Vandals chop down and poison 23 sacred trees and shrubs in Takapuna
Kia ora koutou. Vandals have allegedly poisoned and cut down dozens of native trees and shrubs of huge significance to Māori near Takapuna Beach.
Around 23 trees and shrubs at Te Uru Tapu (The Sacred Grove) at the northern end of the beach were discovered to have been vandalised during a regular inspection by Auckland Council’s senior urban forest specialist on Tuesday.
The grove of ancient pōhutukawa trees is of high significance to mana whenua, with the trees and vegetation in the area protected by the Auckland Unitary Plan.
A section of the grove has been fenced off since June 2018, due to the risk of trees falling onto a boardwalk below. It appeared someone had deliberately entered the restricted area to cut down the trees, which included karo, karaka, nīkau, tōtara and coprosmas. Drill holes were also found at the base of three mature karo trees, which suggested they had been poisoned.
None of the trees are expected to survive. Auckland Council has launched an investigation and is asking anyone with information to email sacredgrove@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. Click 'read more' for the full story.
Poll: Should the government levy industries that contribute to financial hardship?
As reported in the Post, there’s a $30 million funding gap in financial mentoring. This has led to services closing and mentors stepping in unpaid just to keep helping people in need 🪙💰🪙
One proposed solution? Small levies on industries that profit from financial hardship — like banks, casinos, and similar companies.
So we want to hear what you think:
Should the government ask these industries to contribute?
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60.4% Yes, supporting people is important!
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24.4% No, individuals should take responsibility
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15.2% ... It is complicated
A Neighbourly Riddle! Don’t Overthink It… Or Do?😜
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
If you multiply this number by any other number, the answer will always be the same. What number is this?
Night-time chipsealing works on SH2
From 9 to 17 February, stop/go traffic management will be in place on SH2 between McPherson Road and Dimmock Road on multiple nights between 9pm and 5am (Sundays to Thursdays).
During the day, all lanes will be open, but speed restrictions will apply to allow the chipseal to set and to protect vehicles travelling over the newly laid surface.
There may be delays to your journey when travelling through the area. This is weather dependent so check NZTA Journey Planner before you travel.
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