Makarewa willow tree removal at Wallacetown

A section of willow trees downstream of the Makarewa River bridge at Wallacetown will be removed this month (February 2026).

The work is expected to start in mid-February, and is likely to to take up to 10 days to complete.

Environment Southland Team Leader River Operations Paul Pollard said the aged trees on both sides downstream of Old Main Rd were creating problems for a number of reasons.

The trees are affecting the flow of the river, driving water into the western bank on the Wallacetown side, and creating an erosion issue.

“The work will reduce the amount of flow punching into the bank, and give the water more room to spread out, improving channel capacity,” he said.

Visibility for river users was being blocked in the stretch of the river because of the size of the trees, he said.

Some of the willows were also damaged during the October weather event, so it was necessary to get them cleared, because there was a chance they could break free and get swept downstream, he said.