Media Release
15 February 2023
Tree removal planned for Gore stop banks
Environment Southland is planning to remove a series of high-risk trees along the true right stop bank in the Gore township along River and Richmond Streets.
Drop in sessions are being held on Tuesday, 28 February from 4:30-6pm and Friday, 3 March from 12-2pm at the Gore District Council for the community to come and find out more about the proposed works.
Environment Southland catchment operations manager Randal Beal said climate change predictions suggest we are likely to see an increased magnitude and frequency of flooding, and stop banks were a primary form of flood protection.
Environment Southland maintains over 500km of stop banks across the region to protect people, property and livelihoods.
“To protect the community we need to ensure our stop banks are well maintained. The planned tree removal is part of our wider maintenance programme, which involves assessing trees on stop banks throughout the region.
Trees and shrubs on and near stop banks can interfere with the integrity and potentially lead to the banks failing.
The roots of trees and vegetation can weaken stop banks, and during a flooding event, water can begin flowing through this weak patch, often leading to a rapid failure.
Trees can also toppled in heavy winds creating holes for water to flow through and tree debris becomes a hazard during a flood, which can cause damage to infrastructure.
“It’s our responsibility to maintain the stop banks so they protect the community,” Randal Beal said.
If people are unable to attend the drop in sessions, but would like to share their thoughts, they can do so by emailing service@es.govt.nz.
