It would be dangerous to keep hundreds of mature trees on a vacant Cairnlea site earmarked for housing and commercial development, according to an arborist’s report.
Places Victoria plans to remove 300 sugar gum trees from the Cairnlea mixed use precinct site despite strong community opposition.
But the report by consultant Dr Peter Yau, released by Places Victoria following a freedom of information request, found 80 per cent of the trees between Cochrane Street and the Western Ring Road were in various stages of “severe health and structural deterioration and destruction”.
Dr Yau, a member of a state government taskforce for tree disease in the 1980s, said the only course of action was to remove them.
“Considering this area is to be rezoned for a residential development in the near future, these trees in their current faulty condition will be a high hazard risk to the safety of all stakeholders,” the report stated.
“The trees collectively are at an advanced stage of physical structural decline, with a very high probability of failure.
“The size and mass of the tree trunks and limbs that fail will have a very high chance of inflicting serious injury, fatality and/or damage to property.’’
Cairnlea resident and former horticulturalist Graeme Blore said replacing 300 sugar gums with 750 trees in unspecified locations was inadequate.
“You need 2000 minimum, with a 20-25 per cent loss rate.” he said. “All you will see for the next 30 years is concrete if they replace mature trees with tuber stock, which are generally around 25-40 centimetres high.
‘‘It will create an absolute eyesore on Cairnlea’s doorstep and severely impact on our property values. It’s not the best soil for growing things [either].’’
Helen Rzesniowiecki said residents didn’t accept the report’s findings.
“If the trees are a danger, don’t build near them,” she said. “They don’t have to go.”
