rangiteaorere Kahikatea Trust, which owns the large stand of them at the runway's northern end.

But around 300 members of the Ngati Rangiteaorere hapu disagreed with the trustees' decision and sought an injunction before Christmas to stop any "cultural and spiritual interference" with the kahikatea, believed to be more than 150 years old.

The Maori Land Court declined their application for an interim injunction but has ordered a substantive hearing in March.

Opponent Annette Sykes said Ngati Rangiteaorere hapu members had held protest marches and presented petitions proclaiming "not one tree more".

The felling of just one kahikatea would set a precedent for more to go, she said.

"That kahikatea stand has been there since time immemorial and has real significance for the people of Rangiteaorere.

"It's not just trimming trees. When you interfere with the psyche of the tree ... you're starting to interfere with our connection to the land."

Other opponents said the hapu's heritage was more important than the tourist dollar, and the trees were there before the airport.

Rotorua prided itself on marketing the Maori culture, but cutting the trees would show Maori values were not being practised.

But trustee Donna Hall defended having the trees trimmed, saying competing interests had to be balanced.

"We don't want those trees touched, but when you're faced with the city not having an airport you don't have too many choices."

Other kahikatea within the stand would also eventually become too tall.

The trust said it had no fixed position on those trees and was willing to listen to its opponents' concerns.

But despite the court having ordered a further hearing, the trustees, council and airport authorities said their plans to trim the three kahikatea were on track.

"The three trees are agreed to. It's proceeding. The injunction has been declined and it's business as usual," Donna Hall said.

The parties were finalising a consent order to go to the Environment Court, which would then decide whether to give final approval.

Mr Lepper said arborists were yet to assess whether the trees would have to be trimmed or removed.

While it would have been ideal to have the trees down by now, progress was satisfactory, he said.

"We can live with what we've got. We're still operating."

Luggage would continue to be offloaded and carried on later flights at times during the summer.

Mr Lepper did not know when the trees would be trimmed, but hoped the problem would be resolved this year.

Another possibility was that Air New Zealand might sell the Whisper jets before the trees were trimmed, he said.

"But we don't wish to encourage them. I would hope and pray that Air New Zealand, for Rotorua's sake, would put up with the inconvenience and still fly the Whisper jets."