Why were thousands of native plants mowed down in an Auckland park?

Native plants destroyed, volunteer labour wasted and thousands of dollars of seedlings frittered away – what went down at Sanders Reserve? asks The Spinoff. Sanders Reserve is an idyllic spot in Albany, on Auckland’s North Shore. The mowing of thousands of seedlings, planted by volunteers and costing thousands of dollars, sparked outrage in the community. Many condemned the decision for a perceived waste of resources and volunteer labour, along with the seeming disregard for community engagement in public spaces and climate change action.