Roshan Eiseman from Mainline Treecare and Conservation; Jack and Garry Livingstone from Country Tree Services; and Troy Armstrong from Troy's Tree Trimming are passionate about saving the trees from the axe.

"We work with trees all the time and they are brilliant, fascinating things," said Garry Livingstone.

"To just take 500 out is a disgrace, particularly when they've got a greenfield site."

Mr Livingstone was referring to an earlier possible location for the stadium, on land near the Northern Distributor owned by Orange City Council.

Jack Livingstone said the proposed removal had left him feeling "angry and a bit upset".

"It's being portrayed as if it's just dirty pine trees that need to be removed, but there are a lot of other specimens there."

By way of examples, Mr Eiseman pointed to liquid ambers and multiple species of oak and poplar.

"And I'm only thinking of trees, there are a lot more species in the bushy, scrubby ground cover," he said.

Mr Armstrong expressed concern over whether the handful of trees earmarked to be relocated would survive the process, due to the precision required when digging up and maintaining a tree's root system during transportation and replanting.

Garry Livingstone estimated that about one in three relocated trees do not survive the experience.

Council spokesperson Allan Reeder said "the proposal is to make the best use of the felled trees".

Mr Reeder said the plan was for pine logs to be removed by a particle board manufacturer.

"Pine branches will be kept separate from other green waste, as they are not appropriate for composting or general garden use," he said. "They will be chipped on site and taken away for appropriate use.

"Other green waste and branches will be chipped on site, to be either used for project landscaping or taken away for other use."

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