The roar of chainsaws is music to the ears of Ravensbourne residents this week, as the Dunedin City Council's sycamore removal trial gets under way.
Contractor Upfront Environmental started work on Tuesday, launching into removing large stands of sycamores (Acer pseudoplatanus), adjacent to the Ravensbourne foot-bridge at the West Harbour cycleway-walkway.
Phase one of the removal trial will continue until Christmas, with sycamores being cut down through to the Ravensbourne Fire Station, and the application of a chemical to the stumps to prevent regrowth.
Some of the cleared sections will then be replanted with low-growing native species during autumn and winter in 2016.
The $20,000 project is being jointly funded by the DCC, which is contributing $13,000, and the New Zealand Transport Agency, which is contributing $7000 for the replanting.
Contractor David Blair, of Upfront Environmental, said the removal of the sycamores would restore harbour views to many residents and would make way for the return of native species to the area.
''The replanting with local native trees and shrubs, which are lower-growing, will help maintain those sight-lines,'' he said.
Chalmers Community Board chairman Steve Walker was delighted the sycamore removal trial was going ahead, after lobbying by the board over several years.
''It has come about in response to the concerns of residents, especially at Ravensbourne, who have been really annoyed by the sycamores,'' Mr Walker said.
Sycamores had been a particular problem at Ravensbourne and Maia for years, and were also scattered around other parts of the West Harbour area. They were also an issue in the Port Chalmers town belt, he said.
''The DCC deserves a pat on the back for taking action to remove them.''
Ahead of the trial beginning this week, Mr Walker went door-knocking in the Ravensbourne area to canvass opinion, and found the sycamore removal had unanimous support.
''People were delighted to hear about it.''
Some local businesses had also expressed an interest in ridding their land of sycamore at some future date, as part of a staged approach to eliminate the problem, he said.
DCC acting parks manager Hamish Black said the trial gave the council a chance to determine what a successful sycamore removal programme might look like. The Ravensbourne area had been chosen because of the community support for removing the sycamores and the beautification work that had been done at the walkway-cycleway by the Rotary Club of Dunedin.
The sycamore removal would also help restore harbour views for affected residents and help increase the amenity value of the area, he said.
''We are mindful that there has been a lot of discussion around sycamores across the city and this [the Ravensbourne trial] is a discrete package of work that we can do,'' Mr Black said.
''Hopefully, this will start the conversation about what the future process could be,'' he said.
There were a large number of sycamores across the city, including in the town belt, reflecting the invasive nature of the species. It was prolific and colonised open areas and light spaces, would re-grow quickly after being felled, and shaded out native vegetation, he said.
The success of Stage 1 of the project will be reviewed by the DCC, which has earmarked Stage 2 for 2016/17 - the removal of sycamores through to Jessie St, in Maia.
- Brenda Harwood
