2 August, 2024

Clean-up finally scheduled for litter-strewn Sacred Grove

A clean-up of rubbish in Te Uru Tapu / Sacred Grove at the northern end of Takapuna Beach is set to begin this month.
This follows the appointment of a contractor by Auckland Council for work to be done within the fenced-off pōhutukawa grove.
The grove was described as being in a “heartbreaking state” by chair Toni van Tonder in June, when the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board decided it should remain closed to the public and have its boardwalk removed.
The clean-up of dumped rubbish, including bottles and cans, is the first stage of an ecological-enhancement plan adopted for the area.
Council area operations manager Sarah Jones said the work would likely start in August and take less than two weeks. Trees would then have dead wood removed.
Council staff would meet arborist contractors on site this week, she said, to scope the pruning.
“All trees that are part of the grove and within public land will be inspected and have major deadwood removed,” Jones said.
Signage would be installed at and near the site to let the community know what was going before the plan got under way, she said.
The board would also communicate through social media.
The future of the grove has been at issue for a number of years, with many in the community wanting the boardwalk retained for easy high-tide access along the beach. Arborists and mana whenua wanted the site kept closed to preserve the integrity of the old trees.
Apartment residents above the grove have criticised the council for neglect of the grove and inaction over the health of the trees, a number of which are propped or chained up.
Jones said the council wanted to work in partnership with the board and mana whenua to protect what was a wahi tapu site. Planting and pest control is envisaged.
“We also plan to talk to some of the local volunteer groups and local residents who want to be involved in the project, about what they might be able to help with. We plan to communicate with them about this by the end of September, after weed removal has started.”
A tender and procurement process would be followed to engage a contractor to take down the boardwalk.
Jones said council expected to have a contractor confirmed by the end of August, with hopes of work starting soon after, depending on the contractor’s availability.
A resource consent for the dismantling was not required, she said. “This is a permitted activity.”
Engineers and designers would be engaged to assess the feasibility of extending the beach rock wall to protect the roots of two pōhutukawa at the north of the site, Jones said.

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