Police are appealing for any sighting of a chainsaw-wielding man believed to have hacked down eight pohutukawa trees in the Auckland suburb of Karaka

Auckland Council was called to clean up the carnage on Monday, following the random felling around 6.50 on Sunday.

Police have released an image of the alleged culprit, described as a solidly built European male in his 30s or 40s, with dark hair and a goatee.

He was snapped wearing a black t-shirt, shorts and gumboots with a light coloured chainsaw slung over his shoulder.