By Matthew Sims
Maribyrnong council has begun works to remove 12 heritage-listed trees along Footscray’s Bunbury Street, despite an online petition attracting more than 600 signatures calling for all works to cease immediately.
About 50 English elms and desert ashes make up the Bunbury Street avenue, with the council deciding to remove 12 of the trees citing their risk to the community following two large limb failures last December.
Maribyrnong chief executive Celia Haddock said independent arborist’s reports confirmed a decline in their structural condition and the presence of internal decay.
“Council cannot knowingly put its residents and visitors to the area at risk,” she said.
“It is because of the serious risk to public safety that the trees are being removed and why on this occasion the community has not been consulted.”
Ms Haddock said council would work with residents on creating a tree planting renewal plan.
With a number of the English elms initially planted in 1903, a May 4 Homewood report said many of the elm trees were “over-mature and becoming unmanageable in the landscape due to heavy trunk decay and cavities at the base of large stems”.
An April Arbor Survey report said any works to recreate the historic bluestone kerbing as part of any streetscape improvement works may require further removal of trees along the avenue.
Footscray resident Ronch Willner said the community was calling on council to cease works immediately, engage in respectful discussions with the community, engage a heritage arborist, look at management options to extend the trees’ life and immediately replace any trees with identical mature stock.
“The historical avenue of the trees along Bunbury Street needs to be retained because of its significance to Footscray, contribution to the history of Maribyrnong and its contribution to flora and fauna,” he said.
“The residents have continually raised concerns to the council that the trees have not been looked after.
“Not every old tree deserves a death sentence.”
Details: www.bunburytrees.com or www.change.org/SaveTheBunburyStreetTrees
