More Queens Park trees on Kelvin Street are in line for the chop from tomorrow (17 Jun).

Some nearby residents may also be asked to briefly leave their homes, as a precaution, while felling takes place.

Invercargill City Council (ICC) Manager Parks and Recreation Caroline Rain said Kelvin Street between Fox St and Victoria Ave would be closed to traffic, and traffic management would be in place, during felling on Saturday, 17 June and between 9am and 4pm from Monday 19 June to Friday 23 June.

“Most of the trees being removed are around 90 to 100 years old and include predominantly pinus radiata and some poplars,” Rain said.

It was important for Council to remove these trees now and eliminate the risk that they will fall and damage property or life, she said.

A replacement shelterbelt of fast growing pine, macrocarpa and gum would be planted.

"Behind this shelter line we will again be planting a secondary line of native shrubs and smaller trees along with specimen trees,” Rain said.

Some residents were being asked to vacate their properties for a short time during felling. Residents had been alerted and staff would door knock before felling began each day to ensure people were aware, she said.

These residents will be asked to leave their homes for a period of no longer than two hours to comply with Approved Code of Practice for Safety and Health in Forest Operations sections 11.4 and 11.4.3 that states residents of homes a specific distance from trees of a certain height should not be present when the felling of those trees takes place, she said.

“Spotters will also be in place who will make sure work is halted in the event a resident needed to leave their homes during felling,” she said.

The week of Monday 26 June had been earmarked as reserve days for work if bad weather occurred or the operation took longer, Rain said.

The ICC has been progressively removing and replacing mature trees along Kelvin Street since July 2021.