Woman given community service for cutting down tree

An Auckland woman who cut down a 14-metre high exotic tree in spite of twice being refused council permission has been ordered to do 180 hours of community service.

Alice Sylvia Presley admitted removing the liquidambar tree from her Roberton Road property in Avondale, West Auckland.

She was also ordered to replace the tree with another of similar size and structure when she appeared before Judge Fred McElrea in the Auckland District Court.

Auckland City Council spokeswoman Jackie Wilkinson said the sentence was a timely warning the courts took the unauthorised felling of trees very seriously.

"It's really important people understand trees over a certain height are protected and the courts will hand down stiff penalties to those who do not abide by the rules," she said.

"Anyone thinking of carrying out any work on a native tree over 6m high or an exotic tree over 8m high should call the council to see if they need a resource consent."

She said consent to remove the tree was twice refused but when a council officer visited the site all that was left was a two-metre stump.

- NZPA