Mayor Phil Goff wants to throw some shade on South Auckland. No, he's not about to slide some criticism into your DMs, rather he wants to see the tree canopy in the area increased.
Auckland councillor Alf Filipaina and Auckland Mayor Phil Goff with a device showing that the temperature had already reached 27 degrees despite it being mid-morning. Photo: LDR / Justin Latif
According to Auckland Council data, the region has the lowest coverage of any area in the city, with Māngere-Ōtāhuhu and Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board areas having 8 percent and 10 percent respectively. In comparison, the Kaipātiki Local Board area on Auckland's North Shore has canopy coverage of 30 percent.
It is mid-morning when I meet Goff, Manukau ward councillor Alf Filipaina, and a bevy of staff at a playground in Māngere East's Sutton Park. Halfway through our chat, a council officer informs us the temperature has just ticked over 33 degrees, further underlying the purpose of our interview.
Given that 2021 was the hottest year in New Zealand since records have been taken, Goff said increasing the numbers of trees was not just about creating a greener aesthetic, but reducing the city's overall carbon emissions.
"I grew up in this city and the thing that I remember as a student most of all is in the hot summer months, those beautiful trees down Symonds Street and Princes Street, which created a great atmosphere," he recalled.
"And the trees themselves, through evapotranspiration, also have a cooling effect on the area."
Goff said that South Auckland's low tree coverage was largely due to central government not prioritising the issue when it built tens of thousands of state houses during the 1960s and '70s.
The new policy aims to plant a further 15,000 native trees at a cost of $13.3 million, funded by council's newly proposed climate action targeted rate.
Left, a map that shows the areas (in red) with the most vulnerability to heat due to low tree numbers and, right, Auckland councillor Richard Hills. Photo: LDR / Justin Latif
Environment and climate change committee chair Richard Hills said it was a great achievement to get this extra, climate-focused funding, which also sped up the electrification of ferries and buses and provided more bus routes.
"I was proud of the $150 million in the 10-year budget as it was a pretty significant step up from where we were, but this package provides about $570 million, so it's more significant. This package is not just a climate plan but it's also a significant shift in the transport space."
He said the policy would "significantly improve air quality and the impact of stormwater" because "when you've got no trees, the water just runs straight off [the road or footpath], and straight down the drains and straight into the harbour".
Manukau ward councillor Alif Filipaina said his region's tree coverage had been a constant bugbear of his and he was pleased it was finally being dealt with.
"We moved here in 1960, just down the road," he said.
"I've been saying we need to do something for years so it's great we're now at a stage that we can get something done."
Filipaina and Goff envisage the plantings will involve schools and local sport clubs and the trees themselves will be eight to 10 years old when planted, and 1m-1.5m tall natives, so the benefits will be realised sooner.
"Quite often in the past when trees were planted, they haven't been planted well and they've died," Goff warned. "You can go in and do things in a cheaper, nasty way and find that it doesn't work at all. Or you can do it thoroughly, professionally, with proper consultation with your community, and you can get it right - and we're intending to do the latter."
Consultation on Auckland Council's annual budget 2022/23 runs from 28 February to 28 March, 2022. Visit akhaveyoursay.nz for more information.
Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
