By Eleanor Wilson
Berwick residents have expressed their disappointment after a series of healthy, mature aged trees were removed from a newly established estate off High Street.
The Manor Oak Estate development, located off Langmore Lane in Berwick, was previously home to many mature aged trees, including a 30-metre Norfolk Pine tree and similar height Eucalyptus trees.
Despite being protected from removal during construction, fine print in Casey Council permits meant three of the four trees have since been removed by private owners, causing outrage among locals.
“Berwick is just renowned for its old growth trees and yet here, several of them have just disappeared,” said nearby resident Tim Wright.
When the subdivision approval process for the site began several years ago, a qualified arborist was employed to assess the vegetation of the site, according to council.
City of Casey planning and building manager Duncan Turner said a condition was imposed on the estate permit which required a number of trees to be protected from activity during construction.
“These trees were included in building exclusion areas and protected during construction activity,” Mr Turner said.
But he said there “was no obligation in the Planning Scheme for retention of the trees in perpetuity.“
“Unfortunately, upon completion of the subdivision construction, trees have been subsequently removed by new lot owners.“
Three of the mature aged trees, including a Norfolk Pine tree and native Eucalyptus tree have since been removed by private owners.
Mr Wright, who lives around the corner from the estate said he was invited by council to review the planning permit, and called the removals a “failure of process by planning department administrators.”
“What I object to really strongly is the fact that the protection given at the time of the development happening does not carry through to the private owners,” Mr Wright said.
“I’m not adverse to development, but it has to be sustainable development, whereby we respect the trees that are there and the vegetation and flora there, particularly if they have been assessed by arborists to deem that they’re worthy of protection – that should be afforded.”
Mr Wright said he fears the final mature aged tree on the lot, a Eucalyptus tree, will suffer the same fate.
“In the current age of climate change, we have to be aware that every tree is significant,” he said.
“The old growth trees absorb up to 10 times as much carbon as one of the younger growth trees, so its a pretty important that you preserve these trees, it all adds up to the larger issue of global warming and climate change, not to mention the loss of wildlife habitat -birds in particular.”
He said he would like to see a by-law introduced which would guarantee the permanent protection of significant trees.
“I think what they need to guarantee is that once a study has been undertaken, the recommendations are there, the protection should be put in place and carried right through to the nth degree so the trees are protected permanently,” he said.
Mr Wright expressed his disappointment at the “lack of accountability“ from council.
“What I was ideally looking toward was to get a replacement tree -perhaps another established Norfolk Pine, but clearly [council] says that can’t happen because council has no ability to undertake any additional planning on private land,“ he said.
