By PHILIP ENGLISH
A favourite food of the painted apple moth pest, wattle trees, will be removed along parts of the Northwestern Motorway over the next six weeks.
Transit New Zealand has begun felling wattle trees between Western Springs and Hobsonville Rd as a contribution to the moth eradication programme.
The
felling comes as aerial spraying to wipe out the moth has been delayed until at least Saturday because of bad weather.
Spraying over an expanded area totalling 9500ha started on Tuesday, but was suspended because of rising wind.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said nearly 80 per cent of the target zone had now been covered.
Since then heavy rain has grounded the aircraft.
Meanwhile, some pohutukawa trees have been felled and others transferred from Queen Elizabeth Square at the foot of Queen St to make way for the Britomart railway station.
An Auckland City Council spokesman said up to six medium-sized trees had been cut down and about the same number had been moved to other sites in the city over the past six weeks,
But only one pohutukawa, transferred to Victoria Park, had survived.
A last tree, said to be a fine specimen, was being moved to Mechanics Bay last night.
Herald feature: Environment
