Is Ku-ring-gai Council Lying?

Eric Frei · 9th October 2011, 10:44 AM

I read this story:-

Wahroonga resident angry over loss of trees in Wahroonga - Council - News - North Shore Times

Quote:

Wahroonga resident angry over loss of trees in Wahroonga
8 Oct 11

Wahroonga residents Mark White and 12 year old son Harry

WAHROONGA: Ku-ring-gai Council has cut down several trees without cleaning up the mess or informing nearby residents or councillors.

Resident Mark White contacted the Times last week after he saw council workers visit the area (back of Leuna Ave) on September 23 to remove some of the trees.

After complaints from residents, an on-site meeting between councillors, council staff and residents was held several days later, which Mr White attended.

“It is a case of classic council vandalism that has occurred,” he said.

Mr White said he was informed the trees were removed by the council to assist with hazard reduction, even though from his experience the fires usually came from the direction of George Christie Playing Fields to the west of Leuna Ave, not the southern fence line area where the trees were removed.

“These trees were not a problem,” Mr White said.

“They were here for about 20 to 25 years, some of them 40 years. Now that the good trees are gone, the weeds here will take control.”

Ku-ring-gai Council’s director of operations Greg Piconi confirmed residents or councillors were not notified prior to the tree cutting.

He also said he would speak “directly” with the staff involved and take appropriate action.

The council’s explanation
‘‘FOUR trees were removed from bushland at the rear of properties in Leuna Ave as part of a bushfire hazard reduction burn.
‘‘The trees were non-endemic eucalypts and are classed as a weed species.
Their removal complied with legislation ... however we concede residents should have been consulted before the decision to remove the trees was made.

Now I'm wondering, non-endemic eucalypts classified weeds eh. I know it can happen as here in Brisbane the Brisbane City Council lists the Cadaghi (Corymbia torelliana) as a weed on page 22.

So I do some searching and I have two PDF's of which none list any eucalyptus as weeds in Ku-ring-gai Council. Are they lying to cover their asses?

http://www.kmc.nsw.gov.au/resources/...tual_Order.pdf

http://www.kmc.nsw.gov.au/resources/...olicy_2007.pdf

Eric Frei · 30th October 2011, 08:42 PM

A little more, story changed a bit too.

Now one of the trees cut down was a Sydney Blue Gum and I doubt that is a weed species.

Clean-up of trees behind Wahroonga street begins at last - Council - News - Hornsby & Upper North Shore Advocate

Quote:

Clean-up of trees behind Wahroonga street begins at last
29 Oct 11

Mark White with his son in late September among the trees which were removed. Picture: CHRIS MCKEEN

KU-RING-GAI Council has begun cleaning the mess that was left behind during recent tree removal works on a bushland fringe behind Leuna Ave, Wahroonga.

The news comes almost a month after workers visited the site to cut down trees in preparation for a bushfire hazard reduction burn.

A letter from Ku-ring-gai’s open space services manager Matthew Drago was sent out to nearby residents last week, where he confirmed the clean-up was due to begin and conceded that a proper community consultation should have been undertaken.

However one resident, Mark White, has accused council of being “hypocritical”, as one of the trees cut down was a Sydney Blue Gum, which he believed was protected under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.

When questioned on the matter, Ku-ring-gai Council’s spokesman explained that Sydney Blue Gums on their own were not a threatened species and therefore not protected.

“The vegetation community Blue Gum High Forest is a threatened ecological community,” he said.

Done it · 25th November 2011, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Frei

Now one of the trees cut down was a Sydney Blue Gum and I doubt that is a weed species.

Definitely not.

An interesting site I saw today for anyone concerned about that area.

FOKE - Ku-ring-gai’s natural heritage

Or home page. Friends of Ku-ring-gai Environment (FOKE) home page

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