Some Waikouaiti residents say they feel ''duped'' by a Dunedin City Council plan to accelerate the harvest of pine trees lining their beach.
Contractors have been harvesting pine trees south of Waikouaiti domain since late 2013, but council staff have suggested accelerating the work to finish it next year - one year earlier than scheduled.
They have also proposed removing a 30m-wide shelter-belt of pine trees that was to remain alongside the beach.
Council parks, recreation and aquatics group manager Richard Saunders told the Otago Daily Times the new approach made financial sense, but would also address safety concerns.
As some trees had come down, others had been exposed to strong prevailing winds for the first time, causing ''a few of them'' to fall.
The new approach was yet to be confirmed, but was discussed at a public meeting on Monday night and by the Waikouaiti Coast Community Board on Wednesday.
But some residents spoken to by the Otago Daily Times yesterday remained concerned, including Liz Evans, who said she was ''very, very, very angry''.
She runs the Beach St Animotels cattery and kennel in Waikouaiti, but said some customers were already telling her they would not be back once the trees were gone.
That was because the loss of the trees would create an ''eyesore'' and leave her property more exposed to sand being blown up from the beach.
She already had to clean her property ''from top to bottom'' about twice a month, which took all day, ''and it's only going to get worse''.
Ms Evans said she could now see no choice but to remove all the trees, as the removal of some had created a safety threat as others toppled.
''They are falling down like ninepins,'' she said.
''I'm very, very, very angry, but there's no other option.''
Keith Duncan, owner of the Oddity second-hand store in Waikouaiti, said the forest had been ''quite a magical place'' for walks.
Residents had voiced their concerns about the project for years, including warning trees in the buffer zone would be vulnerable if others were removed.
''But of course they wouldn't listen'', he said.
''It's like a fait accompli ... we've told them what we want and they've ignored it.''
Olwyn Grey, who owns a holiday house in Waikouaiti, said the council had ''promised'' residents the buffer zone of trees along the beach would remain.
''Now they want to take the buffer zone out.
''We feel we've been duped.''
Mr Saunders stressed the proposed changes were yet to be confirmed and said the council was ''obviously listening'' to community concerns.
The forest clearance had begun as a four-stage project, two of which had so far been completed, delivering a $139,000 profit to the council.
Mr Saunders said the money would help pay for community projects in the Waikouaiti area.
The final two stages had been due for completion by 2017, but doing them together in April next year would be more efficient, would maximise returns and address safety concerns, he said.
Whether the buffer zone would remain, or be replaced by fast-growing native plants, was ''something we are [still] looking at'', he said.
Advice was being sought and a decision on how to proceed was expected early next year, he said.
The Waikouaiti community board, meeting on Wednesday, requested more advice on the environmental impact of removing the buffer zone, and encouraged the council to engage community groups in the project.
Board chairman Gerard Collings could not be reached for comment yesterday.
