The fate of private trees in Sydney’s Inner West

I love this oak tree that lives in a Marrickville back garden. The owner planted it 80 plus years ago and the whole family loves it.   It is bare for winter, but come spring, the wonderful vibrant green eaves transform this tree and the surrounding neighbourhood.

I am back.  I disappeared for a while.  My husband was in hospital twice & it has been a hectic time.   Lots has happened locally, but I did not have the time to focus.  He is home now, so now I can concentrate on trees & the local environment again.   Thanks to all who continued to come to see if I had written anything.

A resident sent me a Facebook post from Mayor Darcy Byrne who wants to make it easier for private trees to be removed if the resident feels it is posing a risk to safety or damaging their property.   See – https://www.facebook.com/byrne.darcy/videos/1797985483610673/

The Mayor says that the state government has changed the law to prevent Councillors from voting on tree applications “so officers who make the decisions have a lot of power.”  I presume this refers to Council Officers.  I always thought the Councillors had a lot of power to decide the fate of trees in the municipality.  I saw that if they were not tree-people, there was very little chance of them voting to retain a tree that was on the agenda of council meetings.

In this Facebook post Mayor Byrne repeatedly refers to replacing the trees & says he wants to increase the urban canopy.    This is good.

Saving Our Trees blog does not focus on private trees.  Public trees are more than enough work for one person to concentrate on.

I have always felt sorry for residents who have spoken to me about problem trees on their property & how hard it is to get permission to remove them.  It is a difficult subject because most of the ground to create a viable urban forest is private land.

The NSW government created the 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Code in 2014.  This Code allowed landowners to chop down trees on their property within 10-metres of a home & clear underlying vegetation such as shrubs on their property within 50-metres of their home, without a permit.  As a result, many of the leafy suburbs in Sydney lost a great percentage of their urban forest.  Many of the trees removed were significant, both in terms of visibility & were landmark trees & in providing homes & food for wildlife.   Trees removed were often not within the permitted area for tree removal.   There was an uproar in the community, the NSW Liberal government knew what was happening & gave notice of 18-months before they would change this law.  As a result, there was a rush to get trees chopped down.

Pittwater Council, Manly Council & Warringah Council fought the 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Entitlement Code to prevent further tree loss, as they believed trees were being removed to make way for development, to enhance views, especially water views & that many trees were not being removed because they presented a fire risk.

I think this period of time showed that people will remove trees when they get the opportunity & there are many in Sydney who dislike trees.  This is of huge concern with rising temperatures due to climate change.  Wildlife is already in serious trouble because of a lack of habitat & food. We need a culture change in the way we regard trees.

I restate that I do believe that some trees are not appropriate for the spaces they have been planted, but I also believe this needs to be decided by Council.   So, I hope if the Mayor’s planned changes get through, that our community does not further decimate what is in reality a poor urban forest.

I also have concerns about what tree species will replace what is removed.  If you remove a gum tree & replace with a Crepe Myrtle for example.  I feel the same about the species choices for public trees as well.  I hope that Council insists that replacement trees offer amenity & help wildlife.

Labeling trees as ‘dangerous’ is also a problem.  Yes, people do get hurt or killed by trees, but it is a very small percentage.  Yet every day we get into cars & the statistics for people getting hurt or killed by vehicles is massive.  We ignore that & focus on trees.

Trees are useful to us.  They provide shade & oxygen for us to breathe.  They clean the air of pollution, especially particulate matter from vehicles.  A view of trees helps kids learn & all of us recover faster from illness.

To be amongst trees makes us feel peaceful & helps lift depression & calms anxiety. Trees sequester carbon & help mitigate climate change.   One tree can cool the air as much as ten residential air conditioners operating 20-hours a day & they do this silently & without using electricity.

Trees drop the cost of power, act as wind breaks & block off sound.  They also reduce storm water runoff, slow down cars & lower crime.

Shopping areas with lots of leafy trees have been shown to increase shopper spending by 11%.  They also raise property values, so there is a monetary reason to keep them & a monetary benefit to plant them.

Trees are great.   They keep us alive, keep us feeling good & work to improve our health.  Living in an area with few trees mean that the beauty that trees provide is not present.  Streets are also hot & birdsong is sparse.  Even if you think it is okay to be without trees, you are actually missing out on many proven benefits to your mental, emotional & physical health.

Tree removal in Enmore Park Marrickville

Showing the row of palm trees opposite the pool.  Note the gum tree closest to the right. Is this another indication that the palms will be removed?  I love gum trees, but once they drop a branch, many in the community demand the offending tree be removed because they are seen as dangerous.

