The battle against wilding conifers has been a contentious issue in the region, particularly the planned removal of pines on the council-owned Half Mile Recreation Reserve.
For more than 16 months, debate has surrounded the trees at the southern entrance to Alexandra, emotions flaring on both sides.
The trees are deemed a significant seed source for wilding pines in the area, and in October 2021 were earmarked by the Central Otago District Council (CODC) and Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Group for removal.
At the time, a lack of public consultation raised the ire of residents in the Bridge Hill area who use the reserve for recreation.
Public submissions on the issue were received last year, and in January, the Vincent Community Board (VCB) agreed to the removal of wilding conifers at the reserve, but in a staged approach.
Yesterday, the CODC waded in on the issue after the community board sought clarification whether the staged removal of trees was permitted under the council’s Wilding Conifer Control Policy.
The policy was adopted in July last year.
Addressing councillors, group manager community experience David Scoones said more than $16 million had been spent in the Otago region alone on removing wilding pines from "countless locations", and the staged removal of wilding conifers would be "inconsistent" with the Council’s core objective of eradicating wilding conifers on council-owned land.
At the start of discussions, Mayor Tim Cadogan asked councillors to "remain cognisant" they were discussing a district-wide plan and it was not about the Half Mile trees, although the decision would have an impact "one way or another".
Debate was strong, with elected members divided on the issue.
Deputy Mayor Neil Gillespie said he was not convinced staging was not permitted by the current policy and at the very least it should be made available as an option.
Choosing various sites in the region to remove the pine was a form of staged removal, he said.
Cr Tamah Alley said she believed there should be the option to stage some locations, and what that looked like should be provided in the policy.
"Clearfelling is obviously the right choice for the bottom line of a business, but Council is not a business in a true sense of the word, and we work for and on behalf of our communities."
Maniototo ward Cr Stu Duncan said rural folk had been addressing wilding pine eradication for more than 10 years and it was only now it had reached an urban area there was an issue.
He agreed a form of staging would happen naturally because they could not "cut all the wilding pines down in one week".
The final decision came down to the mayor, councillors split 50/50 on the issue.
Under Standing Order 19.3 the Council chairman — the mayor — Mr Cadogan, had the deciding vote.
"My casting vote is that there is no staging of the wilding pines policy."
