Please support the legal challenge to save hundreds of trees at Ōtāhuhu Mt Richmond.

Ratepayer funded Tupuna Maunga Authority has started to fell hundreds of trees at Ōtāhuhu Mt Richmond maunga (volcanic cone) just because they are non-native. Around 60 were cut down in late July / early August 2023 & the Authority has stated it intends to do more felling later this year / early next year.

Local woman Shirley Waru has filed a Judicial Review claim in the High Court challenging the Authority’s plan to cut down any more exotics on the maunga & is fundraising $30,000 to help cover the legal costs. Shirley leads the Respect Mt Richmond Ōtāhuhu community group, which formed to save the trees.

The Authority originally applied for a non-notified resource consent to chop down all 443 non-native trees on Ōtāhuhu Mt Richmond but later changed it to 278 trees. We believe it’s highly likely they will apply for more tree felling resource consents in future because the Authority says it intends to fell up to 443 of the mountain’s exotic trees -nearly 75% of its entire tree cover!

The Judicial Review claim asks the High Court to “quash” (cancel) the resource consent the Council granted TMA in 2021 permitting it to fell 278 of the exotic trees. Without that resource consent, the Authority cannot cut them down. The Judicial Review claim alleges the Council acted unlawfully in granting that resource consent without first giving the public an opportunity to object or comment.

Every dollar counts so please donate to help Shirley save these beautiful trees.