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What You Didn’T Know About Our Trees And Shrubs!Bass Coast Shire Council’s Parks team have a big job looking after most of the Shire’s public parks, gardens and reserves. But did you know that its trees and shrubs are often embroiled in controversy? By Bass Coast Shire Council - 14th December 2006 - Back to News Stolen trees
Around 1500 plant, trees and shrubs on public Shire land are stolen and or vandalised every year, at a cost of $7500 to Council and the community.
Council Parks Supervisor, Richard Clarkson, said that sometimes vandalism is just as big a problem as lack of water in terms of plant survival.
"Vandalism is often blamed on tourists, but from what we experience it comes from both tourists and locals.
"One site in Wonthaggi has been replanted three times, each time with about 60 plants, only to find them gone again three weeks later.
"Recently in Smiths Beach, four matured She-Oaks were planted at a cost of $120 each wholesale.
"We found them missing four weeks later, with the holes nicely covered in as if they hadn’t even been there," Mr Clarkson continued.
"There are also yearly plantings in the Wonthaggi, Inverloch and Newhaven garden beds, that are often vandalised by trucks or people who remove them with care to transplant to their own garden.
"And it’s not just plants, its bollards too!
"We are glad that people enjoy our different plantings throughout the Shire but sometimes we wish that some people would leave them there for others to enjoy," stated Mr Clarkson.
Maintenance for the public
There are 23 people in Council’s Parks and Gardens Maintenance team, who have the tremendous job of looking after around 300,000 trees on public land managed by the Council.
However, the group is often overwhelmed with calls to do work on private properties.
"Many residents are not aware that we aren’t able to do tree works on private properties," informed Mr Clarkson.
"For example, we can’t cut back trees on private property to clear household electrical wires.
"We are also unable to remove tree prunings generated from private properties," said Mr Clarkson.
"However, we can certainly help with requests to maintain trees in nature strips, parks and foreshore reserves that are on Council managed land.
"Residents just need to be aware that to remove some trees, we need to get a planning permit and this can take some time.
"If you do put in a request, we will assess the tree and prioritise it in regard to safety and put it in our six-weekly rotation works program," Mr Clarkson advised.
For more information on Council’s tree maintenance program or to provide information on the whereabouts of stolen trees please phone 5671 2555 or 5951 3311.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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