Protecting Trees in Wānaka Campaign Launch

07/08/2026 by florencemicoud Leave a comment

Kia ora,

The last 6 months have seen an alarming series of mature trees felling in Wānaka, particularly windbreaks!

2km of poplar hedgerow and at many mature trees windbreaks removed on Riverbank road.

Just last week, the thick line of conifers removed from along SH6 in yellow.
Next on the chopping board, the golf course public trees deal.

Does this concern you?

These trees were planted by wise elders, some of them still alive, to protect our community from cold Southerlies and frequent strong Westerlies. Everyone in Wānaka is going to receive more freaky winds. Many people I know expressed, disbelief, sadness, helplessness. To stop the massacre, I have developed knowledge of trees and I share it here for the defense of the trees.

Did you know?

Trees reduce wind speed up to 20 times!

from the book *Conifers, by Keith Rushforth*

Trees, as everyone knows, are essential green urban infrastructure and wellbeing treasures so protecting trees is the cornerstone of regenerative development.
Trees are intelligent sentient beings we only begin to understand. Life.
Every tree is a taonga, essential in a climate emergency.
All the solutions exist, science is clear, international institutions support climate action.
Keeping existing trees, particularly mature trees is right up the list.

I care enough to have started a campaign to Protect Wānaka Trees. I invite you to read this article, written from the point of view of trees, who all want to live a long and happy life till they die. I understand we all have different perspectives on this, the discussion is happening. In the meantime, we need a moratorium.

I spoke at a QLDC public forum in February 2026 following the amazonic tree removals from Orchard road, I asked for MORATORIUM ON TREE FELLING and proposed to extend the QLDC tree policy to ALL trees. Bristol did it and several cities have signed on to the Universal Declaration of the Rights of the Tree. It’s possible.

By the time I spoke again at a QLDC public forum in July, at least 5 more windbreaks had been felled. I shared vision and solutions for a Regenerative urban design, and called for a MORATORIUM ON NEW CONSENTS until we discuss Smart growth. Greytown has done it. It’s possible.

I will next talk to the Council on the 27th August specifically to stop the Eely point forest “replacement” plan and the Metlife-Golf course public trees felling deal, due in September. I will advocate for immediate tree protection with three tools, extending the existing tree policy, the Bristol model and the Rights of Trees declaration.

We can no longer ignore it. So I advocate for a beautiful regenerative resilient Wānaka, starting by protecting trees. It’s exciting, possible, nearly free, and our town will be full of birds!
I believe in collective action for change, both rules and culture change.

So I organise a meeting to save Wānaka Trees early September: a 15mn presentation, followed by discussion on next steps to protect our Trees, I have many ideas!
I invite the Tree lovers in our Community, elected councilors and press too.