They're not people and they're not churches, but don't underestimate what Christchurch's trees meant to the people of the garden city.
Today arborists started felling 31 oaks, sycamores, elms and pines. For safety reasons they've succumbed to the same threat as many homes – liquefaction.
It's a tough job for an arborists, whose job is normally to preserve life.
Watch the video for Ali Ikram's full report.