Residents of a small West Coast settlement are horrified the Department of Conservation has cut down rhododendron trees planted by one of the town's forebears -- but left the gorse.
About 50-60 years ago, Fred Rudkin, helped by schoolchildren and scouts from Kumara, cut the track to the Taylor's Hill lookout and planted the rhododendrons near the top.
Last week, DOC cut the rhododendrons down, declaring them a pest plant. It has offered to plant something else in their place.
Lifetime Kumara resident Bill Stewart said the DOC workers had "walked past the gorse to get it out".
"When you think of the hours and toil Fred put in, planting something lovely for the town. Now he's in heaven, it's more than likely he's thinking 'what are the devils doing?'
"How can they perpetrate such a callous act? They don't have feeling for the beauty, history or anything that's good and lovely," Mr Stewart said.
The move has also upset Kumara resident Karen Prendergast, who said "Lord no" when DOC asked permission to remove a large rhododendron on her private property.
It is probably older still, and goes back to the days when the section was part of Davidson's terraced gardens. The retaining walls still exist, covered in moss. The tree flowers a cerise-pink colour, leaving a carpet of colour on the ground after it blooms.
"It has twisted, gnarled old branches and the kids used to play under it, it's like fairy-land," Ms Prendergast said.
She was first approached before Christmas and firmly refused. DOC returned, was again told no, so she asked them to sign a letter saying they would not enter her property to remove the tree. She received an e-mail back, and asked to meet with them.
She also suggested other rhododendrons in the vicinity were "prized by the local people and should not be interfered with".
DOC conservation services manager Ian McClure said the trees were removed because they were the plant pest variety of rhododendron - rhododendron ponticum.
That was the one variety of rhododendron in New Zealand with viable seed; all other varieties were sterile.
"They have very fine seed, and the trees spread very easily, overtaking other plants in the forest by blocking their light and leading to acidified soil under the plant, which in turn, makes it difficult for anything else to grow," Mr McClure said.
"The plant is not yet that widespread, and we are working on removing the sources of seed, such as the trees in Kumara."
If it became widespread it would also be a problem for honey producers, as bees that feed on rhododendron ponticum flowers may produce poisonous honey, he said.
"This pest plant is still able to be controlled -- if we act quickly."
Asked about leaving the gorse, Mr McClure said it was "already here and widespread" on the West Coast.
Gorse would act as a "nursery plant" at the site, protecting young seedlings that would grow to form a canopy which would in turn shade out the gorse.
Mr McClure said the intentions of the people who planted the rhododendrons were obviously well meaning, but that did not overshadow the need to remove the "damaging plant".
"We are very happy to replant trees at the site that will pose no threat to the surrounding forest."
- Laura Mills of the Greymouth Star
