Sergeant Tony Woodbridge, of Oamaru, said the driver of the ‘‘substantial 4WD’’ that had driven through the Otago Regional Council listed regionally significant wetland sometime between 5pm on Friday and Saturday morning had ‘‘greatly annoyed and disturbed’’ the members of the Herbert Heritage Group who cared for the area.
‘‘It [the vehicle] has been up and down banks, bush-bashing through these plantings. In some cases it looks like they’ve directly aimed at some of these plantings when there would have been a clear way through — but they’ve gone straight through,’’ Sgt Woodbridge said.
‘‘People are trying to look after that area and replant natives and some idiot has done this — not good.’’
Herbert Heritage Group member Bronwyn Judge, of Katiki Beach, said the area was used by whitebaiters at this time of year but those the group spoke to on Sunday had not seen anything.
Due to the harsh growing conditions, including sea wind, weather events and trees getting ‘‘wet feet’’, typically only one tree in every five planted survived.
She said she believed whoever had ‘‘flattened’’ the trees had got ‘‘a kick out of it’’.
The group, which had 40-plus members, found it hard to draw volunteers out to the isolated location at the Waianakarua River mouth.
Sgt Woodbridge said while the area was used for ‘‘myriad reasons’’, including recreational 4WD-driving, this appeared to be ‘‘more amateurish type stuff’’.
Police would like to speak to the driver.
