Ring fence not ring bark tree protection

The Government’s last-minute changes to the Resource Management Act - released today - will hasten the chop for protected trees, despite public outcry and the Green Party’s efforts to negotiate a compromise.

“While the Greens have suggested slowing down controversial cuts to tree protection, National are hell bent on fast tracking changes. They are using urgency in Parliament and are moving an amendment that will remove tree protection almost immediately,” Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman said today.

“Ring fencing tree protection - not the ring barking approach taken by the Government - is what’s needed. Sadly the Labour Party has decided to vote for this bill which weakens environmental protection.”

Trees bring a city to life, and are an important amenity for residents, but the Government seems intent on taking that away from the public, Dr Norman said.

The Resource Management (Streamlining and Simplifying) Amendment Bill will be debated under urgency in Parliament this week. Clause 52 of the Bill bans all general tree protection rules from 2012. Only trees specified in a Council’s plan will be protected.

In a last minute amendment, the Government will bring forward the removal of protection from trimming from three years away in 2012 to just three weeks away.

“The Government shows extreme arrogance by fast tracking removal of protection for our cities’ beautiful trees, allowing anyone to hack away at them from 1 October this year,” Dr Norman said.

The Green Party will table amendments today to protect Auckland’s trees, including compromise options and new ministerial powers to permit general rules protecting types of trees, i.e. all pohutukawa on the Auckland City coastline.

“Trees clean the air, provide a home for birds, and make cities like Auckland great places to live, work and play. Why on earth would we want to allow them to be axed?”

Aside from reducing tree protection, the bill also cuts environmental protection and community participation in a number of ways.

* Link to the Green Party’s minority report on the Bill: http://www.greens.org.nz/misc-documents/green-party-minority-report-resource-management-simplifying-and-streamlining-amendmen