At a meeting last November to discuss a plan to fell the trees and replace them with native bush, residents were worried it would leave them vulnerable to coastal erosion and being battered by wind and sand. After promising to look into concerns before making a final decision, the council gave an update at a Waikouaiti Coast Community Board meeting earlier this month.
A report by council parks manager Lisa Wheeler tabled at the meeting discussed ways of dispelling the worries. The potential for coastal erosion could be mitigated by retaining a strip of trees next to the coast, staggering the felling of the trees and replacing them with a resilient forest, she said.
Maintaining a coastal strip and staggering the felling could also address concerns over loss of shelter.
If the trees were left as they were, the risk of them falling ''without warning'' would increase and the council would need to close off or control public access to the plantation.
Waikouaiti resident Liz Evans, who has campaigned against felling the trees, said most locals remained concerned despite the council's efforts. This concern would only be addressed once a final decision was made, Ms Evans said.
She was particularly worried about the idea of creating slash rows, which she said would leave the community with an ''eyesore''.
Instead she supported the council removing only those trees that were in immediate danger of falling.
