10:00 AM
Arborists are slowly removing one of Auckland's most prominent landmarks from the city skyline.
The 125-year-old Monterey pine on One Tree Hill is being brought down piece by piece.
The chainsaws were cranked up and the first branches came down shortly before 9am.
Council arborists are now attaching support
ropes to the tree's main branches, which will then be cut off and removed by helicopter.
However before that can happen, council staff are trying to dig out several self-seeded pohutukawa trees from around the base of the pine.
They hope to grow them on, and possibly even bring them back to One Tree Hill one day.
- IRN
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