With a massive split tree putting their home in “imminent danger”, an Ōhope couple shifted to rental accommodation and has now forked out $50,000 for a crane to remove the pōhutukawa.

Melody and Paul Wilson are facing an insurance wrangle, with their provider ruling out cover “because it hasn’t damaged the house” and EQC saying the tree is too far from the house – though the Wilsons are still hopeful of some help from the latter.

The tree split on June 13 and is one of many of a similar age and size growing along the escarpment at the back of Pōhutukawa Avenue.

The retired couple has been living in rented accommodation for a month because their house is deemed in “imminent danger” until the tree is gone.

Andersen's Tree Services is removing the tree, estimated to be 35 tonnes, in a job that is drawing much attention because of the size of the crane involved.

“The crane alone is $35,000 to $40,000,” said Peter Andersen.

“It is a $50,000 project all up.”

He said the tree had split down the middle and the root structure was compromised because of the ground conditions and the high winds found the weakness in the tree.

The tree is on the Wilsons’ property but the Whakatāne District Council has previously been involved in assessing the stability of the cliff and the risk posed by trees in the area.

The Wilsons said the tree initially cracked on June 13, a very windy and rainy day.

“That night at 10.30, we awoke to a crashing sound, and it had come down,” Melody Wilson said.

“The insurance won’t cover it because it hasn’t damaged the house. EQC, which is also in your insurance policy, won't insure it because it is more than 8 metres from the house,” said Paul Wilson.

The couple said they were still hoping EQC would assist and it was sending a valuer out.

“We are just putting it all on EQC now.

“We have had the geotech engineer come out, so fingers crossed," Melody Wilson said.

Andersen said the recent stormy weather was impacting trees in the district.

“Andersen’s Tree Services has been busy for the last two months with the extreme weather with failed trees around the district: some on roads, some on cars, some on houses, some on sheds and fences,” he said.

“It will be of benefit for everyone in the area to check their insurance because some policies are more inclusive than others; that is an issue with all of these houses along here,” he said.

Some pōhutukawa trees along the ridge could be 120 years old, he estimated.

The company chose the large crane to do the job because, at its maximum reach of 64 metres, it could lift two tonnes.

Andersen said there were two components to what had occurred.

“There is the mechanical sail of the tree on the slope and then the other thing that would cause a tree to fail is the geological stability of the slope.

“It is important that people understand that they may have an arborist tell them that the tree is safe, but you don’t know what is going on underneath, so they need to understand the geological make-up of the escarpment behind their house.”

There were general issues around Whakatāne on the management of pōhutukawa trees, he said.

“Within the arborist community [there are those who] are more about preserving the trees at all costs and the other end of the spectrum are those who think if the tree is risky take it out.

“You can reduce risk by pruning a tree, but you can only eliminate risk by removing the tree.”

Whakatāne District Council did a risk assessment of the trees on the Pōhutukawa Avenue escarpment last year.

Following an initial visual assessment of the trees and vegetation along the escarpment, an arborist, geotechnical engineer and rope access specialist undertook a more detailed physical assessment of various sites on Pōhutukawa Avenue and at West End.

The assessments, done in collaboration with other escarpment landowners, the Department of Conservation and Ngāti Awa Farms, were intended to confirm or discount any trees’ potential risk to people or homes.

Council general manager community experience Georgina Fletcher said the trees at this property were assessed by the arborist as presenting a medium risk, whereas the geotechnical report concluded the slope stability risk as high.

The tree that had failed was situated within the boundaries of the property and the council was working closely with the owners to support them through the process of managing the associated risk.

Credit: Whakatāne Beacon