A grove of totara and pohutukawa trees is to be planted on One Tree Hill next year in the hope that one will mature and dominate to replace the 125-year-old Monterey pine that had to be removed in 2000.

A grove of trees will finally be planted on Auckland's One Tree Hill after years of discussion, controversy and delay.

Nine trees are to be planted atop the peak to increase the chances of a single tree surviving One Tree Hill's challenging growing conditions. The planting will take place during Matariki in June next year.

Auckland Council has reportedly been growing between 50 and 80 trees in a secret location, with the trees-in-waiting sourced from parent trees on the mountain, which is named Maungakiekie in Maori.

1 of 5 AucklandCouncil Year one: The grove of three tōtara and six pohutukawa, with kiekie, at the time of planting. 2 of 5 AucklandCouncil Year one: The grove of three tōtara and six pohutukawa with the protective shelter-belt of native shrubs, at the time of planting. 3 of 5 AucklandCouncil Year five: The grove of three tōtara and six pohutukawa with kiekie. The shelter planting is no longer required. 4 of 5 AucklandCouncil Year twenty: Single tree with kiekie. A pohutukawa is illustrated however the single tree could be either a tōtara or a pohutukawa. 5 of 5 AucklandCouncil Year twenty: A pohutukawa has been illustrated however the single tree could be either a tōtara or a pohutukawa.

Three young totara and six young pohutakawa will be planted with a shelter band of native shrubs.

Over time it is expected one tree will become dominant in the tree grove.

An official announcement on the planting was made by Auckland Mayor Len Brown on Monday afternoon.

Photographers One Tree hill in Auckland as it was in 2006

Brown said it was a great day for Auckland and New Zealand as a whole.

Auckland residents had been in grieving since the loss of the tree and he was still regularly asked as mayor when the hill would be replanted.

"Clearly for Auckland it's a return of an icon. Without the tree being on Maungakiekie, or One Tree Hill, there was a sense of it representing the divided nature of Auckland and now as a united city we really want to recognise the tree as a great symbol of the unity of Auckland."

Tupuna Maunga o Tamaki Makaurau Authority chairman Paul Majurey said the new planting was a joint decision between Tamaki Makaurau iwi and the council.

When asked if the tree could again become a focal point of dissent, he said he hoped it would be respected by Aucklanders.

"Our hope is that will be embraced by Aucklanders.

"These maunga are special places, they are iconic, they are our ancestral mountains and out hope is it will be embraced by Auckland."

The planting will cost $23,000 up to 2017/18, funded out of the council's Maunga Authority budget.

The cost includes $3500 for planting, $5000 for irrigation and maintenance and $15,000 for growing and caring for replacement plants

Auckland Council asset development manager Mace Ward said the grove would be protected by shelter trees and a two metre high iron fence.

He also asked people to respect the trees, which would take a good 20 years to grow to a substantial size.

"It's a harsh enough place already here, as we've seen today with the wind, and we ask people to respect those trees for what they are and what they respect for Auckland."

CONTROVERSIAL HISTORY

Both axes and mother nature have destroyed trees atop One Tree Hill in the past and the process to get a tree replanted has been a long and arduous one.

The famous Auckland landmark has been marred by a controversial history.

The first native tree planted on One Tree Hill was cut down by settlers during the colonisation of Auckland around the 1850s.

Sir John Logan Campbell, known as the "father of Auckland", replanted a totara surrounded by pine trees more than 100 years ago.

However, only a pine tree survived in the harsh conditions on One Tree Hill.

The badly-damaged 125-year-old Monterey pine was removed in 2000 after a chainsaw attack a few years earlier by Maori activist Mike Smith.

Christine Fletcher, who was mayor when the tree was removed in 2000, said she vividly remembered the event.

"Fifteen years ago on a similarly windy day I stood here. . . and we mourned the tree as the helicopters hovered and the tree was progressively removed.

"There was a profound sense of grief by Aucklanders but there was a commitment at the appropriate time that we would see the planting season take place."

In 2014, a man who listed the remains of the historic pine on auction site Trade Me was charged with theft.

Auckland Council said it would discuss with the Tupuna Maunga o Tamaki Makaurau Authority about the future care of the remains.

In 2005, late broadcaster Sir Paul Holmes planted a young pohutakawa tree on One Tree Hill as part of a publicity stunt for his show. The sapling was removed a few hours later.

Replanting of One Tree Hill has relied on talks between the Crown and the Tamaki Collective of 13 iwi and hapu groups. The parties agreed a preliminary deed of settlement agreement in 2012.

Ngati Whatua spokesman Ngarimu Blair said at the time it was a big step forward for Auckland and called for a totara to be planted there.

"The tree on One Tree Hill has been a beacon of hope for unity for this city," he said.