It has been decided to remove selected trees from the Frankton Track.
After a lengthy discussion on the matter during the Queenstown Lakes District Council's community services committee meeting, a resolution was passed to identify priority trees for removal, based on the safety of track users and infrastructure.
The area from which the trees will be removed is between Park St and Frankton Marina. The council also voted to replant within the same planting season.
Replanting will be undertaken ''with a view to ensure shade, shelter and woodland ambience and that planting of both fruit trees and food-source vegetation is encouraged''.
In November last year, council parks manager Gordon Bailey issued a public notice about the council's plan to remove large and oversized trees growing on the lake side of the Frankton Track.
The proposal generated 17 submissions: 13 in favour, one neutral and three ''with concerns''.
The claim many Eucalyptus trees were frost-damaged has been disputed by Bryce Whiting, of Queenstown, despite Asplundh (vegetation management company) submitting an expert report stating the frost damage ''on the Frankton Eucalyptus has been ongoing over many years and all of the Eucalyptus have been affected by frost and have tried their best to recover''.
While councillors agreed the trees masked the ''architectural cacophony'', it was also accepted it would be short-sighted to leave the trees as they are.
