In a statement, the Central Otago District Council said the removal of poplars and willows on the riverbank was a collaboration between itself and the Otago Regional Council.
Regional council river engineer Scott Liddell said the tree removal had already been on the work schedule.
"ORC had vegetation removal planned in this riverside area as part of ongoing maintenance. The timing of this was changed to fit with the project which will contribute to connectivity to the river."
Alexandra Riverside Park Trust chairman Rory McLellan said it was great to see the project getting under way and the vistas of the Clutha Mata-au and Manuherekia rivers opening up.
"It’s been a long time since people could look across to the Roxburgh canyon from this angle, because of the trees. It’s going to be so good seeing this area get cleaned up and utilised," he said.
The Warehouse carpark would remain closed for two to three weeks while the tree work was undertaken. Stage one of the Riverside Park project was a new entry to the carpark.
Mana whenua-owned organisation Aukaha provided a cultural design integration that reflected Kāi Tahu values, narratives and traditional place names specific to the area.
A spokesperson said one of the identified values was kaitiakitaka.
"Kaitiakitaka is a world view for takata whenua in that we have a role to protect the mauri or life force of our natural environment. By removing these introduced species [poplars and willows], we have an opportunity to restore the awa, rebalance the eco-system and encourage wildlife back to this scenic spot.
"The site itself is of cultural importance to mana whenua. Kāmoanahaehae is the name of the junction of the rivers Manuherekia and Mata-au, and a wayfinding marker in the path of the Mata-au system."
