The new Lawrence-Tuapeka Community Board yesterday discussed a report by consulting arborist David Glenn which stated the poplars along State Highway 8 and Whitehaven St were now in a similar condition to those removed from the Lawrence Picnic Reserve in April.
''Any trees that fail will impact the highway and vehicles moving on the highway,'' Mr Glenn said in his report.
Clutha District Council chief executive Charles Hakkaart said 27 trees on SH8 and four on Whitehaven St would be removed.
One quote put the cost of removing the trees at $37,000.
The trees would have to be dropped on to the road, temporarily closing SH8. While the trees were important to Lawrence, the risk of someone being injured if they suddenly fell was too great to ignore.
New board member Liz Forbes said if it was a safety issue then the trees had to go. However, there were many people in Lawrence who did not want to see them removed.
Rowena Paterson said she did not want to see the trees gone, either.
''It's quite an emotional thing for Lawrence ... This isn't really open to public consultation, as it is a safety issue, but replanting should be open to discussion.''
Board chairman Geoff Davidson said there was no option but to remove the trees, despite the township's fondness for them.
The council suggested white spire birch trees be planted in their place, as they were already planted on Whitehaven St. However, board members agreed poplars should be planted, if practical.
Mr Glenn's report suggested argyle poplars could be better suited to the conditions.
Mr Hakkaart said the council would obtain more quotes, and would discuss replanting the area with interested people and groups.
Last April, Lombardy poplars in the Lawrence Picnic Reserve were felled after decay was found.
Mr Glenn said the last two poplars had fallen because decay in the base of trunk had weakened them. He said initial inspections several years ago identified the problem, and the tops of the trees had been trimmed.
The two fallen trees had decayed to such an extent that they fell under ''modest weather conditions''.
Two fungi caused the decay - armalleria or honey fungus (a root rot fungus) and a ganoderma (heartwood decay fungus). Mr Glenn said the honey fungus caused more vigorous decay than the ganoderma and was probably the principal reason for the trees' failure.
The future of poplars in Lawrence was ''considered extensively'' in 2008, in talks between the council and the New Zealand Transport Agency, council district assets manager Jules Witt said in a report.
It was agreed that following selected removal and maintenance the community board would take over responsibility for them.
The council will discuss the removal of the poplars with the agency during the next few months.
