Wednesday 18 November 2009

Tree fellers wanted

Warning signs like those that the Melville City Council erect, will be in place around Cairns before too long.
The signs are to create public awareness where residents have illegally cleared vegetation, usually on beach frontages and esplanades.

Today, Cairns Regional Council said they will place signage where members of the public have caused substantial damage to vegetation on Council held land.

"Trees and shrubs have often been destroyed on Council reserves to create beachfront views for nearby houses," Mayor Val Schier says. “In recent years Council has recorded numerous incidents of native vegetation being cleared on land for which it is trustee or land it owns.”

Residents also clear vegetation from drainage reserves or parklands to create access.
"Once vegetation destruction has been reported the damage has been done and even in the case in which Council replants, plants can take years to return to an area,” Schier says.

Council hopes that signage will serve as an embarrassment and a reminder for people in the neighbourhood, and to be vigilant in reporting.

Top of the list is coastal esplanades where the first signs are expected to be installed.
City of Melville and the Swan River Trust in Western Australia, have been installing massive 3 meter signs for the last two years, following selfish acts of vandalism to the native bushland on the foreshores.
"We were outraged by the damage that had occurred along the Attadale foreshore," Mayor Katherine Jackson said. “This deliberate act of vandalism has occurred over a period of six to 10 weeks, with more than a dozen trees being damaged,” she said. “We need to take the appropriate action to make sure we get the message across that this behaviour will not be tolerated. We understand that the people who have the sign in front of their house may not have been involved in the vandalism but we had to take a strong stance.”
The Melville signs remain in place until the new vegetation has regrown. The Council has prosecuted one person over vegetation damage on the foreshore, with another six pending cases, following vegetation clearing in Applecross, Dalkeith, Maylands, Mosman Park and South Perth.

7 comments:

Jezza said...

southerners go home. Chances are you do gooding hippies own houses on hills or is the ex-swamps of cairns. many trees got cut down for you to live there. According to the original owners of this great country of ours there are more trees here now than ever because grass land was easier to manage. So if someone wants a view let them have. Why else would you live on a hill? For the serenity? its for the view. Stop supporting the pencil pushing bureaucrats! you can easily see the bureaucracy of their other policies. But because you don't have trees blocking your view your to blind the bureaucracy. Try having some balls and a consistent view on the issues that effect you and the issues that don't.

Puzzled said...

Bloody hell, what's this rant all about? Anyone?

Rob (HB) said...

Council should look at itself. It destroys more vegetation than anyone else in the community. The entire esplanade is kept free of mangroves to maintain the views from the city. It does this with approval from the govt depts (EPA)-all in the name of tourism, and what of the recent story regarding clearing vegetation along creeks. Lets not forget all of the approvals that it gives to developers to clear land for housing estates.

angry truck ddriver said...

look ya do-gooder try having a real job or running a small business. get a life.

Paddy McGuire, County Cork said...

only tree fella's not four?

Angry Ambo said...

angry truck ddriver- get back on the road and do what you do best - killing other road users.

concerned said...

I agree with Rob (HB). Council are the worst abuser in the tree felling arena. Some other ideas related to this point:

How about more community tree planting schemes supported and actively encouraged by the council. For wildlife corridors and there are numerous areas in needs of revegetation.

How about native tree planting in easements and creek banks in the northern beaches (the area I am familiar with) to discourage the erosion.

How about banning the highly toxic herbicide being used regularly in the creek beds. (Often just before rain - totally pointless just running into the sea.)

How about residents being actively encouraged to plant suitable sized plants on nature strips (where logical obviously).

How about council abiding by the new "Grow Me Instead" guide supplied by the nursery association (i believe) for the planting around the cairns regional council area. Have a look how many of the highly used plants are actually potentially dangerous weeds.

How about the developments in Cairns which received planning permission with conditions related to planting having these conditions enforced.

Or more green spaces needed to be included in developments to receive the permission. Or vertical or rooftop gardens being actively encouraged in new developments. (Google vertical gardens - some innovative ideas overseas)
How about a true garden city?? And that is just me getting started on this issue....