Legality of Department of Conservation’s massive Arthurs Point tree-felling questioned
Angry Arthurs Point residents are questioning the legality of a massive tree-felling operation by Department of Conservation (DoC) on land above the Shotover River, protected as outstanding natural landscape (ONL).
The hillside site, encompassing DoC and privately-owned land, is bald and indented with vehicle tracks after mass removal of largely wilding pines since last November.
DoC Whakatipu operations manager David Butt says the work will help stop the spread of the pest trees.
‘‘Wilding pines are named as a plant pest species in the ‘Shotover Outstanding Natural Feature’ schedule where this land is situated.
‘‘This site has been identified as a source of significant seed spread across wider areas of the Whakatipu Basin, and eliminating seed sources like this are a key part of our management strategy.
‘‘Our work has only taken place on public conservation land in this area, but we have been in contact with local landowners regarding access to the site via private land.’’
But Arthurs Point Outstanding Natural Landscape Society (APONLS) chair Tom Dery says the work’s caused a ‘‘massive blight on one of the most beautiful, outstanding sites that New Zealand has to offer’’.
Alleged breach of Queenstown district’s plan
In June, a Queenstown council-endorsed ruling by an independent hearings panel enshrined the land as nationally-significant ONL and protected it from development.
‘‘In spite of this ruling, the logging has continued on a massive scale.’’
Dery alleges the work breaches council’s district plan and residents weren’t consulted by council or DoC about the recent work.
‘‘We understand the need to take out wilding pines, but our concern is there are a lot of native species being knocked down that we would have like kept.
‘‘It has also exposed the site, already an active landslide area, to erosion and severely jeopardises its stability.
‘‘We understand DoC has plans to replant the site, but we’re in the dark about that because they haven’t consulted with us.’’
Butt tells Mountain Scene following completion of the work, the land will be seeded with native grasses via helicopter and DoC will work with local community groups on further native revegetation and recreational opportunities.
Dery says there’s been legal and verbal to-ing and fro-ing between council and APONLS raising concerns and asking for the work to stop ‘‘until we can be sure that proper processes are being followed’’.
‘‘But nothing’s been said by council or DoC about the works.’’
Dery: Botched invite typical of ‘fait accompli’ attitude
In April, 2021, APONLS made an Official Information Act request to DoC asking for clarity and expressing concerns about its then plans to remove 35 hectares of wilding pines from the site.
DoC responded via a letter in May, 2021, six weeks after initial felling started, saying it was working with Wakatipu Wilding Conifer Control Group (WCG),
Queenstown district and Otago regional councils and landowners on the project to remove the pines.
The letter said wilding control is ‘‘weed control’’, so removal doesn’t require resource consent.
It also referred to a public drop-in session hosted by WCG earlier that year to consult with the local community on its plans for the site.
It says APONLS members were sent an email invite which went into a spam folder, so they were unaware of the meeting.
Dery says the botched invite was typical of the ‘‘fait accompli’’ attitude from DoC and its affiliates.
‘‘They could have just picked up the phone.’’
The private land on the upper part of the site was the subject of a hotly-contested proposal by owner Gertrude’s Saddlery Ltd (GSL) to rezone for housing.
The proposal was refused by the re-hearing panel in June, following a lengthy legal wrangle resulting in council being found to have ill-informed residents in the original 2016 hearing.
GSL director Andrew Fairfax has recently appealed to the Environment Court against the panel’s ruling.
Fairfax says ONL and zoning are ‘‘two different things’’.
‘‘Nearly all the land zoned for farming in the district is classified ONL.
‘‘This doesn’t stop farmers working their land and most of GSL’s land has long been zoned for farming.’’
Council media man Sam White says City Hall can’t comment be cause the matter is under investigation.
