Tree planting plans finds favour but no funds forthcoming

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 548, 9 August 1994, Page 1

Tree planting plans finds favour but no funds forthcoming

The concept of extensive regional tree planting found favour with the Waimarino Community Board at their meeting last week. However, members made it clear that no funding would be forthcoming for the project. Ruapehu District Council Deputy Mayor, Graeme Cosford, presented board members with a lengthy report and estimated costings for a region-wide beautification project that would involve extensive planting of trees along the verges of the region's highways. Included in the report was planting for State Highway 4 (Seddon St intersection, Raetihi), Highway 47 (National Park intersection), SH49

(Ohakune) and SH1 (Waiouru). The total estimated cost of establishing trees was put at $305,000. The cost of annual maintenance was in the order of $16,000. Basics first Board member Winston Oliver initially rejected the idea, saying that the board should "stick to the basics". "There are a lot of problems locally that we need to address first", he said. Member Ellen Gould said she could see no harm in supporting the project in principle, but said that it should be made clear that the board was in no position to back it financially because of other priorities.