Auckland Contractor's Tree Mix-Up Shows We All Make Mistakes

A contractor tasked with keeping Auckland's street trees alive was caught on camera doing his job at exactly the wrong time, watering a newly planted tree while rain poured down around him.

The video, shared widely on social media, showed the Treescapes contractor using a hose connected to his work vehicle to water a roadside tree during a rainy spell. Confused viewers asked for someone to explain what they were seeing.

North Shore Councillor Richard Hills noticed the post and followed up with council management. They confirmed it was simply a mistake, not standard practice.

Under the contract, Treescapes has a two-year agreement to ensure new trees survive. Staff are supposed to inspect trees, assess conditions, and note "not watered due to rainfall" on their job cards during heavy rain. When rainfall is light, they're expected to water anyway since tree pits need 50 liters of water to reach root systems and help young trees thrive.

The good news? Ratepayers won't be charged extra. The contract is a flat fee, not a pay-per-watering arrangement.

Sunny's Take

Hills took to Facebook not to shame but to show compassion. "We all make mistakes," he wrote, noting the staff member was likely already embarrassed after being "plastered" on social media.

Treescapes responded quickly and professionally to the council's reminder, even while managing storm-related emergencies across the city. All crews received refresher training on procedures during heavy rainfall.

The contractor won't make that mistake again, but the bigger lesson resonates: in our rush to film and share moments online, there's still room for understanding when someone simply gets it wrong.

Auckland continues dealing with heavy rain this week as part of a broader weather front affecting the North Island, making the contractor's work more important than ever for the city's growing urban forest.