Showing one of the paths being worked on.

Inner West Council has given notice of their intention to remove 5 “small trees adjacent to paths to be reconstructed this financial year.”

They gave the following reasons –

• “The two figs are in very poor condition & have not improved over the last ten years.
• The two water gums are impacted with the pathway reconstruction & widening.
• The palm tree in the central rondel to allow for a larger canopy tree to be planted & enhance the views along the path axes.”

They say they will replace these trees this year between April to June 2018 with-

• 1 × Ficus rubiginosa (1000L)
• 1 × Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Rotundiloba’ (300L)
• 1 × Eucalyptus pilularis (75L)
• 1 × Ficus macrophylla (100L)

I went to have a look at the trees a couple of weekends ago & as far as I could make out, they had all been removed.  The areas where work was happening had been fenced off with cyclone fencing & shade cloth making it hard to see what was happening. The only tree I could identify with confidence was the palm in the central rondel & that had already been removed.

Prior to amalgamation Marrickville Council used to give 3-weeks for community consultation concerning tree removal.  I suspect now the new Inner West Council puts up notification as they start work or very close to the commencement of work.  I am not sure yet.  Certainly, the way they now do community consultation has changed.  They no longer give a period of notification with a deadline to contact the Council.

Two trees are being removed to widen the path.  I do not know whether the trees were located on one side of the path or one tree on each side.  Council does not say where all, but one tree is located.

It is worth thinking that all the paths have been like they were in 1943.  See an aerial map of Enmore Park taken in 1943 on Marrickville Heritage Society’s blog.  See – https://bit.ly/2rwAczp,   Why does Council need to widen the paths that have been this way for at least more than 7 decades?   The paths are certainly wide enough to give equal access.

The last time Council removed trees in Enmore Park was in October 2013 where they removed 15 trees, most of them old Moreton Bay & Port Jackson Fig trees.   See – https://bit.ly/2rvDNh0

One big Fig was removed from the corner of Llewellyn Street & Enmore Road & its trunk is still rotting slowly away in Steel Park Marrickville South.  If I am correct & the two Fig trees to be removed are in the same location, it will mean the corner will be bare indeed.

I have reservations about removing very old heritage trees even if they are in poor condition.  My reasons are that trees can be helped to recover, whereas our public trees do not get much help in terms of nutrients.  They get by with whatever rainfall they can get & nothing else.

Enmore Park is heritage-listed.  It was the first park to be established in Marrickville municipality, opening in two sections in May 1886 & on October 1893.  The Fig trees were likely planted at this time & therefore are heritage items too.

I think efforts could have been made to take care of them.  However, if Council has been making efforts to improve their health by providing them with water & nutrients, then I will retract these comments & admit my error.

Looking at fig trees in Petersham Park I can see the some are in declining health, but these trees still stand proud & everyone who sees them loves them.  I suspect it is the same for the Fig trees in Enmore Park as well.

I felt sad to see the big healthy palm tree in the central rondel had been removed for what appears to be Council’s design preference & not because the tree was sick, dangerous or inappropriate for the location.

To me removing this tree does not make sense considering this tree matched all the other palm trees that run both side of the pathway from Enmore Road to the central rondel & then only on one side due to the building of the pool, which resulted in a loss of more than 50 trees.  If you look down this row of trees, they take your eye onwards up Addison Road.

To replace with a “larger canopy tree”interrupts these two rows of palm trees, which are a strong feature of this park.  I hope the removal of this central palm does not indicate a future plan to remove all the palms.

Lastly Council removing 5 trees & replacing with only 4 trees is very disappointing.

Central rondel with stump of palm tree

Showing the central rondel without the palm tree and the row of palm trees that take the eye to Addison Road.

 

Update on tree removal in St Peters

12-15 street trees were removed from Campbell Street down Unwins Bridge Road.

I wrote about the street tree removal along Unwins Bridge Road in February.  See https://bit.ly/2C0hmny

Around 12 – 15 Evergreen ash (Fraxinus griffithii) had been chopped down from the corner of Campbell street & along the eastern side of Unwins Bridge Road.   I wrote to Inner West Council to ask why & they replied also in February.  Apologies for the delay.  I am busy with other things over the last few months, though hopefully things should return to normal soon.

Council said the trees were removed as part of WestConnex works.

