A protester who hoisted himself 20 metres up into the branches of a 150-year-old Norkfolk pine near Auckland to stop developers chopping it down is on the ground.
Charlie Cottrell-Jury's view from half-way up the Norfolk Pine. Mr Cottrell-Jury climbed the tree to protest developers' plans to chop it down. Photo: Twitter / @aprilannebonar
The pine in Snells Beach was gifted to the area by Governor George Grey, and was planted by early settler James Snell.
A developer has consent to remove the Norfolk Pine to build 33 new homes at the northern end of the beach.
Protester and arborist Charlie Cottrell-Jury scaled the pine before sunrise this morning after hearing it would be felled today.
He came down late this afternoon after workers started cutting into the bark of the tree, and was arrested by police.
Police, tree-felling contractors and members of the community were all at the site.
Earlier, speaking from half way up the pine, Mr Cottrell-Jury said it was the community's last-ditch effort to save it.
"This tree doesn't actually interfere with any of the buildings but as far as people can see, it's in the view and that's why they want to cut it down," he said.
The land the tree was on was about to be gifted to the council as pat of a reserve.
"So to have this tree as part of that reserve, it makes total sense."
The pine was a local landmark that had significant meaning for the community, Mr Cottrell-Jury said.