Some of Wanaka's most photogenic lakeside trees could face the chop after two mature poplars were found to be rotting.
Two other poplars were toppled during strong winds during the weekend which prompted the district council to investigate the surrounding trees for any problems.
Both had some decay to the roots or internally.
Queenstown Lakes District Council arborist Tim Errington said two trees were found to be rotting internally on Tuesday and they would need to be mapped using soundwave technology to determine the extent of the decay.
Once the extent of the rot was known the next step would be determining what needed to be done to make sure the trees were safe for the public to be around them.
Options included felling the rotten trees or if the trees could be saved, cutting off a portion from their tops to help during strong winds.
Whenever a tree was found to be in a hazardous condition the council would prioritise any necessary remedial works which included removal, Mr Errington said.
All trees growing in the council's reserves and parks would be surveyed later this year.
The row of poplars about 100m from Stoney Creek are in a popular area for both local people and tourists, particularly during autumn when their leaves turned golden orange and provided the perfect autumn photo.
Strong winds during the weekend also felled about 30 trees at the Olive Grove wedding venue and Barn Pinch Farm, both owned by Jill and John Blennerhassett.
Wanaka arborist Ben McFarlane said it seemed most of the damage from the winds seemed to be isolated to the Waterfall Creek area.
As well as the Blennerhassetts' he had been to a property nearby where about 10 large trees had been toppled.
''It seems the trees weren't used to the direction the wind was coming from off the hills and those which weren't strong enough couldn't stand up to it.
There were also reports of damage to trees in the Wanaka Station Park but it was limited to fallen branches.