“Approval for their removal is as per the Environmental Impact Statement issued for the New M5. The WestConnex New M5 Arborist Report for Campbell Street and Campbell Road can be found on the WestConnex website.” – https://bit.ly/2Hmov5W

Council also said that replacement trees will be planted somewhere in the area to make up for the loss in this particular location.  So at least we know.

Public tree removal in Dulwich Hill

The tree to be removed.

Inner West Council – Marrickville have given notice that they intend to remove a Small-leafed peppermint (Eucalyptus nicholii) outside 80 Denison Road Dulwich Hill.

They give the following reasons –

• “The tree is in poor structural condition, has recently suffered a significant branch failure and exhibits extensive stem decay which cannot be mitigated by pruning.

• The tree in its current state presents an unacceptable risk to the public and property.”

Council say they will replace with a Yellow bloodwood (Corymbia eximia) in the 2018 planting season.

There was no Notification of Removal on the tree.

Yellow bloodwood is an Australian native with a round canopy that grows to 10-metres. It has scaly yellow-brown bark & broad, thick, curved, blueish-green leaves.  In spring, it produces large clusters of creamy flowers in clusters, which attract birds & insects.  Nice choice.

Small leaf Peppermint up for removal

Public tree removal in Camperdown

The healthy Bottlebrush  outside 3 Derby Street Camperdown.

The healthy Small leaf lilly pilly outside 7 Derby Street Camperdown

The worst part of the footpath outside 7 Derby Street. You can also see an NBN channel.

Inner West Council – Marrickville have given notice that they intend to remove 4 trees in Camperdown.

Tree number 1:  A Bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis ) outside 3 Derby Street Camperdown.

Tree number 2:  A Small leaf lilly pilly (Syzygium species) outside 7 Derby Street Camperdown.

The footpath is narrow & has two small, but healthy trees.   I was amazed that council even notified the community of their proposed removal because they appear to be under 5-metres.

I have noticed that people tend to walk with their dog down the road of this quiet back street rather than along the footpath.   If a car does come down Derby Street, it is easy to get off the road.

To lose both these trees to replace a footpath does not seem necessary to me.  I am pretty certain that the footpath can be replaced while keeping the trees.  To replace only one of these trees in this location is another loss despite the proposed planting of a spotted gum on O’Dea Reserve around the corner.  I am not a fan of removing trees from one location to plant in another.   If there is room to plant a Spotted gum in O-dead Reserve, Council should do it anyway.

Derby Street will be down one tree.  I think Council should be looking to find more planting places for street trees, not reducing them.

Then there is the issue of new tree plantings failing to survive & if the new tree does survive, the years it will take before it produces amenity & benefits.  Currently, the two healthy trees provide both amenity & benefits.

Neither tree had a Notification of Removal sign on them.

Tree number 3:  A Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) outside 2 Ross Street Camperdown.  I first saw the Weeping fig in 2011 when I posted about O’Dea Reserve.  Even then I was surprised this tree was allowed to remain in this position because it was causing significant issues with the footpath.  Now it has moved on to damaging the brick fence.  I highly doubt this tree was planted by Council.  Weeping figs are sold as lush pot plants & many people decide they would be good to put in the ground.  The problem is that this tree has very strong roots & can grow into a large tree.  I think it should be removed.

This tree did not have a Notification of Removal sign on it.

Tree number 4:  A Chinese hackberry (Celtis sinensis) adjacent 2A Eton Street Camperdown.   I could not find this tree.  A resident tried to help me find the address to no avail.

Council give the following reasons for wanting to remove the above trees –

• “To undertake capital footpath reconstruction and kerb extension improvement works, including replacement tree planting.
• To remove trees that are either inappropriate species, in poor condition and/or unsustainable in the planted location.”

Council says they will replace these trees with –

• 1  Black tea tree (Melaleuca bracteata) in road tree planting outside 7 Derby Street.
• 1  Spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) in O’Dea Reserve.

That is 4 trees removed to be replaced with two, which is not good in my opinion.  Council do not say when they will plant them.

Black tea tree is an Australian native & is usually described as a medium sized shrub, but can reach 10-metres.  It has rough dark grey bark & produces white flowers in winter/spring/summer.  The flowers are attractive to birds, insects & butterflies.

Spotted gum is an Australian native that grows straight & tall.  It is known for its beautiful bark that shed in summer leaving behind creamy smooth bark with spots of older bark. It has dark green leaves & produces small clusters of fragrant white flowers from autumn to winter, which attract birds, bees & other insects.   It is a good tree for wildlife.

The bottom of the weeping fig in Ross Street Camperdown.  It is not too often I will say this, but this is the wrong tree for this space.

