The removal of five self-sown trees from a Mount Nasura street has infuriated a couple of residents who said they weren’t told they were going to be losing part of the ‘street’s beauty’.
Four eucalyptus grandis, commonly referred to as a flooded gum or rose gum and one eucalyptus camaldulensis, commonly referred to as a river red gum, were cut down and removed from Henrietta Avenue in Mount Nasura earlier this month.
Resident Yvonne Healy told The Examiner she woke to the sound of a chainsaw on October 10 and went out with her husband to see where the sound was coming from.
“My husband asked the tree loppers if they had permission to remove them and they showed us a work order from the council to remove the trees but couldn’t really explain why they were cutting them down,” she said.
“I rang the city three times that day and was told each time that someone would return my call.
“I received a call back later in the afternoon but by that stage it was too late as the trees were already cut down to ground level.”
Mrs Healy, who has lived on Henrietta Avenue for the past eight years, said a staff member from the city later informed her that council had approved the decision to remove the trees and they would be replaced with Portuguese oak trees as they were more flame retardant.
“I asked why we as residents weren’t informed and was told that we didn’t need to be,” she said.
“The whole aspect out here is the greenery… we have lost the birds that visit and the blossom on the trees for the bees.
“We are very angry and sad about their removal and I told the staff member that I would be dead by the time the new trees grow in the next 35 years.”
Fellow Henrietta Avenue resident Gabriele Dodds said she, too, was very upset over the loss of the trees, which she described as part of the street’s charm.
“I understand that the city would want to fulfil the property owner’s desire to remove trees if they were causing some sort of a concern but it didn’t seem very apparent to anyone in the street why they were removed and why we were not consulted about the removal,” she said.
“In this day and age when people are very aware of the environmental importance of trees I would think it would be necessary that the city consult with local residents and provide a good reason as to the removal of the trees.”
Acting chief executive Paul Sanders said the decision to remove the trees was made in September and the adjoining property owners were notified.
“The city removed the trees following damage to one of the adjacent properties from tree roots after conducting a detailed assessment of the trees and their surrounding environment,” he said.
“The city will be planting two quercus lusitanicas, commonly referred to as Portuguese oaks, which are a long-lived shade tree considered to be a fire-wise species.”
Mr Sanders confirmed the city had received feedback from two local residents following the removal of the trees.
