Four members of the Upper Harbour Local Board are responsible for the senseless destruction of 13,700 community planted native trees.

• Lisa Whyte
• Margaret Miles
• Anna Atkinson
• Brian Neeson

Despite overwhelming public advice to keep the trees, these members voted for the total removal of all plantings. In complete disregard of the 3,450 hours of volunteer work to carry out the plantings and multiple other options available to them.

These trees contributed to multiple local and regional council strategies and plans, including the Climate Action Framework, Biodiversity Act, and Urban Ngahere Framework.

These politicians are unfit to represent the public during a climate emergency and should step down from office immediately. They have shown they are unable to put the interests of the public before their own interests.

The option they chose was the least recommended by all consulted groups, but was the cheapest available option.

There was an option to cancel a "Movies in Parks" event to reallocate funding to allow the plantings to be replanted elsewhere in the park. This group would rather host a movie screening than preserve 13,700 native plants.

These members chose to destroy years of restoration work carried out by community during a climate emergency.

As members of public office, you have proven you are unfit to represent the public in the current climate.

Those that voted in favor:

CHAIRPERSON LISA WHYTE: lisa.whyte@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON MARGARET MILES:
margaret.miles@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

BOARD MEMBER ANNA ATKINSON:
anna.atkinson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

BOARD MEMBER BRIAN NEESON:
brian.neeson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Please step down immediately so your mistakes can begin to be rectified.