A retired property developer who was ordered to pay $12,200 after cutting down protected native trees on public conservation land near Kaiteriteri can now be named.
Name suppression has lapsed for Alan Trent, who felled five black beech trees and cleared smaller vegetation from the Toko Ngawa Point marginal strip, beside his property.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) was alerted to the damage on 8 July 2024 and sent a ranger to the site the same day. The beech stumps measured between 15cm and 40cm in diameter and were all within 15m of Alan’s boundary.
Alan later admitted cutting down the trees, claiming he had received permission several years earlier. DOC staff say no such approval was given and note he was sent a letter in 2010 outlining the need for permission before removing any vegetation on the marginal strip.
He pleaded guilty to charges laid by DOC but sought, and was granted, a discharge without conviction by Judge Snell in the Nelson District Court on Wednesday, 4 June.
Despite the discharge, Alan was ordered to pay $7200 in reparation and $5000 in costs to DOC.
He had previously received infringement notices from Tasman District Council for removing vegetation without resource consent.
DOC Motueka principal biodiversity ranger Helen Otley says the case is a reminder that people cannot remove native plants or trees from conservation areas.
“Native trees provide food and shelter for native birds and insects, sequester carbon and help stabilise slopes; they are an important part of New Zealand’s ecosystem. The look and feeling of being out in our native bush is important for people enjoying the outdoors.”
“These trees were cut down in a really visible area where people go to enjoy the natural environment.”
Helen says DOC takes such incidents very seriously and investigates reports of unlawful vegetation removal.
“If you’re out naturing on conservation land and see trees which are cut down when they shouldn’t have been, please call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468). An exact location and photographs are extremely helpful if possible.”
Black beech is one of five beech species found in New Zealand and grows in lowland areas of the North Island and the northern South Island.
New Zealand has strong conservation laws protecting native species, particularly on conservation land and waterways.
