The widow of the farmer who died when a decayed poplar tree fell in high winds and crushed his ute says the community will be lucky if the row of unstable trees on Lower Shotover Rd is removed by the end of January.
Farmer and businesswoman Cindy Liggett said "it's taken them long enough" when told the Queenstown Lakes District Council would advertise for experienced tree fellers this weekend.
It will be almost three months since Russell Albert Liggett (57) died and 12 days since a consultant arborist told a council subcommittee 64 of the 67 remaining trees were "compromised in stability" and should be removed.
"I knew they wouldn't rush it. I'm not happy at all," Mrs Liggett said.
"Now we've had a bit of rain, if those winds come through, it's going to loosen those trees up.
"They drag their feet and leave the public at risk. School buses are going up and down that road."
Mrs Liggett said she expected the trees would not be moved until weeks after the Christmas break.
The peak tourist season would be well under way by then.
Mrs Liggett said she believed the council knew the risk factor of ageing poplar trees on Speargrass Flat Rd two or three years ago.
"They came out and dealt with the trees. It's a pity they didn't carry on and check out the other trees."
The council will invite experienced tree-felling contractors to register an interest in receiving tender documents for the "felling, removal and clean-up" of about 72 poplar trees on the roadside of Lower Shotover Road.
Council network operations engineer Ian Marshall said once the capability of those registered had been confirmed, "the expectation is we'll get a pricing before Christmas and let the tenders after the New Year.
"The trees should be felled in the last half of January. It'll take a couple of weeks to do the work."
Mr Marshall said the council was collecting information from the public and its own assessments on the state of trees in general.
The council was still working on a district-wide assessment and policy.
New Zealand Tree Care manager David Finlan, of Queenstown, told the Queenstown Times the professional arborist company would look at the tender details.
Tenders were likely to provide the most affordable outcome for ratepayers, he said.
"Seventy-two mature Lombardy poplars would take about a week to remove at 10 or 12 trees a day, depending on access availability and what restrictions are put on the felling contractor."
Mr Finlan said he assumed the contractor would recycle branch material and debris as mulch for parks or gardens, or sell mulch in bulk to a developer.
The wood was not high-grade, but could be sold to firewood merchants.
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