Street tree removal in St Peters

No street trees this side of the road anymore – why?

I suddenly remembered that I did not post about the street tree removal at Unwins Bridge Road St Peters that I saw way back in December 2017.   Better late than never.

Around 12 – 15 street trees had been chopped down from the corner of Campbell street & along the eastern side of Unwins Bridge Road.   The trees were Evergreen ash (Fraxinus griffithii) & most of them reached to the height limit below the powerlines. The area looks stark without them.  Luckily the residents there have big healthy fig trees across the road to provide a visual of green.

I spoke to two residents who said they came home from work to see the trees gone & had not received notification.  One resident was angry.  The other was feeling resigned.  None of us could work out why the trees were removed, though we did wonder whether it was connected to WestConnex, which barrels on down Campbell Street devouring everything in its way.

Street trees are vitally important in this location.  They always were because this is a main road, but the increased traffic of a motorway going through a densely populated suburb makes trees & their pollution management even more important.  Essential in my opinion.

So I thought it would be a good idea to revisit to see what has happened since I last went.  The answer is nothing.  The stumps are still in the ground & the footpath & houses are unprotected from the traffic zooming past.  It is hot too.  Such a shame.

I am hoping that in the next couple of months we will see replacement trees.   Surely the residents will not be expected to live without street trees.  Not there.

Another view further up Unwins Bridge Road

Public tree removal in Stanmore

Brittle gum to be removed. The canopy of the tree behind makes this tree look fuller and healthier than it is. 

Inner West Council – Marrickville has given notice dated 10 January 2018 that they intend to remove two street trees.

Tree number 1:  A Brittle gum (Eucalyptus mannifera) outside 41 Stafford Street Stanmore.

They give the following reasons –

• “Tree is in decline with significant decay and deadwood which cannot be mitigated by pruning.
• The tree in its current state presents an unacceptable risk to the public and property.”

Council says they will replace with a Scribbly Gum (Eucalyptus haemastoma), but not when they will do this.

Tree number 2:  A Brittle Gum (Eucalyptus mannifera) adjacent to 50 Railway Avenue Stanmore.

They give the following reasons –

• “Tree is in decline with significant decay and deadwood which cannot be mitigated by pruning.
• The tree in its current state presents an unacceptable risk to the public and property.”

Council says they will replace this with two Scribbly Gum trees (Eucalyptus haemastoma), but not when they will do this.

It’s good that two trees are being replaced for one tree removed & also good that these are big tall Australian native trees that will provide habitat & food for wildlife.  Stanmore is lucky with all their big trees & these trees will continue on with this theme.

A screenshot of the Brittle gums. I am fairly sure the tree closest to the edge of the caravan is the one that is to be removed.  I saw no signage.

Public tree removal in Marrickville

The tree for removal has a blue sign on the trunk.  It is unaffected by power lines.

The Inner West Council has given notice of their intention to remove a Spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) outside 7 Hilltop Avenue Marrickville dated 7 October 2017.

They give the following reasons –

• “The tree is structurally compromised & has multiple trunk defects. These defects will increase size as the tree matures & further impact the sustainability of the tree.
• The tree in its current state presents an unacceptable risk to the public & property.”

The trunk defeats are easy to see.  It is a shame that this tree needs to be removed.

Council says they will replace with 2 x advanced-sized Coastal Banksias (banksia integrifolia), but not when they will do this.

Replacing two for one tree is great & I thank Council for this.  Small changes like this will build on our urban forest.

Coastal Banksia is native to the east coast of Australia.  It will reach heights between 4-15 metres & produces flowers from late summer to winter.  It is a food source for nectar-eating birds, seed-eating birds, insects & possums.

No deadline for submissions was given, but up to now it has always been 3-weeks from notification.  If you have something to say contact the Tree Manager.

Showing the “trunk defects.”

 

Public tree removal in Newtown

 

Darley Street Playground. The 3 trees for removal have blue signs on them and are on the right of this photo.

A new Inner West Council & now a new way of putting up tree removal notifications or is this just a one off?

Council’s Notice of Removal now starts with a date – presumably the date they put the notice on their website.  The Notice of Removal includes no information about the deadline for submissions.  It does give reasons why the tree/s are up for removal & what they will replace with, but no information as to when the replacement trees will be planted.  Neither is there any invitation to contact the Tree Manager to discuss, as was the norm previously.  These are significant changes & not much about consultation.

Council have given notice of their intention to remove 3 x Grey gums (Eucalyptus punctata) in the Darley Street Playground, Darley Street Newtown dated 26^th September 2017.

