More than 500 people have signed a petition opposing a Central Otago District Council plan to harvest two pine forest blocks in Cromwell, a move that would close two popular off-leash dog exercise areas. 

The petition was started by local resident and dog walking business owner Lisa Telle, who said the planned forestry work would leave Cromwell without any suitable off-leash options for many dogs.

“There’s no other safe option,” Lisa said.  

“It would be quite devastating for the community if it were to go ahead.” 

The council has said the harvest is required because the pine trees have reached maturity.  

One block, bordering Bannockburn Rd, is earmarked for an industrial subdivision, while a solar farm has been flagged as a possible future use for the larger Sandflat Rd block. 

While alternative off-leash areas have been identified at Alpha St and Dustin Park in Pisa Moorings, Lisa said feedback from dog owners suggested those locations were not suitable replacements. 

She said the pine blocks provided large, shaded spaces where dogs could exercise without being forced into close contact with other dogs or members of the public. 

“There’s enough room for dogs to coexist without interacting,” she said.  

“People think dog exercise areas are about dogs interacting, but having your dog under control actually requires space - and dogs also need space to run.” 

Lisa said Alpha St posed safety concerns because of its proximity to a busy road and a shared walking and cycling track. 

“I would never have a dog off-leash right next to a road,” she said.  

“You’ve got cars on one side, bikes and pedestrians on the other, and some dogs don’t react well to bikes. That’s going to cause issues with tourists and members of the public.” 

She said both Alpha St and Dustin Park were also close to playgrounds and residential areas, were relatively small, and lacked shade. 

“In summer months it’s incredibly hot to take a dog somewhere with no shade because they can’t regulate their body temperature,” she said. 

The petition has been running since late November, attracting 512 signatures (as at Tuesday January 13). 

Lisa said many people who signed also provided written feedback through an online survey. 

While she accepted council may need to remove the trees, she said she wanted greater collaboration with the community on either replanting or identifying an alternative off-leash area that was genuinely suitable. 

“I totally understand if they need to take the trees down,” she said.  

“But it’s the fact that there are so many dogs that are going to be affected, and therefore the community will be affected as well.” 

She said concentrating hundreds of dogs and their owners into one or two small spaces could also create further issues. 

"It's just going to be chaos," she said. 

Addressing her own commercial interest, Lisa said the petition was not driven by business concerns. 

“We’ll be fine,” she said.  

“If we have to, we’ll rent land or go out of town with our walking and training groups. I’m more concerned about the wider repercussions.” 

Lisa said she had contacted the council and planned to present the petition and survey findings, alongside other residents, at the Cromwell Community Board’s first meeting of the year on February 4. 

“A group of us will be attending and presenting the findings from the public,” she said. 

The council has not yet publicly responded to the petition.  

However, responding to discussion on a local residents and ratepayers Facebook page, Cromwell Community Board member Mike Casey said a solar farm was only an idea at this stage. 

“Solar panels are just an idea of how we best use this land, but it’s only an idea,” Mike said.  

“These trees need to be felled because they’re due to be.” 

He said replanting the site in pine was also an option, and that council would explore a range of future uses for the land. 

“What we will be doing is exploring options on what to do with this land, and I’m very supportive of concepts that maximise value to put downward pressure on rates,” he said. 

Mike said any decision would require careful evaluation, noting the land was held as an endowment and must be used to benefit the community.

Read more: Dog parks to go as council eyes solar potential for Cromwell 

Have a story to share or comment to make? Contact editor@centralapp.nz