Showing the row of 11 new Euclyptus maculata trees lining the path on the cemetery wall side of Camperdown Memorial Rest Park
Recently we went to have a look at Camperdown Memorial Rest Park & saw that Marrickville Council has almost completed the work advertised in their Concept Plan. See – http://bit.ly/KkeCSn
Three new trees have been planted in the treed area nearest Church Street & the whole area has been re-mulched. Impressive was the row of 11 new trees planted adjacent to the historic sandstone cemetery wall of the St Stephens Church Cemetery & the footpath.
I stopped writing here to read my October 2011 post on the Concept Plan to find the name of these trees & suddenly lost my enthusiasm. According to the Concept Plan, 17 Eucalyptus maculata trees were to be planted, not 11.
I really do like to write about the good things Marrickville Council is doing for the environment, but keep coming across things that could be much better, I disagree with or as in this case, shortchange the community.
In my previous post I wrote – “Euclyptus maculata can grow to 50-metres, though the fact sheet says, “Spotted gums are tall trees on favourable sites, usually attaining 35–45 m in height & 1–1.3 m diameter at breast height over bark. Exceptional specimens may reach 70 m in height & 3m diameter at breast height. On drier & poorer sites they may be 20–35 m in height or even smaller on exposed coastal headlands.”
So these are big impressive trees & shortchanging us of 6 trees will make a significant difference. What was noticeable at Camperdown Memorial Rest Park was that the new trees had been planted in exact distances from each other. This makes me feel sure that Council will not be squeezing in 6 trees at a later date to make up the promised number. If they did, uneven spacing would result whereas the Concept Plan shows a canopy that evenly meets from one tree to the next.
Such a shame.
Showing the 3 new trees on the Church Street side of Camperdown Memorial Rest Park
A side view of the above photo showing the mulched area where 3 new trees were planted
5 comments
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August 1, 2012 at 3:18 pm
annapoodle
what to say? it would be good to hear from council the reason why the ‘missing’ 6 trees were not planted here. perhaps they have been planted somewhere ELSE in the area?!
August 4, 2012 at 8:54 pm
brenda
Thank you for the trees.
I know these plantings can be expensive and don’t know exactly why not all promised trees were planted but please can we also have some colour and life intermingled around these trees. Some inexpensive bird attracting natives that flower for example will surely fit in the large mulched area around the trees.
Colour and flowers make people happy and add to the beauty of the trees you planted. They also attract people outdoors to soak up the ambience this creates.
August 13, 2012 at 9:52 am
Elizabeth Heath
Hi annapoodle. Marrickville Council planted 15 trees at CMRP (alternating Corymbia maculata and Angophora costata trees).
Two trees were not planted. One was in conflict with a light pole and another in conflict with an existing tree that the community lobbied to protect.
Elizabeth Heath, Media and Publications Coordinator at Marrickville Council
August 26, 2012 at 8:35 am
Saving Our Trees
Thank you for replying to annapoodle’s question Marrickville Council. I appreciate it.
Marrickville Council’s Concept Plan for Camperdown Memorial Rest Park says a, “single row of Eucalyptus maculata along the lower side of path.” That single row consisted of 17 trees.
The Concept Plan said nothing about removing the Bauhinia tree that the community lobbied to retain 6-7 months after the Concept Plan was released for community consultation. The concept plan always envisaged retaining the Bauhinia because it shows it remaining there.
Your comment says that Council changed the Concept Plan in 2 ways –
1. Not to plant a single row of Eucalyptus maculata. Instead plant a row of alternating Eucalyptus maculata with Angophora costata trees.
2. Not to plant a row of 17 trees, but a row of 12 trees.
There is a row of 11 trees and further off near the Church Street entrance to the park one more, bringing the total to 12 trees in this row.
That is, the promised row is still missing 5 trees.
The planting of 3 other trees elsewhere at the park is irrelevant and should not be counted in the same equation. The Concept Plan itself said these were “separate works.”
August 26, 2012 at 10:29 am
Kristina
I would love to see those 5 trees planted. They could be planted on a next row – along side the original 11 tree row – but on the park side. That would make the row more lush and create more canopy.
And also, what’s with all the mulch section with the 3 trees. It seem like a lot of mulch. Empty space that you can’t sit on comfortably because it is mulch & not grass… Will anything else be planted here I wonder?
Apart from these things, I look forward to these trees growing. It is a beautiful park & a great place for more trees.