They give the following reasons –

• “3 trees are proposed for removal.
• One tree is dead & the other two have significantly declined in health, & their structural integrity has been compromised.
• The trees present an unacceptable risk to the public & property.”

There are 4 Grey gums in this small playground.  All trees have been severely pruned when young & all have grown into what I consider a long trunk with a lollipop canopy.  Two of the trees lean towards a neighbouring house.

Council says they will replace with  –

• An advanced-sized Illawarra flame tree (Brachychiton acerifolius) &
• An advanced-sized Sydney Red Gum (angophora costata).

The Illawarra flame tree is a deciduous tree native to coastal rainforests from central NSW to far north Queensland.  It develops clusters of red bell shaped flowers spring-summer.  They may not flower every year, but when they do they can look spectacular.  The flame tree is regarded as a small to medium-sized tree, though in perfect growing conditions can reach 35-metres in height.  Nectar-eating wildlife love this tree when in flower & so do most Sydney-siders.

The Sydney red gum is native to the Sydney Basin & along the NSW coast.  They can reach approximately 25-meters in height.  The bark is a lovely salmon/pink that gradually turns grey.  It produced large bunches of white flowers over the summer months, which is good food for nectar-eating wildlife.  It grows well on rocky outcrops & can develop a gnarled & twisted appearance, which is much loved by many.

I think these are great choices for this playground & will add much in the way of beauty to this space.

Another of Council’s changes is the Notification of Removal signs on the trees.  These are a great improvement on what was used previously.  They are easy to read & provide good information to the community.  I thank Council for this.  I also thank Council for continuing to use sticky tape to attach the signs to the trees.

No deadline for submissions was given, but up to now it has always been 3-weeks, so if you have something to say, contact the Tree Manager at Council.

More tree loss

Gardeners Road Alexandria outside Bunnings.  If you remember, this street was full of big street trees.  The fig tree in the background may have already been chopped down.  It’s not our area, but close enough to affect us. 

Carnage and much more to come.

Last week we took a trip to Bunnings in Alexandria.   I had been told that street trees had been removed in Gardeners Road, so was on the lookout.

I am never prepared for what I see.  Yes, I know that trees will be gone, but to actually see the barrenness & devastation is always quite a shock.  I am often surprised at the quality of the trees they sacrifice for wider roads, as in this case, or for development & I always wonder whether the trees could have remained if the planners had taken another approach to their designs.

As we drove up Canal Road I was concentrating on the development that is happening.  Massive high-rise apartment blocks are being built all the way to the footpath.  I can’t help but feel for the people who will be living above the belching exhaust fumes from trucks & other vehicles that clog this road.  The NSW government is telling us loud & clear that this is the future of housing in Sydney. What you are looking at is Future Sydney arriving fast.

We get to Bunnings & turned left into Bourke Road.  I was glad I was not driving because I could not rip my eyes away from the corner where a giant tree stump was laid bare & what was filled with big trees was empty.

This corner has always been glorious because of the two rows of big trees.  These were street trees & the inner row of trees that Bunnings did not rip out for parking when they took over the site so many years ago.  I have many times waited outside & watched birds while my husband shopped.

Between Gardeners Road & Bourke Road, a large amount of big fat mature trees have been chopped down.    They are widening the road here – I think to cope with the traffic that will come off WestConnex less than 1km away.

I spoke to staff at Bunnings who all expressed shock at the loss of the trees.  One said it was awful listening to all the birds when the trees were coming down.

Apparently, more trees along Gardeners Road will be removed soon, including a beautiful big old fig.  I was told that the street trees all along the eastern side of Bourke Road will also be removed.

I have cycled along the bike path on Bourke Road & it is a lovely experience.   Yes, it is a busy road, but I felt safe in the separated bicycle lane.  I also loved that a huge part of the route was in shade from the big street trees.

I think this is how all employment zones should look – green & leafy.   Soon this area will look worse than our barest street.  It is terribly sad to lose such undeniable beauty.  It will be an incredible loss of amenity that was provided by these trees &,  I imagine the impact to workers will be huge.    This story is being told all around where WestConnex enters the inner suburbs.  I think the toll is horrendous.

This is from the entrance to Bunnings to the corner of Gardeners Road. This area was full of big trees.

This is on the other side of the entrance to Bunnings. I am told these trees will be removed as well.

Bourke Road Alexandria. I was told all the trees on the right side of this image for the length of the street are to be removed. I hope this information is incorrect.