The Ruapehu District Council is to cut down 43 native heritage trees in Taumarunui, which could be given to Maori carvers.
The trees, most of them kahikatea and eight totara, are thought to be about 110 years old.
The rakau are listed as heritage trees on the council's district plan and resource consent is needed to cut them down.
Chief executive Peter Till said the council is reluctantly cutting them down for health and safety reasons, following complaints from people living near them, as well as the risk of them falling on powerlines.
Mr Till said the council's Maori advisory group is considering how the trees could be used, including the option of giving them to carvers.
